By Scott Thompson                                                                                                                                                     Vice President, Automotive, Content and Analytics, Epicor Americas

The period after the annual AAPEX Show in Las Vegas always elicits a mixture of feelings – fatigue from the hustle and bustle of the trade show floor, and excitement based on the discussions we’ve had with replacement parts wholesalers who are pursuing aggressive growth and increased profitability through smart investments in new technology.

“It’s Time” was our theme heading into the show, as we sensed that hundreds of aftermarket wholesalers were ready to retire their outdated business management systems and manual processes in favor of modern technology solutions that can quickly pay for themselves through increased productivity, reduced operational costs and improved margins. Our experiences at the show convinced us that it is indeed time for a technology revolution at the warehouse level, the parts counter, in parts call centers, on the Internet and, yes, at thousands of service dealer locations.

Here’s what several AAPEX show participants told us regarding their technology investment plans for 2016:

1. Having more parts information at the counter is key.Every selling situation represents a chance either to increase or damage customer loyalty. Leading distributors and jobbers are arming their counter people with more eCatalog content than ever before. It’s no longer enough to have basic parts lookup functionality; you need product images, warranty information, diagrams, aftermarket tech bulletins, OE interchange information, installation instructions, access to OE part numbers, labor guides and more. Rest assured: if your counter people don’t have these vital resources at their fingertips, a competitor down the street will.

2. B2B and B2C connectivity means new opportunity.If your parts business is not electronically connected with buyers – shop accounts and consumers – then you are missing out on the industry’s fastest-growing sales channel. Is it too complex or expensive for smaller wholesalers? Not at all. In fact, you simply can’t afford not to join the eCommerce revolution.

3. Inventory performance is in the crosshairs. The parts business has always been capital intensive; you have to have the right parts, at the right place … well, you know how it goes. But that’s no reason to assume your inventory investment, and corresponding financial performance, can’t be transformed by today’s business management solutions. Many WDs and jobbers understand they need to take advantage of modern software and related technologies to streamline every step in the buying, stocking and selling process. A new system can provide enterprise-wide visibility into every part on your shelves. This, in turn, can dramatically increase service levels to your customers while reducing your overall investment in inventory.

4. The more you know, the smarter you’ll look at year-end.What do you really know about the parts your employees will be looking up and selling tomorrow, next week and/or next year? Achieving a significantly increased level of predictability no longer is a dream thanks to modern industry analytics. Now is the time to better manage your inventory and keep your customers on track by monitoring trends among peer businesses both locally and nationally. You can use these solutions to optimize your stock assortments at each location based on actual parts consumption trends. Above all, incorporating analytics allows you to position your business as the first call option for service shops.

There are many new solutions WDs, jobbers and service providers can leverage to make their businesses more profitable in the years ahead. AAPEX provided the means to start the conversation and illustrated why “It’s Time” to invest in technology.