DealersEdge Professional Forums

I have been reading with interest the other postings on this site. It seems that several of us, myself included, are nearing the end-of-the-rope. We seem to all wish for something better (more rewarding) to do.

I can't speak for anyone but myself. I work at a GM dealership. It is far more complex than it should be. I guess you could say that if it weren't so complex maybe I would not be needed. A few things I am tired of dealing with:

MOE - Mark of Excellence
SFE - Standards for Excellence
EBE - Essential Brand Elements
SLP - Service Lane Parts
RIM - Retail Inventory Management
SDR - Same Day Repair Initiative
DRAC / CTP - Daily Rental / Courtesy Transportation Program
DBC - Dealer Business Center
Certified Elite
CPO - Certified Pre-Owned ------ Can you free LOF / Rotate / MPVI ------Yes, that is correct, trim is not covered
OnStar
LPO - You know I don't remember what this stands for but we all know it is accessories we don't make money on
ADI - Accessory Distributor Installer ---- that no longer installs
Special Policy
Recall - oops sorry, Field Action ---not to be confused with Service Update Bulletin or SUB
Warranty
Warranty Parts Returns
WPC - Warranty Parts Center
CSI - Customer Satisfaction Index
VOC - Voice of the Customer
GM STC - GM Service Technical College ----- training
Quarterly training standards --- did you meet your second quarter
ADP now CDK
Cobalt website now CDK
P&P Manuals - we used to have 2, now it is much better ----- WE HAVE FIVE (5)!!!

The list just goes on and on.

Then we have our factory rep to deal with. We currently have one that should NEVER EVER speak with a customer. This person is concerned with one thing - selling vehicles. Every customer issue can be resolved by trading them - at full customer expense - into a new / bigger/ more expensive vehicle. Doesn't matter if the one they have is a year old with 7,000 miles - trade 'em out of it. Never mind we didn't sell it and they owe $8,000 more than it stickered for.

These are just some of the reasons I would consider changing jobs.

But, you know, really deep down I like the parts business. I wish I could go back to doing only that - not that it is easy - it isn't. It is just those parts, in a smaller dealership, don't talk back as much as some of the people I have to deal with.

Enough of me - your thoughts?

very clearly and precisely said!

Don't forget to mention the service advisors that constantly need parts discounted because they can't make their finished R.O. match their estimate. Or in my case a body shop manager that insists that I should be selling him parts at cost because we are all the same company and I'm ripping the owner off by making any profit. And an owner that says that parts is the lowest stress department in the entire dealership. I've about had enough. 20 years and nothing but a headache to show for it.

Once again. GM - We're not happy until you're not happy.

Someday maybe GM will hire someone that will realize how ridiculous and overbearing they've become. But I doubt it


another item for the original list - Same day adjuster - The pathetic need to have to file a request with GM when a customer returns an item or a part is removed from an RO. Like it's any of their Goddamned business

Whiner wrote:LPO - You know I don't remember what this stands for but we all know it is accessories we don't make money on

Think it's Limited Production Option

All well said. Think you've echoed the sentiments of every GM parts manager out there--probably non-GM managers too...we're not the only ones with gripes.

At Ford now and still refer to Ford ones as LPO's and never knew what it stood for other than work with no $.

I believe it stands for limited production option , limited promotion option , limited personalization option , limited period offer, or something like that. But my head is too full of acronyms.

Very well put. Been in it 30 yrs and have seen alot of things change, some good, some bad. I am not sure there are any jobs out there that are stress free, but I sure wish this one was. Oh well gotta go manage my RIM parts. Have a Great Holiday Weekend All

I just remembered the "official" description of LPO

LIMITED PROFIT OPPORTUNITY


Another issue brought to my attention today. Delco WD's have a maximum percentage of business they can do with GM dealerships. If they exceed their percentage a hefty penalty will be applied from GM. In order to comply with last month's "quota" the WD in north eastern Indiana cut-off all dealership sales without prior notice last week. The ban remained in place until the end of June. Dealers were forced to purchase from GM. Vehicles set in dealerships overnight when the proper part was across town and available - just not for sale to a dealership. HOW CRAZY / PERVERTED IS THIS.

We were advised that our purchase percentage was higher than the national average and we should lower it. We don't purchase ANYTHING except parts for emergency same-day repair. Our RIM compliance is consistently above 95% - we exempt some large body panels. All mechanical parts are approved and in stock. How are we supposed to lower the percentage - send the customer down the street to the independent shop who can buy the same part and install it? I guess if we don't sell the part - AT ALL - it won't count against anyone. It is actually in the WD's interest not to sell to us under some circumstances. I can only say WOW

Whiner wrote:I have been reading with interest the other postings on this site. It seems that several of us, myself included, are nearing the end-of-the-rope. We seem to all wish for something better (more rewarding) to do.

I can't speak for anyone but myself. I work at a GM dealership. It is far more complex than it should be. I guess you could say that if it weren't so complex maybe I would not be needed. A few things I am tired of dealing with:

MOE - Mark of Excellence
SFE - Standards for Excellence
EBE - Essential Brand Elements
SLP - Service Lane Parts
RIM - Retail Inventory Management
SDR - Same Day Repair Initiative
DRAC / CTP - Daily Rental / Courtesy Transportation Program
DBC - Dealer Business Center
Certified Elite
CPO - Certified Pre-Owned ------ Can you free LOF / Rotate / MPVI ------Yes, that is correct, trim is not covered
OnStar
LPO - You know I don't remember what this stands for but we all know it is accessories we don't make money on
ADI - Accessory Distributor Installer ---- that no longer installs
Special Policy
Recall - oops sorry, Field Action ---not to be confused with Service Update Bulletin or SUB
Warranty
Warranty Parts Returns
WPC - Warranty Parts Center
CSI - Customer Satisfaction Index
VOC - Voice of the Customer
GM STC - GM Service Technical College ----- training
Quarterly training standards --- did you meet your second quarter
ADP now CDK
Cobalt website now CDK
P&P Manuals - we used to have 2, now it is much better ----- WE HAVE FIVE (5)!!!

The list just goes on and on.

Then we have our factory rep to deal with. We currently have one that should NEVER EVER speak with a customer. This person is concerned with one thing - selling vehicles. Every customer issue can be resolved by trading them - at full customer expense - into a new / bigger/ more expensive vehicle. Doesn't matter if the one they have is a year old with 7,000 miles - trade 'em out of it. Never mind we didn't sell it and they owe $8,000 more than it stickered for.

These are just some of the reasons I would consider changing jobs.

But, you know, really deep down I like the parts business. I wish I could go back to doing only that - not that it is easy - it isn't. It is just those parts, in a smaller dealership, don't talk back as much as some of the people I have to deal with.

Enough of me - your thoughts?

X2 on every point, especially this useless ADP/CDK Drive+ system!