Parts Specialist Job Description

The Pay and Benefits of Part Specialist Candidates

The minimum requirement to become a parts specialist is a high school degree, although some companies may prefer applicants with an associate's degree in a relevant subject. Parts specialists need to know the parts and equipment they oversee. Employers prefer candidates with sales or managerial experience if the role involves purchasing.

The median annual salary for parts specialists is over $37,000. The parts specialists in the 10th percentile make around $20,000 annually, while the highest paid earn over $55,000 a year. Top earners can take home bonuses of up to $8,000 and can also take home profit-sharing opportunities of up to $10,000.

The Pay of a Parts Professional

A parts professional is expected to be helpful. It is different from other types of customer service jobs. Sales associates can receive on-the-job training to help them understand the products being sold.

A parts professional has an advantage over other types of sales associates because of their industry knowledge. A parts professional has been able to get a good amount of information about the products that are sold in an auto parts store. There are seminars, workshops and online courses that give more information auto parts.

The composition of vehicles continues to change with the advancement of manufacturing and technology. Staying current is important for a parts professional as education continues even while on the job. Individuals who get an education as an auto mechanic will be able to work in parts.

The hands-on training that is involved in a parts professional education is different from an auto mechanic education. Parts specialists deal with automotive knowledge, while auto mechanics do the actual repair work. Parts professionals do not spend time training in repair shops.

Parts professionals provide a lot of needed service in the automotive industry, so they are still worth the extra work. A parts specialist certification from the ASE could lead to a lot of new job opportunities. It is a more convenient way to market parts professionals.

The Auto Parts Manager

The parts department is run by auto parts managers. They manage the parts inventory to meet the requirements of the service department and external customers, as well as recruit and manage parts assistants and sales executives. Parts managers have a lot of experience in the automotive aftermarket, which is why they don't need formal qualifications.

Parts managers sell replacement parts to businesses. They can sell parts and accessories at a retail counter. Sales skills are important to parts managers, whether they handle sales personally or manage a team of parts sales executives.

They must be able to identify prospects, negotiate discounts, and run promotions. If they manage a sales team, they must be able to develop skills and product knowledge, motivate executives, and set compensation packages that deliver results. Product knowledge is important to the job.

The skills of a parts manager include being able to identify the right part for the job and provide advice on fitting. They must keep up to date with any changes to the vehicle's specifications. Administrative skills are important because of the scale and complexity of auto parts inventories.

Parts managers need to organize and record incoming and outgoing parts. They must make sure that parts are categorized correctly to reduce the risk of incorrect choices and delays in finding the right parts. The parts department's best practices are dictated by the parts managers.