Imagine the shelves of your parts department are stacked with $20.00 bills instead of pieces of cars. When you look around your current rows of shelves lined with cash, would you be nervous about the level of attention paid to open or unlocked doors? How about passers by and parts (cash) out on undocumented loans?

Now try this on for size…

Have you ever tried to get petty cash from the Business Office? Let’s say $50.00 so you can treat your team to lunch while you discuss departmental issues? It’s not so easy in most stores to actually get the cash. First you must do a few things.

• Fill out a request for petty cash
• List the reason you need the cash
• List the manager who authorizes the expense
• Sign the form, indicating your responsibility for the cash
• Return any change and the transaction receipt 

Now, go to your parts department and request a part - an inexpensive part that costs about $50.00- to show a customer or to compare with a vehicle part. Simply explain to the parts personnel that you’ll be back with the part in a few minutes. In most cases, the parts personnel will oblige your request. Why is it so easy to get $50.00 from your parts department and so difficult to get $50.00 from the business office? The reason is simple, $50.00 in cash looks exactly like $50.00 cash. A $50.00 part just looks like a part. However, they both have the same value to the dealership.

The reason for the comparison isn’t to paint the Business Office in a bad light, but to highlight what is likely a very relaxed security in most Parts Departments. Lack of good business practices in all departments can and will cost you money. For more information on solid business practices and processes, sign up today!