The role of ‘just in time’ in todays aftermarket
A garage owner and a parts factor discuss how ‘just in time’ still works in today’s aftermarket
Tim Benson
Oldfields Garage Owner
The idea of ‘just in time’ still has a place in the aftermarket, but only when it is anchored in local knowledge and honest communication. If the vehicle parc is understood and planned for, a well-run supply chain can keep pace. We hold very little stock of our own – our parts department is our factor partners. The friction arrives when reduced stockholding is paired with optimistic delivery promises. That is when you see a car sat on a ramp, a technician waiting, and a service advisor taking heat that belongs with the process rather than the people. In most cases this doesn’t become an issue with our suppliers.
We expect factor suppliers to profile the vehicle parc properly. They have access to data; it should be used to minimise disruption to customers they supply. If a supplier knows what is in an area, they have a good idea of what rolls through our doors week in and week out. This means the fast movers live within reach and the rest is scheduled with confidence. This should be the first duty of a partner who wants to help workshops protect productivity.
If VMs are having supply issues that impact workshops, our experience is that this is not the same with parts factors. The gap is information. When upstream pressure is shared early and clearly, we can plan around it. When it is not, timelines slip and a productive ramp becomes an expensive parking space. We are not interested in blame. We are interested in early sight of risk and practical workarounds.
At Oldfields Garage, we treat availability as a shared responsibility. We like to work closely with a main supplier because consistency matters, but we never rely on a single route. We can’t. Most garages have more than one factor supplier, as it enables them to keep technicians productive and the workshop flowing. A strong panel of options protects the day’s plan when a warehouse miss or a courier delay crops up. If a delivery is slipping, we want to know early so we can plan.
Customers only blame the workshop when we look surprised, so we explain the path their part travels, we keep them updated, and we offer an alternative. The model still works, provided the partnership works first.
Sanjiv Shah
Car Spares Factors owner
The just-in-time model has always been a balancing act. Workshops quite rightly expect parts to arrive exactly when they need them. At Car Spares Factors, we recognise that pressure and we believe the model still works in today’s aftermarket – provided it’s supported by the right stock strategy, transparency and systems.
Speed of delivery remains central to our service. Our priority is simple: get the right parts to our customers in time for them to complete the job for their own customers; however, the reality of an ever-expanding vehicle parc means stock ranges are growing daily. No supplier or factor can physically hold every part in every depot. Where parts aren’t available for immediate delivery, clear communication is essential. Customers need to know delivery times upfront, so they can decide whether to wait or source an alternative. That openness helps avoid frustration and misplaced blame when delays occur.
Importantly, the model hasn’t caused difficulties for CSF because we haven’t reduced our stockholding. Instead, we constantly review and refine it. Core, fast-moving lines – service kits, braking components and everyday maintenance parts – are always on the shelf. That ensures the majority of ‘run-of-the-mill’ jobs can be completed without delay. More specialist or slower-moving parts may not be stocked everywhere, but we can still deliver to the garage within one to two days maximum.
Space is one of the biggest challenges. With ranges increasing, it’s not practical to expand every depot indefinitely. Our solution is a hub-and-spoke approach: larger branches support smaller depots, backed up by inter-branch vans running up to four times-a-day. This allows us to offer two to two-and-a-half-hour delivery on many lines, rather than our usual one-hour service, even when stock isn’t held locally.
Behind the scenes, sophisticated stock management plays a critical role. Lost sales are logged and analysed by our procurement manager, Richard, who oversees purchasing, stockholding and supplier relationships. By understanding why a sale was lost, we can adjust future orders and get the right parts onto the shelves faster. Our stock lines are lean and purposeful – what we hold is moving, selling and supporting our customers’ businesses.
The just in time model works for us – but only because it’s combined with active stock monitoring, honest communication and investment in operations and logistics.
