Beyond the Numbers

This book is devoted almost entirely to managing the three most important assets of an automobile parts business: finances, customers, and personnel. It also includes other information critical for creating and managing a total quality organization. Moreover, because the management and operation of a parts store or parts department is similar to many other businesses, for making certain points examples of companies unrelated to the engagement of automobile parts distribution have been used. This book is a culmination of the authorAs many years of experience in automotive parts management, combined with four years of extensive research. The parts managers, part store owners, and dealer principles quoted, as well as the parts organizations illustrated in the book, were chosen because of their outstanding performance and reputation in the industry, as well as their trenchant management of the three key aforementioned assets leading to their continued success. The book contains five parts, divided into eighteen chapters. Part 1, entitled First Things First, is significant because it embodies pertinent essentials that all businesses, not only parts organizations, must possess and master before a successful venture can be assured. Parts 2, 3, and 4 revolve around the important asset areas that must be managed both consistently and well if success is to be ensured and competitiveness sustained. Part 3 focuses entirely on managing the precious customer assets of the parts business. Part 4 concentrates on managing people assets, namely, employees. The book concludes with Part 5, which offers some closing comments. This part adds closure to the book and reviews the essential qualities necessary to be a total quality, customer caring parts organization.