web-link chemical & accessory section ?

anyone using the chemical & accessory tab in web-link?

Can you leave a comment ?

Just a quick look - see many opportunities to improve
-list # of items in any section--so you can avoid sections that are blank
-add missing parts --look up ANY ATF fluid

Red Chassis - 5 years 100,000 kilo warranty

It has been confirmed that Red Chassis ( RCH ) is indeed 5 years or 100,000 kilo warranty -- now to get this info out

USA dollar -- any bets?

see the image attached ( click to enlarge ) - any bets on where the US dollar will settle ? Just after most Cdn suppliers had a round of PRICE INCREASES to offset the RAPID rise in the Fall or 2008 -- now we have to fight with them for a price roll back.

Lines like Keystone -- PLEASE make sure you tell your customer that prices reflect daily changes in the dollar .....

Warranty info updated on CQ-Link - redux

One step forward --two steps back --we wait ( and wait ...and wait ) for the IT dept to fix the broken drop down box for warranty info ... n the mean time you can download a PDF file ....

OK --but BE CAREFUL -- I see a mistake --so you will want to KNOW what date your warranty data is ...so if a NEWER version exists - you will know ... you can save & RE-NAME and add a date to the name (which is what I do )

If you spot a problem - use the old crappy feedback form ( while we wait for the IT dept to give us back the better PRS form we had been beta testing )

you will see this has been an ongoing issue for a while -- search word warranty and see...

CARQUEST.COM - new additions

I noticed that www.carquest.com has links to MSDS sheets with two options - give it a try. I might expect the Cdn web site ( www.carquest.ca ) will someday have these - we will ask.

A few other differences as well--click on the image to make it larger -the LEFT hand on is .ca and the RIGHT hand on is the dot com USA site.

NOTE ---this data has been added to out multi-store PLAXO address book - so you can find it a year from now

PLEASE give this a try to see if it will help you help your customer.

New TCK Timing Kits - FREE T Shirts

record the TCK timing belt kits your customers sell--and redeem TEE SHIRTS

Starts now ( May 25 th) thru to Aug 31 2009

survey questions - have a look

It has been a while since AIA has polled jobbers ( and the FIRST TIME they have polled shops both auto repair & body shop )

Here are the links

*** click here for general shop questions ***

*** click here for Jobber questions ***

*** click here for Body Shop questions ***

Most survey won't let you skim the questions unless you answer them --this one does -- look at the questions and see what major questions are trying to get answered. What questions answer efficiency and what for effectiveness. Can you see what traits business do that really helps profitability and what are just 're-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic' ).

The people who respond should get a summary of the answers - ...here is the key reason to suggest that your shops do it .... "Those who complete the survey will be provided with the opportunity to access the aggregate data for a limited time once the survey has closed."

This data helps you understand where you are relative to a ot of other shops (mind you most of the shops that respond are BETTER shops who take the time - poorer shops somehow never have the time nor effort to do these ...wonder why ?? ( smile)

On the other hand --some of the questions asked are fairly intensive to figure out - this extra work will stop many from answering - wonder if there could have done a better job for questions and to provide some background on why they ask what they do ( for example - inventory turns - show how to calculate otherwise most people take sales divided by inventory whereas it should be COGS (cost of good sold = sales minus profit) divided by inventory.

Road show for product info

Tue June 2nd - Windsor Holiday Inn Express - all staff are welcome and encouraged to attend. See your store manager for details. The more we can learn the more we can pay in taxes ( Joe made me say this )

Free-CAT

The May 2009 issue of Jobber news has a article on FREE-CAT -- a group of major auto parts suppliers ( Gates, Tennaco, etc etc ) trying to provide an optional source for e-cat


check out *** click here for free-cat ***

It will be interesting to see how this grows over time.

missing Parts Names on Web-Link

in an attempt to streamline web-link sometimes they have taken too many names away --case in point the MISSING header for brake Hoses - click on image to see enlarged. If you can find another header that is MISSING - send a feedback form (yep - we are stuck on the old version while politics trumps common sense.)

Payroll

I will be doing payroll on Wednesday, May 27th. Please make sure that timesheets and vacation/sick days are reported before then.

Tension & Belt Kit

Doing a switch from Dayco timing belt kits ( no belt included ) to Gates with the belt --happening this weekend. Can someone please confirm the e-cat shows BOTH and reply as a comment

TEN sub line 2 >>>> goes to RBR sub line 20

more success stories --once we get the data

We are awaiting CARQUEST to add this DOR 905-505. Have asked Mike Deal to UP the Movement Code RIGHT AWAY on this part ONCE it gets entered into the ADIS computer systems - quite a demand for this part....

Cdn dollar - where ?

look at the chart ( from Yahoo ) -the Cdn dollar is getting stronger ... so that could mean a slowdown on the recent flood of price INCREASES for the weaker dollar from last fall ... and maybe some price roll backs --still WAY TO EARLY to tell ....

Staff Meeting Locations

just a quick reminder that May staff meeting is at Auto Barn

June & July will be at Petes Paint

Greg

Product Feedback - finally back up

Product Feedback is finally back up --- well --the old clunky one anyways .... you click on the word feedback -- I missed it the first time I looked at it ...see image - have it circled

The new better product resolution system is OFF LINE for now --we will wait a month and ask for a time.

More details at next staff meeting ---which is again at Auto Barn next monday

what do you think of this ????

Mike Washington's stores use PO # for almost every sale .... and if a PO number is not required --they put customer info - like 'Harry picked up' .... so when the customer calls - we know who we sold it to.

For trade accounts you can put the vehicle or misc info in like who called it in ...

What do you think --worthwhile trying in your store ????

Aurora & Park Ave battery - group 101

Ken tells me that the error in e-cat for REAR SEAT GM cars ( Park Ave & Aurora ) is solved -- it is NOT the group 78 as shown --it is group 101... now we wait for CARQUEST to get the part into the system .... stay tuned

Swine Flu ?

Wash hands - cover mouth when coughing or sneezing and ...oh yeh -- do not date Miss piggy

Petes Paint suggests these sku's to consider stocking .... GOJ 9652-12 CAN00 Purell hand sanitizer and and MMM 07048 mask -- it has the rating that is required ( or you may also have cheaper masks when a rating is not required )