Not much is written about the travails or the contributions of parts counter personnel. These suppliers of necessities are in fact integral to getting any type of maintenance or repair performed in the shop. What they provide makes or breaks almost any job based on availability, discovery speed, application knowledge, and delivery promptness. Quality counter soldiers are worth their weight in gold, and often they save jobs and reputations with no fanfare.

A few years ago, I wrote a column related to these supplier assistants and the quandaries they too often find themselves in. Based on some recent experiences I have had with some parts department rodeos, I thought it appropriate to again present it to my friends and readers.

Issues With Tissues

If you’ve never worked in a parts department, you have no idea how many predicaments, quandaries, impasses, and dilemmas get thrust on these counter cowpokes each day. Superficially, the seemingly inane task of taking a parts request, letting the computer do the work, then retrieving the part from a shelf seems so simple. But there are issues which even a Ph.D. in theory, plus a double major in philosophy, would wrestle with; and yet, our industry expects simple liberal arts bachelor-degreed minions to quickly respond and figure out proper answers. Sinful I say.

Super tech Lefty saunters to the parts counter with a request, “Gimme six spark plugs for that three-liter buggy over there, Moonshine.” The dutiful counter person checks out the appropriate part number and proceeds to the bin to find only five available – stupid computer count. He meanders back and declares, “There’s only five of ‘em Lefty. I reckon one get et.” (Slight laugh here)

“Hell, that’s enough Shine, just gimme them.”

Now, here’s the question: How many spark plugs does Moonshine bill out? Here’s a second point: Does Moonshine say anything to anyone, and who and what should that be? Keep in mind, Moonshine is buried with other requests and the parts and service manager relationship isn’t exactly hitten’ on all cylinders. Should Moonshine calculate that Lefty had a new spark plug left over from another job (you know the one, where the plug is impossible to get to)? Does that make all OK?

What would you do if your name was Moonshine?

Or this

New tech Shorty requests a water pump and timing belt for a common model. Moonshine knows that cam seals always go with the job on this particular vehicle, but Shorty didn’t say anything about them. What action, if any, should Moonshine take? What if Moonshine tells Shorty about the seals and he just laughs and leaves without them? Should Moonshine jump over the counter and chase Shorty down for a flogging?

Or this

A breathless wrencher named Snappy bounces off the parts counter and proclaims loudly, “I need a muffler bearing bad for that Cumquat Sedan I’m fixin’. I need it now Moon.” Moonshine checks and finds the department is fresh out of them. “Sorry Snap-man, we’re fresh out of them. Quirky got the last one earlier today – got it ordered – will be here morrow most likely.” Snappy lowers his shoulders and marches away. “Forgetaboutit,” he yells out. “Ain’t got nothin’ in there.”

Now, one has to wonder how badly Snappy needed the dang part, and whether the customer was going to get an inferior repair because the muffler bearing wasn’t available? What should Moonshine do? Does he have any responsibility here? Can he make it to Heaven (there is debate here on capitalization of Heaven – I’m capitalizing just to be safe) if he ignores this situation? Will the IRS investigate him too?

An idea

There are many circumstances just like the oddball-but-real ones described above. Chances are few managers hear about them and underlying decisions are made on the fly – good, bad, or indifferent. Rather than allow these questionable situations to keep happening, how about this novel approach? 

Here are a couple of examples:

A tech working on a diesel-engine vehicle requests one gallon of coolant. The counter person knows that it is typical to request two gallons with this engine configuration. What does the counter person do?

A tech needs a unique part for an upset customer which the counter person knows is in the special-order bin. It has been in there for over four weeks. What does the counter person do?

Then, my beat-up colleague, my suggestion is to conduct a heady meeting covering all the points, and be sure to include both the service and parts management team, ASM staff (service writers), and the parts counter personnel. But, before you have this session you better plan on a few hours of preparation. Numerous questions and situations are going to fly around the room, and the parts and service management team better have their AGREEMENT HATS on – otherwise, they are going to lose some hair! IPA beers for everyone afterward will be appropriate.