Job Description
Job DescriptionDescription:
Job Title: Senior Parts Technician
Department: Operations – Parts Division
Reports To: Parts Manager
Job Overview:
The Senior Parts Technician is responsible for providing exceptional customer service by assisting with parts inquiries, offering recommendations, and handling transactions. They utilize parts catalogs, databases, and industry knowledge to source and identify the correct components, coordinate quick purchases from approved suppliers when needed, and manage associated paperwork.
Key TRAITS for Optimal Performance:
· Decision Making & Risk Orientation: A naturally cooperative approach readily accommodating to direction provided by others with the ability to make some decisions with some unknown - and occasional risk, or to exercise independent judgment (within accepted guidelines). An ability to initiate decisions which may impact the work, priorities, and activity of others.
· Relationships & Communication: An ability to balance the completion of specific personal tasks with the need to initiate interactions, collaborate, and encourage the efforts of others. An ability to build and sustain multiple relationships and regularly interact with others to meet the position requirements. An almost equal combination of ability to provide analytical and technical information and to demonstrate some persuasiveness to influence others.
· Proactiveness: A strong ability to multi-task and handle a variety of activities, opportunities & issues in a very proactive manner. The ability to display a sense of urgency about matters, including responsiveness to immediate requests and sudden interruptions and the ability to carry out work activities that require both some degree of steadiness and consistency, as well as being responsive to deadlines and target dates.
· Structure: Strong attention to detail and accuracy with regular hands-on involvement in all required activities. The ability to follow necessary guidelines and to work within the job framework of established precedents, practices, and standards for consistent outcomes while also being able to handle some situations where they do not apply.
· Versatility: An individual demonstrates the ability and versatility to adapt to changes in the work environment that could include situations creating stress, additional hours of work, and stepping outside of their natural behaviors to meet job requirements.
· Emotive-Logical Orientation: The ability to at times demonstrate sensitivity in interactions and at other times to be somewhat logical and rational in responding to situations.
· Innovativeness: Regularly finding various ways to improve existing approaches, procedures and methods.
Key Responsibilities:
· Customer Service and Sales: Providing excellent customer service by assisting customers with part inquiries, offering product recommendations, and handling sales transactions. This often involves understanding customer needs, identifying appropriate parts, and providing technical advice or support.
· Parts Sourcing and Research: Utilizing parts catalogs, databases, and industry knowledge to source and identify the correct components for specific vehicles or repair needs. This can involve researching hard-to-find parts or cross-referencing products. When parts are not in stock, and the customer requires the parts quickly the parts technician will purchase the parts from approved suppliers and coordinate the shipment of the parts to the store and/or direct to customers and process the paperwork. If the parts can be added to a stock order the parts technician will advise the purchaser and set up the paperwork so that when the parts are received, they can be invoiced and delivered to the customer in a timely manner.
· Technical Knowledge: Applying knowledge of heavy-duty truck and trailer systems to assist customers make parts purchases that lower the total cost of operation and identify root causes of failures. This often requires familiarity with engine components, driveline systems, air systems, electrical parts, and other systems on the truck and various levels of quality and options offered by suppliers.
· Order Fulfillment: Creating pick tickets for the warehouse staff to pick and either have the parts delivery driver deliver in a timely manner to local customers or the shipper/receiver to ship the parts to customers outside of the local delivery zone. When the warehouse is overloaded, it is expected that the parts technicians will help pick orders, but they must use good judgement because they can’t abandon their parts counter when customers are needing help.
· Communication and Collaboration: Coordinating with suppliers, customers, and other departments (such as service technicians or sales representatives) to ensure the right parts are supplied the first time, which optimizes customer satisfaction index.
· Handling Returns and Warranties: Managing the return of defective or unwanted parts, processing warranty claims, and resolving customer issues promptly and professionally.
· Inventory: The Senior Parts Technicians are usually not expected to do cycle counting because their time is better spent helping customers, but they are asked to help with the annual inventory count. Additionally, they aren’t typically asked to put away stock orders or do cleaning for the same reason.
· On-Call: While it is common for Junior Technicians to have to work weekends and be on call, Senior Technicians are often asked to be on call to support Junior Technicians if they encounter something they can’t figure out.
Requirements:
Preferred Qualifications:
· Education: High school diploma or equivalent.
· Experience: Minimum of 5+ years of experience as a heavy-duty parts technician in aftermarket distribution or all makes dealership program.
· Certifications: Relevant certifications such as ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Parts Specialists Certification is desirable.
· Technical Skills: Proficient in using parts cataloging, parts lookup software, and cross-references.
· Licenses and Compliance: Valid driver’s license; ability to pass pre-employment and random drug testing, and a pre-employment background check.