Providing Part Numbers

[Fixed Ops Mgr]

Hey Everyone,

I know it has been discussed previously on the forum but I wanted to get an idea of what everyone is doing with the telephone calls for
part numbers over the phone? My counter people spend so much time doing the leg work to look up a part and not getting the sale.
Some people have even told them they want the number but will get it cheaper online. My biggest problem here is people calling for part
numbers and then crossing the numbers into their own system to get an aftermarket part.

I am trying to think of a short but professional way of saying we no longer provide part numbers. We have always done it to be helpful
but we are being taken advantage of these days and it has gotten out of hand.

Any thoughts and feedback is greatly appreciated!

[OilleakEarl]

If someone calls us and asks us for a part number with the intent on buying the part somewhere else, we say the following: “GM part numbers are proprietary; they can be obtained by making a purchase. Can we help you with something else”?

[Bucko21]

When I was on the counter I told them this, very simple, "I do not provide part numbers as it is our company policy." I instruct my countermen to say the same thing. If it turns into an issue, I say what was said above "You are more then welcome to come down and purchase the part and the part number will be provided on both the part and the invoice." It usually works fine.

[DWoodward]

DITTO....thats what we tell them too

[PartsPlant81]

We tell them we cannot give part numbers and if they are relentless we will "modify" the last 2 numbers

[possum]

All of the above...

It's also a liability issue, if you give out a wrong number and the vehicle gets damaged etc. it can be on your dealership. Stupid as it sounds it's TRUE

[Parts007]

It's also a liability issue, if you give out a wrong number and the vehicle gets damaged etc. it can be on your dealership. Stupid as it sounds it's TRUE

Also,

Had a customer come in asking for a refund of a part he purchased online. It was the wrong part and he stated that we gave him the part number. The online retailer would not give customer a refund. I would not give in but the GM of the store did and we refunded him the money he paid for this online wrong part.

Guess what, no more part numbers.. for someone being so blatantly obvious, I don't hand out options codes either.

[JOES924]

I have had arguments with people over this. I tell them we pay for the catalogs for the privilege to access this information and we don't give it away. Most of the time to avoid confrontation I just make up a number and say have a nice day.

[MSInventory]

Something I hand out to all my parts reps:

copied from unknown source:

Many years ago, one of my counter salesman was courteous enough to give a customer the part# over the phone for a fan blade for a medium duty truck, which we had in stock.
The customer went to another dealership and purchased the blade. As luck would have it, my employee looked up the wrong fan blade.
It either had too many blades, or not enough, (I can't remember).
Anyway, it caused a vibration, which (over time) put stress on the water pump shaft.
The shaft eventually broke, the fan blade went into the radiator, and thru the fiberglass tilt hood, causing several thousand dollars in damage.
As you would expect, the dealership he purchased the blade from wouldn't give him any help,since he furnished the part#, and it was the wrong blade.
He then came to us, and we sent him back to the dealership he purchased it from.
To make a long story shorter, we ended up in court and were found to be at fault, because we furnished the part#, which caused the customer to purchase the wrong fan blade.
It was quite an expensive lesson.
So, THERE IS A LIABILITY TO GIVING OUT A PART# TO ANY CUSTOMER.
That is exactly what we tell the customer, and most all of them are ok with it.
When one gets upset or irate, I leave my office and take about 10 minutes of their time telling them this story, and explaining to them that "that's why we no longer furnish part#s."

[Parts007]

Something I hand out to all my parts reps:

copied from unknown source:

Many years ago, one of my counter salesman was courteous enough to give a customer the part# over the phone for a fan blade for a medium duty truck, which we had in stock.
The customer went to another dealership and purchased the blade. As luck would have it, my employee looked up the wrong fan blade.
It either had too many blades, or not enough, (I can't remember).
Anyway, it caused a vibration, which (over time) put stress on the water pump shaft.
The shaft eventually broke, the fan blade went into the radiator, and thru the fiberglass tilt hood, causing several thousand dollars in damage.
As you would expect, the dealership he purchased the blade from wouldn't give him any help,since he furnished the part#, and it was the wrong blade.
He then came to us, and we sent him back to the dealership he purchased it from.
To make a long story shorter, we ended up in court and were found to be at fault, because we furnished the part#, which caused the customer to purchase the wrong fan blade.
It was quite an expensive lesson.
So, THERE IS A LIABILITY TO GIVING OUT A PART# TO ANY CUSTOMER.
That is exactly what we tell the customer, and most all of them are ok with it.
When one gets upset or irate, I leave my office and take about 10 minutes of their time telling them this story, and explaining to them that "that's why we no longer furnish part#s."

I do remember hearing this story a long time ago... Don't remember exactly where, maybe here.