Mercedes-Benz of Farmington
Mercedes-Benz of Farmington Used RevolutionParts Website Plugin to Recover 50% of Lost Parts and Accessory Sales
Trading in the Parts Form for Customer Loyalty
Shawn Parrett is the Parts Director of Mercedes-Benz of Farmington, and he’s determined to replace old, ineffective tools—like the Parts Form. “Filling out the parts form is cumbersome and horrible…It’s like doing your taxes,” he says, explaining that it actually hinders part and accessory sales. Shawn set out to find a better way, starting with launching an online presence for his dealership.
“I just decided to take a chance… it was an easy gamble,” Shawn says about deciding to up the ante on his parts selling strategy by joining RevolutionParts. His initial goal was simply to cover the cost of the program, but he hadn’t predicted what actually ended up happening. “After covering costs almost instantly, I started hitting $1,000 a month gross, then $2,000. My next goal is $10,000 gross rolling average per month,” Shawn says of his 2021 growth plans. “If I can show six months of this type of gross, I’ll add eBay and Amazon web stores [to the parts department].” Shawn’s parts department is currently trending at over $8K a month in part and accessory sales.
With RevolutionParts Website Plugin and automated quoting tool, Shawn says that his parts department has been able to recapture “roughly 50% of lost business.”
“We get a lot of phone calls from retail customers asking about pricing,” he says. “Before, we would just give them a price, and they’d go on their way but now get their email so they’re in our system, and we can send automated follow-ups to show how easy it is to buy from us.”
Shawn’s customer service doesn’t stop there. What really set him apart from his local competition is his free delivery service to retail customers around Salt Lake City. “We have a really great wholesale business, so we’re already delivering parts,” he reasons, “why not deliver to our retail people too?” Shawn has built the reputation with his customers that they can get the part from him, and they can get it delivered to their doorstep for free in under 48 hours. All they have to do is place the order online, “just like Amazon.” Now Mercedes-Benz of Farmington’s Parts Department has the competitive edge over other local dealerships by providing the world-class service consumers expect from other retail giants like Amazon.
Delivering His Way to the Front of the Pack
Picture this: A retail customer’s car is broken down in his driveway, and he needs a $200 water pump to complete a repair. How are you going to ensure that he buys from you? Shawn is so dedicated to capturing every possible sale he rationalizes that, “You’ll deliver a $10 sensor to a gas station or repair shop. It’s all the same with retail customers, so why turn down the sale? That’s why we deliver.”
Shawn’s customer service method has also resulted in decreased returns. He reports only one return per 50 orders on average, “and that’s almost always due to an error on the customer’s end.” He believes that the convenience he offers through delivery creates a relationship with the customer, making them less likely to return their items, especially when it comes to things like accessories. “The customer figures, ‘they went out of their way to deliver this to me so I’m just going to keep it,’ ” says Shawn. By creating a positive customer experience, he’s not only adding sales, but he’s also decreasing returns.
Leading by Example in the Parts Department
While Shawn works tirelessly to modernize his parts department, he has a powerhouse team that takes care of problems before they arise. “We aren’t having to constantly put out fires,” he mentions. But that doesn’t keep Shawn from getting in the trenches with his parts department staff. “If it’s 100 degrees in the parts department, I’m there; if it’s 40 degrees, I’m there. My guys know I’m always there with them.”
