Electronic Parts Ordering Helps Shops Modernize the Repair Cycle

The adoption of electronic parts ordering has grown exponentially in recent years, signaling a major shift in how collision parts are promoted and purchased within the collision repair industry. Considering how slow the process of sourcing and ordering the correct parts used to be, with multiple phone calls, faxes, returns and wait times, it’s not hard to see why the majority of collision repairers are embracing parts e-commerce to speed up their operations.

“For as long as I’ve been in business, parts ordering has been cumbersome and time-consuming,” says Toan Nguyen, CEO of Classic Collision. “Too many phone calls, faxes, and emails.”

Electronic parts ordering has streamlined and accelerated the entire process for collision repairers. As with other experiences made more convenient by shopping online, from getting groceries to ordering pet supplies to holiday shopping, repair facilities are adopting this method of e-commerce to save time and money in their day-to-day operations.

For Ngyuen, adopting the CCC ONE® estimating and shop management platform has made a vital difference in Classic Collision’s business.

“With CCC, we can connect with suppliers and purchase parts without needing to visit multiple websites or manually reconcile invoices,” says Nguyen. “CCC’s technology stands out for its seamless integration into our estimating workflow. One system, one process, beginning to end.”

The CCC ONE platform includes electronic parts ordering (ePO) as an included feature. Clients can view and compare OEM, aftermarket, and recycled parts and then choose the selected part to be added to their electronic shopping cart. Parts from multiple suppliers (including different part types) can be combined in a single cart and can be ordered with just a few clicks of the mouse. And for CCC ONE Repair Workflow (shop management) customers, once the parts arrive, the electronic invoice is automatically imported, eliminating the hours wasted everyday re-keying information from the suppliers.

Recently published data from CCC Information Services show that not only are more shops placing orders online, but shops that were already using electronic parts ordering are using it more often. In the last four years, the number of parts ordered online has grown more than 20x. And in the last year alone, live parts quotes in the CCC Parts platform have grown 40% year-over-year and now average more than 20 million every day.

The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the adoption of electronic parts procurement, as widespread shelter-at-home orders have impacted staffing and shop operations at both repair facilities and parts suppliers. With fewer people available at both repair facilities and parts suppliers, e-commerce systems are offering 24/7/365 availability to keep parts moving through the system. Increased accuracy of orders means fewer returns and the more accurate invoices means less time spent reconciling items received versus items invoiced.

The benefits of electronic parts ordering only continue to grow as the repair industry evolves with technology. Electronic parts procurement is not only convenient for the repairer, but when conducted from an integrated platform like CCC ONE, it increases the accuracy of estimates and ensures that repairers get the correct part on the first try. As cycle times decrease, customer satisfaction improves, and ultimately, so does a shop’s ability to earn more business in their community.

For more information on how repair facilities order parts through CCC software, visit www.cccis.com/parts.