Prepaid Special Orders

[bblatch]

Thinking of switching over to prepaid special orders unless for warranty or vehicle stays the night. Anybody have a system like this or something similar. Already have gotten push back from SM about if he loses customers he won't participate. Our GM is on board. I'm to the point that something else needs to be done. Thousands of $$ worth of special order parts sitting there because they aren't getting their customers back in. I do charge them the 35% restocking on returns, just trying to come up with ways to remedy the situation. Thanks.

[brparts]

posted this before but it is still a problem with lazy service department personal.i started to work for a dealer in 2006, when i took over, they had over $15,000.00 in warranty and special ordered parts 60 days old. i started calling the customers and most of them said they were never notified the parts were in. talked to the service manager and he said they don't have time to notify the customer. i started calling them back and told them to call the service dept and make a appointment or just come on down. service manager was not happy about that, went to the GM complaining. had a meeting and when the GM found out that customers were not being notified he he was not happy, got rid of over $10,000.00 in 60 days. you need to find out if customers are being notified.

[AlanHomes]

If the customer will not pre-pay for a part, then that customer is not worried about having the vehicle repaired. Who runs the parts department, certainty not the service manager

Special order parts are pre-paid, on a repair order or counter ticket.
Writers have 30 days to contact customer when parts arrive.
Writers get a notice when 30 days are up and parts are preparing for return. Service department eats the 35% restock fee that GM charges.
I have been questioned many times over the years, "Do you feel bad charging the service department 35% rather than throw the unused special parts into your inventory"? My answer is "Why should I"? "Why put special order parts into inventory and let the obsolescence grow"?
Any GM with a set will agree. Any owner with a set will agree.

[smoyer]

if they don't want to pre pay, the parts do not get ordered simple as that