Have you ever wondered why Service and Parts Managers don’t get along? In reality, don’t they need each other to succeed? As we examine this, let’s start with some generalizations from dealing with thousands of Service and Parts Managers along with General Managers throughout my career. The overwhelming consensus is that Service and Parts just don’t get along. That’s not to say that there aren’t dealerships where they do get along very well, but those are definitely in the minority.

If you think about it, it’s easy to see why these managers can be at odds. Here are just a few reasons:

• Service Managers are typically extroverts, whereas Parts Managers are typically more introverted.
• Service Managers typically have a “whatever it takes” attitude towards resolving issues. At that moment, they just want the customer handled. In the same situation, the Parts Manager will typically revert back to the processes to work through the issue, looking for the reasons why it happened.
• Parts Managers like to have a place for everything and everything in its place. Service Managers generally don’t.
• Parts Managers work from an inventory of parts. If a part doesn’t sell today, it will still be on the shelf to sell tomorrow. Service Managers work from an inventory of time. If they don’t utilize an hour today, it’s gone forever.

I’m not saying that one is right and the other is wrong; it’s just that they’re wired differently. That’s what makes each of them good at what they do; they have different mindsets for different types of positions. Unfortunately, these different mindsets can often times cause friction and impede them from effectively working together.

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