"Mar-ket-abil-ty" - noun. - a. fit to be offered for sale in a market, b. wanted by purchasers, c. of, or relating to buying or selling. 

   The key phrase in this definition is "wanted by purchasers". We have to concentrate on what our customers are looking for in today's automotive parts market. Believe it or not, price is not always the number one reason for buying today.  In todays retail market, people are more concerned about saving time and making their life easier. 

Convenience and availability are taking center stage so we have to look at how well we provide customers' the parts they need on the initial visit. We also have to maximize each visit to give that "special attention" which we all desire by creating "lasting relationships" which will bring the customer back into our stores over and over again. THAT's Marketability!...when they WANT to purchase from your store!

  In most dealerships, the majority of the parts sales come from the Service Department. There is a "double-edged" sword here because if we realize that time and convenience are important to today's customer, then how much time do we have left to create a "lasting relationship" with our customers to insure that they keep coming back?

   Many manufacturers are pushing "Quick Service" to provide customer convenience and to save time, but, in most cases, we are just pushing wiper blades and filters while missing the opportunities that may lie within.

Opportunities such as; spending more time with the customer, performing a "good" professional safety inspection and offering suggestions; all of which, lead to additional and return parts sales. Instead, we have just created lines at the "Quick Lane" and saving time and providing convenience has led to frustration and lost sales. NOW the focus has gone to..."Get 'em in and Get 'em out"!

   Successful Marketability Strategies MUST begin with market PENETRATION and RETENTION. In this issue, we will be substituting our monthly "FREE Take Away" with a survey on  Market Penetration & Customer Retention. The results of this survey will allow us at "Smart Parts" to develop an "Action Plan" to maximize YOUR Market Penetration and Customer Retention in part three of this series in July. All surveys will be held in the strictest of confidence to protect all dealers.