Notifying customers with special order parts

[nbeckhart23]

So my question is are any of you out there doing anything in the parts dept to notify service customers that their parts have arrived at the dealership. Yes we have a BDC and apparently it is not putting a dent in our special order parts area. The service manager said that a very long time ago the Parts Dept used to mail out P9 cards that notifies the customer of their parts being at the dealership. Our Service dept already sends a plethora of emails to the cust just wondering what anyone here might be doing. Thank you.

[FixedManager]

Mail a card, why not send a fax or Pony Express?

I do not notify my customers when their special orders arrive. My thirty day unfilled rate averages 7% and I do three things to accomplish this:

1) When a special order request is created the Parts Associate checks availability and writes it on the document
2) Nothing is ordered without a confirmed return appointment for the customer with the exception of vehicles down in the shop
3) All parts cross-shipped are shipped overnight priority.

A multipage report prints to the Service printer daily with separate pages for each Service Advisor listing all of his/her open special orders on-hand. The only time a customer is contacted is when they miss their appointment.

[MSInventory]

If it's customer pay, require prepayment on s/o parts if the vehicle is not staying in the shop, PERIOD
Internal? pre-bill all internal on an RO or parts invoice.
Warranty-no choice here. You have to order. It is the service advisor's responsibility to connect with the customer and get them back in. If I were an advisor, I guarantee you I'd do all I could to get them back in. After all, it's my money too. In too many dealerships you see departments passing the buck on this issue. Service says its parts' job, parts says it's services' job. Stop the BS. Be accountable. If you are an advisor, you need to be the one on the front line for the customer's sake and the stores'.
Forget mailing cards, that's so 80's. I've read recently where texting is the preferred mode of contact for a customer. Makes sense. Everybody is walking around with their heads down staring at the screen anyways.

[DWoodward]

our service department calls their customers when the parts come in, in parts we take care of our own customers when their parts come in....now that being said there have been many occasions where service has failed to called their customers (for one reason or another, no excuse is good enough for that) and we in parts have had upset customers call us and ask if their parts are in and have had to take the brunt of the customers displeasure for services short comings.... #A1poohdeflector

[ChuckL]

One of my favorite topics. Beyond the obvious, schedule next appointment in advance (just like the dentist does!) and prepay on all CP orders, you must consider how you communicate with your clients. Many people today would likely respond to an email versus a voicemail, so why not contact your SOP customers via email. Think of the time it takes to make a dozen phone calls and leave a dozen messages. Consider an email – you can send one email to the same dozen customers using the BCC (blind carbon copy) in about 1 minute. And parts can do this. Additionally, you can use a second type of email as a followup.
See the following example email text. To enhance this further, add a hyperlink in the email template for the customer to click on that takes them to your site to schedule their appointment (if not already scheduled) – they will be more inclined to respond to this because you’ve made it easy rather than them having to remember to call you later. Also, the message must also include a sense of urgency (the part about the parts will get returned if they don’t show up soon)…
...Dear valued customer,
Your special ordered part has arrived and we look forward to you visiting us again so that we can provide you with our expert service.
Please understand, that due to the manufacturers return policy, we must install your special ordered part(s) within 14 days, otherwise the part(s) must be returned.
If you do not have a prescheduled appointment for this part(s) please be sure to contact our service department at …….
Or click on the hyperlink below that will take you to our Appointment scheduling site...
(add hyperlink here)
We look forward to seeing you again
xxxxxxxxxx

[Solano]

I always think such canned emails don't communicate appreciation very well. Maybe I'm wrong though. What do you think, Chuck?

[ChuckL]

@Solano - no single way to appeal to everyone. I know that If I received an email that alerts me on my phone, and it had that sense of urgency and a link to schedule an appointment, I'd be inclined to respond well before I would a voicemail (I don't answer my phone unless it's my wife or someone important), and of course it is disappointing to know that some dealers (I've seen it) still use the illegible postcard on the back of the multi-part form that goes in the mail (I used these in 1984!!). Key is to communicate with your clients in a way that they would expect today, some may still prefer a phone call - assuming you can get thru!
Dealers I have seen who have successful SOP processes and turn those parts quickly use email as their primary (1st, but not necessarily only) means of contact. Certainly phone could be used as follow up but some dealers use email for this too. It boils down to whatever will work best given your circumstances and resources (people). Regardless of the combination of communication methods and how heavily you rely upon the Service Department as part of the process, I would absolutely include email, and above all you must be consistent.