In medieval times, when a severe punishment was handed out, the convicted party was often sentenced to time in the dungeon. One such prison was known as an “oubliette” which comes from the French term to forget. It was solitary and frightening and often prisoners would starve to death as their captors paid no attention to their wellbeing.

In the automotive industry, we could refer to the parts department as the dungeon.

There’s little glamour in working in the parts department. Every role, from dealing with irate customers at the front counter to placing orders for ornery technicians at the back counter – there’s nothing about the job that doesn’t seem like a harsh punishment.

Those working in parts departments across the country know what I mean. It’s like the rest of the dealership looks at you with little regard, because after all, how hard is it to pick parts off a shelf? If only they knew…

Parts personnel, you are not forgotten. Your role is more important than anyone else knows, and probably more important than even you know.

Holding it all together

The parts department is the linchpin at your dealership. They are a fundamental tie between departments no matter which way you slice it.

Without parts, your sales team could not do what they do. There would be no license plate brackets, no wheel locks, no block heater cords, and definitely no accessories. Good luck finding the right floor mats for your recent sale, by the way.

Without parts, your service department would literally be at a standstill. There would be no oil or filters for basic services, no tire patches for tire repairs, no one to tell you which additional gaskets you need for your head gasket job, and no one to price out those laundry-list estimates you’re trying to sell.

Without parts, your body shop would be twiddling their thumbs. They wouldn’t be able to price out amendments to insurance claims, locate aftermarket parts for those fender-benders, or determine the paint code for virtually every car they are working on.

Without the parts department, your dealership operations grind to a shuddering halt. Why is it that parts team members struggle to get the respect they so often deserve?

I’ve worked with a few absolutely fantastic parts people over the years (shout-out to Amy Fakes, Kevin Henzel, Chris Nickelman, Satbir Dhillon, and Rob Webster) who know their stuff better than any one of the techs that request parts from them. Do they know the head bolts need to be replaced without being told? Absolutely. Do they know you need dielectric grease for that electrical repair? Yup. Will you have both seals you need for the job when you only ordered one? Definitely.

Anyone who thinks working in the parts department is a joke or is easy to do, think again. Better yet, step into their space for a few days to see everything they do. What you don’t see comprises the bulk of their job. Here’s an incomplete list of a day in the life of a parts consultant:

• Order parts for technicians
• Field customer phone calls (with incomplete information – need a VIN number)
• Pick parts for technicians
• Pull accessories for a salesperson to show their customer
• Put away the stock order
• Call the manufacturer for a radio code
• Call the manufacturer due to a missing part listing (insert half-hour hold here)
• Order special order parts for customers and technicians alike
• Return special order parts that were never picked up
• Grab lube tech an oil filter (no, not that one, the other one)
• Order shop supplies
• Call for aftermarket parts/issue purchase order/receive and invoice aftermarket parts
• Stop for morning coffee break…if there’s time.

You get the idea. So when your parts team members look weary sitting behind the parts desk, or more likely standing, cut them some slack. None of their job is self-serving.

Level the playing field

Hopefully you have a better understanding of what goes into the role of a parts team member. It’s amazing that such pivotal people are behind the scenes, isn’t it? So maybe it’s time the parts department received some much deserved attention.  

First, it would make their day if you simply tell them how much you appreciate their hard work. What they do for your dealership is seldom recognized, and when it is, it’s even more seldom expressed directly.

Next, consider your training regimen. When your manufacturer puts on training sessions in your city, do you send your parts staff to attend? If your sales and service staff are involved in training exercises, there’s a good chance that your parts personnel would also benefit. This rings true for new model releases especially, but ride-and-drive events are always a good reward for your parts staff too.

Then, think about their personal development. Is there a parts person who should be groomed for the next parts manager position that opens up? Or is there someone who is using the parts department as a stepping stone to a different position? Some of the strongest candidates for high-level positions might be getting overlooked in the parts department.

Finally, have their backs. It’s so easy to come down with the full force of Thor when there is a part discrepancy. Maybe a wrong part was ordered or something was missed on an order. Maybe the person who requested the order incorrectly described the part or demanded the order without a VIN to verify. There are so many variables in the parts department that it’s literally impossible to get every order correct every time.

So cut them a bit of slack. They’re working with you as hard as they can – usually without the visibility that frontline staff get and almost assuredly with less pay than you think. They don’t desire a confrontation with you or anyone else.

Do you have a method of recognizing your parts personnel in the same fashion as the rest of your dealership team? How do you ensure parity between your departments? Weigh in with your thoughts on the subject.