Chris Aiello New Year actionable and proactive strategies that drive growth
Another January is upon us, and with it comes the opportunity to reflect on the year behind us and set our sights on what’s ahead. Cheers to the New Year! I hope that as you read this, your business and personal successes in 2024 have set a strong foundation for an even better 2025. Each January, we find ourselves looking at the challenges and opportunities facing our industry, and this year is no different.
At the heart of it all, though, is providing exceptional customer service in the aftermarket—a topic that’s never out of season and always at the core of your business growth.
Dealers I speak with are increasingly challenged to deliver quick, value-driven solutions to customers. Furthermore, they always seek actionable and proactive strategies to drive growth, enhance customer satisfaction, and adapt to industry trends. Here are some specific call-to-action items to consider as we head into the New Year:
Optimize E-Commerce Platforms for Parts Sales
Implementing an e-commerce platform for a forklift dealership can provide several significant benefits, including increased sales, 24/7 availability, and enhanced after-sales support. Most importantly, an e-commerce platform modernizes your dealership’s parts department, making it more customer-centric and operationally efficient.
Enhance your e-commerce site with easy-to-use search and navigation, mobile responsiveness, and customer self-service options; this is essential for meeting the growing consumer demand for online accessibility. Make online purchasing seamless for your customers, streamline order processing, and expand your reach to a broader customer base.
Dedicated Customer Account Page
Creating dedicated customer account pages can revolutionize how you serve your key accounts by integrating parts, service, rental, and sales departments into a single, streamlined platform. These secure portals give customers convenient access to their order history, service schedules, rental agreements, and purchase records. By simplifying account management, you save customers time, enhance operational efficiency, and build stronger relationships.
To implement this, consider investing in technology that integrates with your existing systems, creating a unified dashboard for customers. Today’s platforms are available in our industry that offer features like service reminders, real-time rental availability, and sales inquiries. Think of such a platform as a comprehensive tool for managing all customer interactions. Be sure you have a platform that offers mobile-friendly access and live support to ensure your customers can manage their accounts on the go, further increasing satisfaction and loyalty.
This customer-centric tool will position your dealership as an indispensable partner to your customers, delivering value and convenience across all departments while fostering long-term growth.
Personalized Reordering Alerts for Key Customers
If investing in the technology mentioned above is not feasible for 2025, you can also consider this alternative, specifically for the parts department: make parts ordering proactive by analyzing which parts your top customers regularly purchase. Please set up an alert in your system to remind your parts sales professionals to reach out and offer to reorder these parts for them a month before they typically run out. This personalized service shows your customers that you’re paying attention to their needs and partnering with them to reduce their downtime.
Forklift Tune-Up Checklist at the Parts Counter
A simple forklift ‘tune-up’ checklist can be a highly effective sales tool for your parts counter personnel. When a customer comes in for a minor part, encourage parts counter staff to discuss the following with your customer:
Ask about tire condition on the lift they are procuring parts for, and recommend replacement tires or a spare set to prevent downtime from wear. Ask about fork wear and suggest new forks or extensions to address cracks or bends that impact safety. This would also be a good time to upsell a ‘fork wear gauge.’ Ask the customer about their fluids, offer hydraulic fluid, engine oil, or a maintenance kit. For battery health, upsell maintenance kits, watering systems, or replacement batteries. Additionally, don’t forget to ask about lift chains and hoses and recommend replacements, repair kits, or lubricants, stressing the importance of the reliability of these items for the prevention of breakdowns.
You could even offer this as a printed guide with your company branding for the customer to take back to their operation. This ‘tune-up’ checklist is an easy, low-pressure way to upsell parts, often resulting in additional parts or service business.
Promote Remanufactured (Reman) Products
It’s clear that circular economy practices aren’t just a passing trend. They’ve become a key part of the material handling industry’s evolution. Companies are increasingly adopting these practices to not only meet customer expectations but also reduce costs, enhance sustainability, and foster innovation.
Remanufactured parts provide a cost-effective and sustainable alternative for many customers, making them an excellent option to promote at the parts counter or on service repairs. When a customer inquiries about an expensive or hard-to-find part, take the opportunity to suggest reman options. Highlight the significant cost savings these parts offer compared to new ones, assure your customers that reman parts meet OEM standards and come with warranties, and educate them on the environmental benefits of choosing a more sustainable solution. Promoting reman products supports cost-conscious customers and aligns your dealership with important sustainability initiatives.
By implementing some of these action items, your dealership can make 2025 a year of growth, efficiency, and enhanced customer loyalty. These actions can make tangible improvements in your daily operations, providing your customers with the kind of proactive service that separates you apart from the competition.
About the Author:
Chris Aiello is the Business Development Manager at TVH Parts Co. He has been in the equipment business for 19-plus years as a service manager, quality assurance manager, and business development manager. Chris now manages a national outside sales team that sells replacement parts and accessories in various equipment markets, such as material handling, equipment rental, and construction/earthmoving dealerships.
