DEALER PLATES

[frankslone]

I am looking for any suggestions for a (almost) fool proof system in reference to dealer plates. We have them under lock and key and with a sign out log for each plate given to a salesperson. Yet it seems that on a daily basis we are chasing missing dealer plates. I left the plate at the reception desk or gave it to another salesperson is the normal excuse. Or it's the "I don't know what happened to it" scenario. Any suggsetions will be helpful

[TRIPOWER]

Charge the salesman an "x" amount of dollars they wont forget anymore!! make your manager at the tower take care of handing out the plates, I dont know how busy your store is but just use the two "N" and "U" plates for test drives.

[Fixedopsmgr]

The answer is the Parts Department. I was having trouble keeping up with the shop tags (3). I started keeping them in Parts with a log of who took them and the problem was solved. Without a doubt, if you need something controlled Parts is the place to go.

[OLDPARTSGUY]

Do you also have parts contol the shop tools,fender covers,rags, keys for sales etc. I agree that no one keeps better control in a store than parts but shouldn't the sales "manager" be held accountable? I am sure they have more "free time" than your parts people. I know who is accountable when
I have parts missing or if I didn't know where my parts trucks were.

If you want to change something you have to change something.

[spwilkins]

We had individual lock boxes for tags and each sales person had a key with there name on the tag. You get a tag, and the box will not release the key. Tag missing - see who's key is in the lock. Salesperson looses a key - they pay a $50.00 fee for a new key. They forget there key, then the sales person that lets them borrow there key is on the hook.

[Fixedopsmgr]

Having the spent the largest portion of my 32 years in the business in parts, I do understand all of the negativity towards having anyone in parts doing anything for any other department. I was the same way. When I switched over to Service it really opened my eyes how narrow minded I was. Cashiering is a little over the top but to think that the parts dept is to busy to keep track of tools and tags is crazy. Ask your service manager how much he charges you when a tech and lift are tied up because the wrong parts were looked up. All departments need to work together.

[zsmith]

And ask the parts mgr how much he charges when parts are ordered and returned because they're not needed. Parts and service don't normally charge each other for mistakes because that is departments working together.Passing off responsibilities that belong to one department because another department is more carefull is just unfair. The "all departments should work together" can justify just about anything, it seems. How about "all departments should handle their end of the business"?

[Fixedopsmgr]

How long does it take to pull a special tool or a tag??? Our parts people have no problem with it at all. It is just part of a days work. As the manager, if you act negatively about it so will they.

[scotstrong]

How long does it take to pull a special tool or tag? Looked at as one individual task, not long. But how many times it occurs is very dependent upon the size of your store and the amount of business you do. I am sure that the point that zsmith was trying to make was that any one of these tasks by itself is not a big deal. All too often in the real world, these are just two of a seemingly endless stream of things that get "added" on to existing duties. In addition to this, there are many other parts-department-specific tasks that need to occur behind the scenes to keep a parts dept. able to service its customers. There is nothing more frustrating to parts personnel than being tied up with one of these tasks (whether it is a parts task or an "added" task) and having techs waiting (which equates to lost potential income for two depts.), or phones ringing that we cannot get to in a timely fashion.

It is not necessarily a matter of a manager acting negatively. It is a manager recognizing the fact that they are approaching a point where the non-revenue generating tasks are starting to hinder their ability or time devoted to revenue-generating ones. And those are the ones that pay the bills and grow the business.

As you yourself stated, Fixedopsmgr, parts cashiering for service seems a little over the top; and that is one that most parts managers are going to try to draw the line at and say "enough is enough already".

Scot Strong

[Old Irish]

Ummm....wouldn't a lot of this depend on just how busy the parts guys are ? That would surely vary from store-to-store.

Some parts guys are buried all day long. But, for just one example, our front counterman actually have time to play computer games during the day. Surely they could take on a couple extra duties.....and if asked, our guys would do so without complaint (er...um...at least no overtly *vocal* complaining). <grin>

One reason parts is asked to do these sorta things, in my opinion, isn't necessarily because of superior management in that department (or inferior management in others) but rather because, in most stores, it is the ONE really secure area where things can be safely stored and locked up.

All that being said, though, I was a PM for many years and I do agree that sometimes parts is unfairly asked to do many tasks they shouldn't have to.....not because of necessity but because it simply seems the easiest solution at the time and others don't want to explore any alternatives. And that ain't right.....

Cheers
DD