Help w Basics! Inventory List...

[Mitch Gallant]

Thought I'd post a SUPER basic issue and see how badly our tech stack and my know-how get obliterated.

We're trying to move from where we are to a paperless environment in the next year and something we still print weekly and hand around is an inventory list. This is printed straight out of Reynolds. We're undergoing a change fr Socket to VIN atm so there might be something I'm not aware of on the way we can use there. We're also heavy users of the google suite of products and sheets is my current intent to solve the issue BUT my challenge is this:

A resource that our sales guys use as an addendum to our website that helps them with product selection, inventory knowledge, and general inventory awareness. We're doing so much pre-selling of inbound atm that our sales staff inventory intelligence could use a bump. I'd like to provide our sales staff with a resource that gives them a sense of on-ground and inbound inventory with details that will help them pick the right unit for their prospect or support having a switch unit or two in their back pocket during sales interactions. I'd love to also support recent price changes, spiff targets, or other relevant info from time to time in order to help with the on-the-fly or in-the-moment decision-making.

Is there a solution to my problems already out there or am I destined to build a shared google sheet that's updated every other day? Any best practices or processes that drive inventory intelligence to the front line?

Any thoughts are appreciated!!

 

[ChrisR]

How often are you & the team walking inventory, current, fresh trades/purchases/etc?

That goes a long way toward putting in the rep's minds about available options. With the walk, don't just speed walk past them, open up doors, discuss the units that maybe would otherwise be overlooked. Find a reason for it to be memorable.

 

[Mitch Gallant]

How often are you & the team walking inventory, current, fresh trades/purchases/etc?

That goes a long way toward putting in the rep's minds about available options. With the walk, don't just speed walk past them, open up doors, discuss the units that maybe would otherwise be overlooked. Find a reason for it to be memorable.

Not enough. When we were at our height of used car success we were doing this without fail on Saturday mornings with a big show tell and a few times during the week with groups. Definitely, something to regroup on! Thanks for the suggestion

 

[Jeff Kershner]

Always awesome to see @Mitch Gallant jump in the forums!! I hope all is well with you my friend.

My guess would be a simple Google sheet, but within the sheet, since it's online I would find a way to link to the vehicles VDP, CarFax, Video, Original window sticker, etc. for each vehicle.

My sales team uses AutoiPacket to keep educated on our inventory. We use this because it provides all the data and links to the mentioned, plus it includes the services it needed to pass inspection and the OEM brochure. Since we do not use the customer facing side of this product, we include our incoming, wholesales and service lender inventory included in the mix. Another use feature is a VIN scan so for larger inventories you can scan the VIN on the lot to directly access the vehicles data. The tool also allows my team to email or text the customer with all of this information - making it a helpful tool for follow-up as well. If we didn't have this tool, I would most likely use an online Google sheet for the team to access.