GM special orders question

[ehiatt]

Hello all,

We seem to always have a problem with spords that are on backorder. It will be a part we stock and the shop counter guys will do a spac case on it and get one. Then service will close the original RO till the customer comes back in. That makes us show one on hand and the phone guys are continually trying to sell it since they see a stocking bin location.

Anyone else have this or a similar problem? If so, how do you address it at your store? It is a fairly common problem for us, especially in these days of the Pontiac nightmare.

Thanks in advance for you input.

[TheEd]

Pretty sure every parts manager has run into this situation before. Here is how I handled it.

Instead of ordering it on the RO, the advisor makes an appointment (if the part has an unknown ETA/backorder, then the appointment date is set six months out from current date). Part is ordered on appointment.

This way it shows up tagged in the appointment anytime you query the part number, so other counterpersons are not attempting to sell it. It still shows up on the Special Orders By Advisor report and when the customer does return, it's just a single keystroke to move the part to the new RO instead of having to delete it off the old RO with the -1 tag and move it over to the new RO.

The appointment method also saves time on the advisor end as it keeps them from having to type up job codes and descriptions while the customer is dropping the car off.

[ehiatt]

That sounds like a great idea.
I meant to mention that we are on CDK.

[marko65]

CDK USER- ITS OKAY IF THE PART GETS ORDERED ON THE REPAIR ORDER, IF THEY CLOSE AND IT IS NOT RECEIPTED, IT IS IN THE SOR IS IN THE SYSTEM. USING THE REPAIR ORDERS IS A GOOD PRACTICE.
USING THE REPAIR ORDER YOU KNOW THE VEHICLE WAS HERE AT THE TIME OF ORDERING AND WHICH TECH/ADVISOR ORDERED IT . THE REGULAR SOR WE USE WHEN THE CAR IS NOT HERE. BOTH WAYS YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A QUANTITY BECAUSE THE PART IS ON THE SHELF . YOU FILL THE ORDER QUANTITY ON ANOTHER REPAIR ORDER WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES IN. IT WORKS FOR US HERE

[marko65]

TheEd.
so if a appointment is 2 months from now, when do you order the part? a few days before? how about backorders?

[TheEd]

TheEd.
so if a appointment is 2 months from now, when do you order the part? a few days before? how about backorders?

I order the part the day the first RO is created, each morning the advisors get their Special Order report and they know if the part hits 30 days old and they do not make arrangements with me to hold the part longer, the part will be returned and the service department will be charged the restocking fee.

Same goes for backorders, might as well let it BO and SPAC it immediately instead of closer to the appointment date.

[JGROSS1978]

CDK USER- ITS OKAY IF THE PART GETS ORDERED ON THE REPAIR ORDER, IF THEY CLOSE AND IT IS NOT RECEIPTED, IT IS IN THE SOR IS IN THE SYSTEM. USING THE REPAIR ORDERS IS A GOOD PRACTICE.
USING THE REPAIR ORDER YOU KNOW THE VEHICLE WAS HERE AT THE TIME OF ORDERING AND WHICH TECH/ADVISOR ORDERED IT . THE REGULAR SOR WE USE WHEN THE CAR IS NOT HERE. BOTH WAYS YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A QUANTITY BECAUSE THE PART IS ON THE SHELF . YOU FILL THE ORDER QUANTITY ON ANOTHER REPAIR ORDER WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES IN. IT WORKS FOR US HERE

We do the same here. And if someone tries to sell it a note comes up 1 on hand available 0.

[jdpetey]

We ‘check numbers’ in Function ‘I’. When you run a number, it will show OH and how many are needed for Special Orders.

Then we simply check the age of the order to determine if we should sell or not.