While many sectors have moved away from just-in-time delivery, that’s not always an option for aftermarket auto parts. When a vehicle owner brings their car or truck into a garage for repairs, the mechanic needs to get the part quickly and fix the problem if they want to keep their customers happy. Unfortunately, keeping thousands of parts in stock for dozens of makes and models of vehicles would be extremely cost-prohibitive.
While auto shops may stock up on the most commonly used parts, mostly they rely on distributors who can get them the parts they need in a timely manner — ideally those who can deliver same-day. Unfortunately, using same-day courier services can also be cost-prohibitive.
Those increased costs eventually make their way to the end customer, ultimately creating a bad experience for everyone in the aftermarket auto parts supply chain. Suppliers to repair shops need to find ways to diversify their delivery capabilities if they hope to keep parts delivered on schedule.
Greater visibility needed for successful just-in-time delivery
Whether it’s a dealership, retailer or auto body shop, the industry still struggles to provide timely and accurate delivery. Historically, the auto industry has practiced just-in-time (JIT) parts delivery to keep inventory levels and costs low. The idea is that a parts order will arrive where it needs to be as it is needed, reducing storage and overall costs.
The risk with JIT inventory management, however, is that it can be easily disrupted, leading to an array of negative consequences: delays, shortages, disrupted maintenance schedules, reduced employee productivity and unsatisfied customers. The best way to avoid this is careful planning and a high level of visibility.
Roadie enables same-day delivery options via crowdsourcing that help auto parts stores and distributors diversify delivery. They also provide the speed and visibility operations needed to keep customers happy and avoid costly delays. With the ability to track delivery orders in real time and share tracking with customers, each party knows exactly when to expect drop-offs.
Using a platform like Roadie enables businesses to better plan and execute deliveries at a lower cost with tools like batching, optimization and bulk uploads. Users can streamline delivery operations through a centralized platform and scale their business as demand for automotive parts grows.
On-demand delivery edges out the competition
Last-minute orders are just a part of the auto repair industry. Auto parts stores, repair shops and dealerships are under constant pressure to fulfill orders and return vehicles to customers as fast as possible.
Crowdsourced delivery can act as a supplement to a distributor or retailer’s existing delivery resources to solve delivery requests that would otherwise be expensive and nearly impossible to accomplish with traditional couriers.
The Roadie crowdsourced delivery model can help make on-demand, same-day delivery a reality. The network of 200,000 crowdsourced drivers taps into underutilized space in passenger vehicles already on the road. Rather than waiting for a delivery from a truck that may have you last on its route, Roadie lets you optimize driver routes to get much-needed parts to repair shops in just a couple of hours.
Auto parts and service stores can also tap into the latent capacity in the Roadie network. Instead of maintaining a fleet of fixed delivery assets — all with limited capacity and complex routing needs — Roadie enables you to flex your delivery capacity with customer demand.
Investing in a crowdsourced platform like Roadie gives the auto industry a better option for reliable, affordable delivery of any-size car parts, wherever they need to go. This leads to improved delivery times, increased visibility and lower costs — a recipe for satisfied customers and a competitive advantage.
Learn more about how crowdsourced delivery with Roadie can help you meet the needs of your customers with fast and reliable auto parts delivery.
