It’s that time of year – Stock Check or Stock Take it’s up to you really. Are you just glad to have it done, glad to have it finished before the year end? But are you missing out on the greatest opportunity for a health check on your parts department?

Yes, most parts managers get a shiver down the spine at this time of year. It is usual, traditional even that companies with a December year end get to grips with some stock taking during December in order to have things just right for the auditor in the New Year.

But in our relief to have things sorted and complete before Christmas many companies ignore the ability to analyse the workings of the aftermarket departments through the workings of the stock take.  If you are operating a decent computer system then you have the ability to monitor the progress of your stock take and you can see the happenings within the department.

So not being content with having a yearend stock figure that’s accurate what other things should you look for in a stock check?

Stock value – How much has our stock value changed? Is that figure a combination of positives and negatives? What stock have we lost and what have we gained? Even if your stock figure is just about unchanged check to see what discrepancies are there to make this up? Many managers are just happy to see no change or an increase in stock level. You might find that the positive and negatives are hiding problems – Are we losing saleable fast moving stock and gaining slow moving items. Are “free” warranty items hiding the loss of real stock that we had to purchase?

Discrepancies – Study all discrepancy reports, not just the last or final report. The first one will tell you more about your department than anything. Are we finding parts in the wrong location or with no location at all? How many parts are ejected during the count phase and are now showing up on discrepancy reports?

Is there a correct chase of “the trail” for slow moving or special order discrepancies? How much have we corrected and charged out after the stock check? Why do such errors occur? These errors are there and we need to take comfort from two things: That the discrepancies are checked and acted upon and that the root cause of the problems are being addressed.

It s not a matter of our stock being “up” or “down” after the stock take. We need to quantify so much more and glean so much more from the information that is there staring us in the face.

Many parts managers will say – “We are happy just to get the stock take finished before Christmas and to get the place back into working order.” That’s fine.  But there is nothing to say that when the stock take is finished and updated that discrepancies cannot be still checked! I often worked on discrepancies in January.

Maybe you should consider a stock check review by Jim Clohessy – Saving you money and helping you to answer the questions!

Contact Jim for a chat: – 087 2475023

There is always a chance you could qualify for funding under the Rural Development Programme (RDP)

The RDP funds projects in Non-Agricultural, Activities, Business creation and development, Encouragement of Tourism Activities, Basic services for the Economy and Rural Population, Village Renewal and Development Conservation and Upgrading of the Rural Heritage.

It is one thing to have the idea, actually securing the funding can be testing enough.

Jim has taken many projects trough the funding process.

If you have questions give me a call.

“You can be best in class at what you do but if nobody knows…”

Angling for Business is a Failte Ireland funded series of training workshops developed around the needs of angling product providers (Charter Boats, Guides, Angling Tour/Event Coordinators) .

Do you promote your business? Do you promote your business online? Do you want better presence online driving customers towards your business? If so these workshops are for you!

Are you prepared to self-market your business online but are not willing to spend a fortune doing it? If so then these workshops are definitely for you!

Training is based around three half day workshops:

Session 1: Angling Imagery for non-photographers

As angling product providers we have a massive opportunity to gather high quality marketing material while we are working. Our pictures are the shop window by which we can improve our marketing effort but most of us are not photographers. Learn the simple techniques that will let you capture the best from your expeditions!

Is video the way forward in angling business promotion? Investigate the ease in capturing and editing video and getting it out there where our customers can see it.

Session 2: Social Media and Internet Marketing – Doing it yourself.

Are you interested in tapping into the vast numbers of prospective customers that are online? Do you want to promote your business, increase your profile and increase bookings? Are you prepared to spend some time doing it but wonder where to begin and how to progress? If so, these workshops are for you!

Session 3:  Print Media Marketing, Service Improvement, Angling Event Management, the Self Marketing Plan.

You already have a good business. How can you make it better? You have the tools and ability but you need to drive the message home, both in Ireland and abroad. There are simple yet effective projects you can undertake that will help the customer to make up their mind and book with you. If you need reminding… if your business is providing a top class service to the customers who will refer you to others then these workshops are for you!

These workshops involve a mixture of lecture and plenty of hands on work. You will need to bring your WIFI enabled laptop and your digital camera as much of the learning is by doing. “I am the angler not the IT person in my business” In many businesses it is a relative or friend that helps with the IT side of things, bring them too – this is a team effort.