Retail and buying groups require high quality service

In the highly competitive automotive market, many workshops including tyre dealerships rely on a high quality service from their suppliers in order to provide an efficient and competitive service to their customer, which increases customer retention and maximises profit. These suppliers must therefore ensure they are at the cutting edge of service. That’s the view of Mike Curry, sales director, The Parts Alliance, who recently commented on his opinion in correspondence with Tyres & Accessories.

In 1999, four of the UK’s leading motor factors joined forces as a group, to enhance the service offered to independent workshops and garages and provide national strength with local service. The group has since grown from four to ten members, which are strategically located across the UK and Ireland, and has rebranded to the impressive force that it is known as today, The Parts Alliance. 

Since its inception, the business group has evolved as it has seen a shift in the differing types of customers and their requirements, as they now look for much more than simply parts. “We recognised that for us to offer our customers a better service and for them to remain profitable, we needed to compete on values other than price and offer added value to our customers. We help to grow our customers’ businesses and profit through the use of cutting edge technology, combined with expertise across the sectors of national sales, IT and data development, product management, central procurement, marketing and central warehousing,” Curry explained.

For retail customers, such as tyre dealerships, there are significant advantages to working with a business group, which are then passed on to their customers. Not least the benefits of economies of scale. “Through our national network of over 160 locations, we serve over 36,000 independent garages daily, as well as a number of key national accounts, who all benefit from business services such as IT solutions, garage management systems, scheduled and timely stock delivery and training,” Curry continued.

These advantages are important for tyre dealerships looking to increase their offer, from improving customer service to a more efficient IT system, as they help dealerships provide a complete service with additional business support. The Parts Alliance is perfectly positioned to help customers meet future business challenges through training and business support. 

Curry’s conclusion is clear. Obviously buying and retail groups have their place in the industry but if we want our customers to remain competitive and grow their profits, then it has to be on more than parts.