Technicians carry strong loyalties to their suppliers, as long as one key requirement — parts availability — is maintained.
While a good relationship and product prices both gauged strong importance in determining why technicians use the suppliers they do, parts availability stands apart as the most important reason one parts distributor take precedence over another, according to the results of the Aftermarket Business World annual Technician Attitude Study.
Like this article? Sign up to receive our weekly news blasts here.Auto parts retailers were named the preferred supplier by study respondents, followed closely by warehouse distributors and jobbers. Almost half of the respondents reported it is not necessary for their main supplier to contact them regularly in order to retain their business, and if forced to choose between their current supplier and their preferred product brand, 64 percent reported they'd stick with their supplier.
Technicians were essentially split down the middle regarding their use of dealerships as a supplier, with most shying away because of product costs and delivery limitations, results show. But those who did turn to dealerships did so seeking OEM form, fit and function and product availability.
Half of those surveyed reported they always give recommendations to their shop owners on which product brands to purchase, and another 61 percent revealed that customers coming into their service bays always take their recommendations on which product brand to use during repairs or service.
Quality, availability and brand were deemed the most important product traits when determining what to use, according to the survey, in which 70 percent of respondents run or work for a full-service operation.
The majority of respondents fell between 45 and 64 years old, working for a one to three shop business that most often has between four and six bays per shop.
See full results here.
METHODOLOGY: The Aftermarket Business World Technician Attitude Study was fielded to technician and shop owner readers of Motor Age magazine, a sister publication that targets the service repair industry.
About the Author
Krista McNamara
Krista McNamara is the former Editorial Director for the Vehicle Repair Group at Endeavor Business Media. She oversaw five brands — Motor Age, PTEN, Professional Distributor, ABRN and Aftermarket Business World. She worked in the automotive aftermarket industry for more than 15 years.