Related Stories
A Steady Course Ahead
January 11, 2012
After two years of growth, things still look good for the aftermarket. There are plenty of opportunities, however there are a few potential obstacles.
Terrifying Tales from the Shop
October 7, 2011
The following stories, while both horrifying and humorous, are meant to educate and help you keep repair demons out of your shop.
Fighting for their Right
September 2, 2011
Independent repair garages and OEM dealer networks are on the opposite sides of the struggle for repair information.
Cover Story
August 7, 2011
Researching your customer base can help improve your earnings and turn unprofitable customers into assets.
Improving the Flow
June 8, 2011
With the introduction of new technology, the repair order approval process is evolving.
Cover Story
May 6, 2011
Rapid Repair Assessment is becoming a requirement for dealers and is making its way to the independent aftermarket.
Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset
April 4, 2011
Good shop safety keeps workers on the job, trucks in the bays and business flowing.
Getting in on the Ground Floor
March 5, 2011
The aftermarket is beginning to leave its footprint on the expanding social media landscape.
State of the Aftermarket
January 7, 2011
2010 was a better year than 2009, but still not on a par with previous years. Cost control and an uptick in freight helped distributors, repair garages and dealers, but real recovery won’t come until the construction markets are strong.
The Ninth Annual Truck Parts and Service Distributor of the Year Award
November 3, 2010
Newcomers and previous finalists alike are in contention for this year’s Distributor of the Year award.
Analyze and Maximize
October 4, 2010
Continuous improvement programs can help you cut out inefficiencies and improve quality, profitability and customer satisfaction.
Your top playmakers
September 7, 2010
The counter salespeople are your star talent when it comes to pleasing the crowd and scoring the sales.
Cover Story
August 5, 2010
Understanding what fleets demand from their service experience can help you capture more share of the market.
Cover Story
July 7, 2010
When it comes to procuring hard-to-find, obsolete parts, salvage yards can be your source.
Cover Story
June 22, 2010
Improving warehouse efficiencies requires optimum layout and the right technologies.
Spotlight
June 22, 2010
Getting customers to retrofit their vehicles with exterior LED lighting is simply a matter of enlightening them to the many benefits.
Measure, Monitor, Improve & Profit: Fine Tune Your Service Business
May 1, 2010
Chances are, no matter how productive and efficient you think your service shop is, it can be improved. But you won’t know that until you take an honest, systematic look at all areas of your operation.
Cover Story
April 1, 2010
Going from a parts distributorship to a parts-and-service business has rewards and risks. Make it work for you by having the right plan, and place.
Green skies ahead
March 1, 2010
Emissions-compliance technologies are creating multi-million dollar aftermarket opportunities. Get on board, go green and earn more green.
Business Brainpower
February 1, 2010
The right business system software can make a company more efficient, productive and profitable. Getting the one that’s right for your business requires careful evaluation and a commitment from the owner on down.
Cover Story: Take the Plunge?
January 15, 2010
To call 2009 a challenging year would be an understatement. Business was almost universally down, with distributors on average reporting year-over-year revenue declines of 12 to 20 percent.
Trucks simply weren’t moving, negating the need for maintenance and repairs.
Distributors reacted by going into survival mode. Operations ...
Cover Story
October 15, 2009
By Derek Smith
Invariably, new regulations mean change. The new stopping distance standards adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (refer to the “New NHTSA Rules” sidebar for details) this summer are no exception. There will be changes in new truck production and aftermarket support, ...
Cover Story – October 2009
October 2, 2009
Invariably, new regulations mean change. The new stopping distance standards adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (re...
Test the magazine section
September 14, 2009
Test the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine sectionTest the magazine ...
Cover Story – September 2009
September 11, 2009
Expanding into new territories, either through acquisition or opening a new location, is often a natural course for most successful businesses...
Cover Story
September 1, 2009
By Derek Smith
Expanding into new territories, either through acquisition or opening a new location, is often a natural course for most successful businesses to take. A distributorship that plateaus in revenue or market share may need to look at new territories if it plans on ...
Cover Story – August 2009
August 10, 2009
It is a sad fact of doing business, but chances are someone has stolen from your company. It may have been an isolated instance, it may be wid...
Cover Story
August 1, 2009
By Derek Smith
It is a sad fact of doing business, but chances are someone has stolen from your company. It may have been an isolated instance, it may be widespread and ongoing, but statistically, it has happened.
The cost can be steep, ...
Cover Story – July 2009
July 9, 2009
Everyone is looking for opportunities in this recessed market, whether it be growing sales or reducing costs. With the independent aftermarket...
Cover Story
July 1, 2009
By Derek Smith
Everyone is looking for opportunities in this recessed market, whether it be growing sales or reducing costs. With the independent aftermarket seeing sales down by 15 percent or more in some regions, looking to sell into other markets just makes good sense.
Other markets ...
