Mercedes-Benz of Laredo
Mercedes-Benz of Laredo’s Exceptional Service Leads to Goal-Breaking Success
In the 19 years that Mike Adams has been a parts manager, he knew that his department would have to change the way it did business, especially after the 2020 pandemic hit. Mike joined Mercedes-Benz of Laredo in 2004, and in the years since he started, he’s noticed how the internet has transformed the parts retail market. “This is where the future is headed, and that’s what prompted me to start looking for platforms to start selling parts online.”
Mike and his team at Mercedes-Benz Laredo began their partnership with RevolutionParts in 2018, just two years before the start of the pandemic. “This was the first time I sold online, ever,” says Mike. Parts eCommerce represented uncharted territory, and at the beginning, Mike was unsure how to get started.
“When we first started, we saw maybe one to two orders a month online,” says Mike. However, with time, effort, and help from their RevolutionParts customer success manager, they grew that into 300 orders a month. By 2020 they had generated $90k in monthly online revenue. “During COVID, our business just skyrocketed. It’s been a great experience.”
Since 2020, his parts department has transformed into a well-oiled machine. Keeping a pulse on their online sales traffic seemed complicated at first, but with a little help, they learned the ins and outs of parts eCommerce fairly quickly.
Sales Performance
$2.2M
Annual Sales
$204K
30-Day Rolling
$329
Average Order Value
“The first thing I look at is the RevolutionParts dashboard to find out how many daily orders have come in that morning,” says Mike. “From there, I usually check the emails, check in on individual orders. Depending on how many orders we have, we can pack and ship out orders that day. It’s very easy.”
Having a quick, easy-access overview of new orders and total sales has been a great help to their existing sales strategy. Rather than abandoning their existing techniques, they’ve built upon them, making the transition into online sales smooth and painless. They’ve even used features like the Quoting Tool to help them solve other problems behind the parts counter.
“My staff likes the quoting tool. The traditional quoting process can make it difficult to confirm orders, but they say that quoting tool is easy to use and all the information they need is right there.”
Mike’s team has also integrated an online chat feature. “The online chat feature has increased our quote volume significantly. We do about 50-60 quotes a day,” Mike explains. “Our quote conversion rate is above 50%.”
Since partnering with RevolutionParts, Mike has been pleasantly surprised at the amount of cooperation he’s experienced with his team’s Customer Success Manager. “Working with them has been very pleasant,” says Mike. “I love talking about our goals with them, chatting about the things we want to do and how to realistically achieve them.”
Speaking of goals, Mike has no plans to slow down his ambitions for his department. He confidently set a goal to grow his annual online revenue to $1.5 million by the end of 2023. Not only did they achieve this goal, but they also surpassed it, reaching an impressive $2.2 million in annual revenue.
“Our goal for this year is 2.4 million by the end of December,” says Mike. “For 2025, the goal is 3.6 million. By January, I want to be at 300,000 a month.”
A Testament to Customer Service Excellence
The commitment to customer service has been a cornerstone of their success. “We’re getting a lot of repeat customers. They appreciate our service and keep coming back,” says Mike. “We have customers calling us just to say hi. It’s great.”
Advice for Future Online Parts Sellers
With the success his department has seen, other dealerships have turned to Mike for advice, and he is always happy to help.
“I’ve had friends of mine that are parts managers that have called me and asked, ‘Mike, what are you doing? How are you doing this?’ I told them, nothing has changed in my strategy, but I sell online, and I use RevolutionParts to do it,” says Mike.
Perhaps one of the biggest pieces of advice Mike can give others is the importance of patience and perseverance. “Have patience with it. Spend whatever time you need with each customer. It will happen.”
Mike Adams and his team at Mercedes-Benz of Laredo have successfully navigated the transition to online parts sales, achieving and surpassing ambitious goals. With a strong focus on customer service and innovative tools, they continue to set new benchmarks for success in the industry.
Looking to grow your parts business just like Mike at Mercedes-Benz of Laredo? Look no further! RevolutionParts is ready to help you today. Schedule a free demo with one of our resident experts and get the process started. With the right eCommerce strategy, you can unlock your parts department’s selling potential.
