Streamlining Spare Parts Management With Technology

Written by Robert Wilson » Updated on: October 23rd, 2024

Introduction

Every OEM will need to incorporate solutions to manage their spare parts as repairs and replacement of spare parts are inevitable. Traditionally, OEMs would manage this complex process manually and finding the spares is often deemed time and cost intensive. This process would not only require dedicated workforce but also needed constant checks and audits to ensure there are the right spare parts.

With time and improvements in technology, there are aftermarket software such as parts catalog software that can help manage and automate this entire process and make it easy. The role of a parts catalog software is streamlining the management of spares and also enabling OEMs to ensure smooth aftermarket operations.

An electronic parts catalog software brings automation and innovation to replace the manual processing of tasks and has intuitive options with a high scalability design to empower businesses of all sizes. The data of spares are maintained in a systematic way and can be easily accessible when needed. This software will help enhance the productivity in operations and also make a positive impact on the bottom line of the OEM. This software software enables OEMs for a better spare parts management.

Let us now see how a parts catalog software can enhance your operations and propel for future growth:

A Database that is Centralized for the OEM

Traditionally, OEMs would have manual spare parts management systems which meant going through thousands of catalogs to ensure they have the right information. This would not only cost time to the OEM but would also be workforce and cost intensive. These operations also led to errors which led to loss of revenue and time to complete the work.

With the advent of aftermarket software in the industry, spare parts management has become very easy and it has also enabled OEMs to focus on the bigger strategies while automating manual and complex tasks. An electronic parts catalog software provides a central database to manage all the spare parts provided by the OEM. This means all information about the spares, such as part numbers, illustrated images and such relevant information is found with ease.

A System That is Easy to Navigate

If an OEM deploys a system that is easy to use and has an intuitive interface and UI will mean that the time spent to train the workforce on this system will be lesser compared to a system lacking this feature. This would mean that the spare parts management will be made easier for all the stakeholders using this parts catalog software. Such aftermarket software enables OEMs with quick navigation and search through thousands and thousands of spare part catalogs. As this is digitally-enabled, this means that the teams using this software will not need to maintain anything on paper, meaning less redundancy.

Updates are Provided on a Real-Time Basis and Parts Supersession

An efficient spare parts management would mean that there is optimum visibility into the operations of the process. This can only be achieved through a spare parts catalog software. In case there are any parts manufactured by the OEM which are now changed or replaced, it would need to be updated in the catalog. Traditionally, it was all done on paper and it also meant a constant to and fro for dealers with the OEM. Electronic parts catalog software automates this process and ensures that the superseded parts are updated automatically. There are updates provided on a real-time basis where it shares information about the right components at the right time.

Impeccable Accuracy with Automation

As we understand that a major limitation of traditional spare parts management was an error prone process, it was crucial to ensure that this was eliminated with technology. Spare parts catalog software in an aftermarket software that automates the spare parts management processes and ensures there are no errors as everything is computed and accounted for in real-time. There is no need for human intervention and all the data entry processes are automated which leads to better spare parts management processes.

Visualization for Easy Identification

It is absolutely important that users are able to identify the right parts for the customers. This means they need a solution which provides them illustrations and diagrams to complement their searches within the catalogs. Spare parts catalog software ensures this feature by providing 2D and 3D diagrams, illustrations and advanced features that enable users to make informed decisions, without any errors.

Cross Referencing for Advanced Substitution

There can be times where the exact part is not available for customers and it might cause delays and a bad customer experience when there are no substitutes to offer to them. To manage that, parts catalog software has an inbuilt feature that shows a list of parts that are substitutes for a current part, enhancing the spare parts management process and building a better experience for the customers. The information about the related or alternative parts provided are compatible substitutes, which shows the advanced capabilities of a parts catalog software.

Ordering With Ease

Traditionally, spare parts management would require team members placing orders manually and were offered no tracking features to understand the status of the orders. With parts catalog software, the spare parts management is revolutionized as this aftermarket software provides an easy ordering process and also provides live status of the orders to offer greater visibility in this process.

Accessibility on Multiple Platforms

Traditionally, the spare parts management had no dedicated platform which meant there might be differences in spare parts management for different OEMs. Today, we have multiple platforms where we access data from, and thus OEMs and businesses need spare parts management that is available on multiple platforms. Electronic parts catalog software is available on multiple platforms which means better access and collaboration within the team.

Insights Through Analytics

Making informed decisions and gaining deeper insights into processes and operations are needed to identify areas and scope of improvement for OEMs. This was another limitation in traditional methods of spare parts management. With parts catalog software, OEMs get detailed reports and these reports can also be exported in various formats to be distributed within the company. With such advanced features, aftermarket software stands out as a solution.

Better Cost Savings/Reduction

Traditional spare parts management processes were extremely cost intensive and they were more so when there were delays and errors in the processes. With such expensive operations, it was crucial to undertake steps to eradicate such expensive ways for spare parts management. With the advancements in technology, aftermarket software came to be accepted by the OEMs and this led to the disruption in spare parts management we see today. Electronic parts catalog software is designed to automate processes which means no human intervention, no errors and faster process, all leading to better cost savings for OEMs.

Conclusion

The traditional methods have their limitations and there was a need to adopt solutions which presented advanced features and automated the manual tasks to better the processes. Enter aftermarket software which brings higher productivity and deeper insights into processes and operations to foster a collaborative approach. Parts catalog software is one such example of aftermarket software that makes the spare parts management easy and automated. This presents higher accuracy, easy navigation, intuitive interface, insights to make better and informed decisions, and higher cost savings. All of these together enable OEMs for a better spare parts management process.

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