Less than six months ago, there were two 52-inch and one 30-inch, double-tier catalog racks on the busy store's sales counter. Then one day the store's owner, George Zdarsky, Sr., stepped back and took a long hard look at his store; he realized that the actual space for face-to-face selling was severely limited. In fact, when he actually measured the available square inches, Zdarsky was surprised to discover that less than 20 percent of his sales counter was available for selling and serving customers.
That's why he listened when Dave Schuit of Midwest Tech Training Center called to tell him about a new concept in handling catalog information. After Schuit explained the new catalog binder system and its advantages, Zdarsky decided to try it. The new catalog system, known as Counter Craft, consists of specially designed catalog post binders which use color code organization and identification features.
When replacing conventional counter top catalog racks, a gain of 25 to 85 percent in open counter top sales and service area can be realized, Counter Craft stresses. That's because the binders are stored directly under the parts counter or on a nearby shelf.
It took less than two days to handle the changeover from catalog rack to color-coded binders. The task could have taken less time, but the countermen continued to wait on customers and answer the phone during the transition.
The first dramatic change you notice today when you enter A.M. Parts is that there's an inviting, open look to the store. In addition, it is an easy task to find a spot to place your purchase when you find the products you want.
The second change Zdarsky noticed was the increased efficiency of the store's countermen as they look up part numbers, applications,add-on items and footnotes.
When one counterman was looking up a part number in one binder, another counterman would look up the part he was seeking in another binder. Should they both need to refer to the same binder, the store features one master set and two sets of the most popular catalogs for use at the same time.
"In my 32 years of selling auto parts, except for the electronic catalog feature in our computer, I've never seen such a revolutionary idea in manual parts catalogs," said Zdarsky.
A.M. Parts recaptured over 40 percent of their counter top space while at the same time reduced their paper catalog requirements by approximately the same amount.
"The electronic catalog is good, but there are times when we need to refer to the printed page," he explained. He also pointed out that there are times when you need to show a customer a drawing or a schematic or a detailed footnote. That's when he reaches for the catalog information he keeps handy in his new Counter Craft binder.
A.M. Parts Service, Inc.
Service Systems & Products, Inc.
720 Concord Lane
Lombard, IL. 60148
1-800-872-0216
1-630-629-9430 Fax
1-630-629-7336
Automotive Aftermarket News of June in 1989 shows that these binders have withstood the test of time!
While George Sr. has since retired, his son is still using the Counter Craft binders purchased in 1989!