Hey Cat1, just wondering how you are doing with the changes.

Thanks, Ed for the feedback on my post.

As for team building, try an nice easy day of paintball! Nothing like splitting co-workers into two teams, handing them markers (and proper safety equipment), and letting them blast each other. LOL

Thank You for your input Delta07, I think this may be one of the wisest and most complete statements I have ever seen on the internet;
"We heavily use technology as an "enabler". It is tool, not the solution. We have made those mistakes. "

I would also like to add that the suggestions should be in the "walk before run" area, and have current parts personal sitting in on classes for basic forklift systems (a class on inspection and repair of masts seems to me a good starting point), and in the same quarter, a team building experience (a Saturday of white water rafting, or an evening of go kart racing) instead of a "company fun" time (?awards dinner?).

As I read your last post it seems that there are a few initiatives going on here.
1. Increase sales.
This looks like you need to take more market share from your competition. I am not in sales or marketing so I cannot lend to much assistance here.

2. Integration of Parts and Service
We have an integrated Service and Parts system in place now. Let me just start by saying that it doesn't happen overnight. Moving Key people away from what they are good at is not a solution. However cross training them with the service department can help a great deal. Having a clear understanding of what the other staff deals with every day can change your interdepartmental communications. Also it can bring about changes in processes and procedures that are more efficient. We use a team approach for almost everything and are roughly structured as follows.

Service Coordinator -Not a Dispatcher! Techs for the most part control their own schedule, however the SC can get team leaders involved to get calls done.
Parts advisors
Tech Team Leaders
Tech Teams (Think North and South or County 1 and County 2)
Billing Team

Any one from any team is empowered to hold accountable any one from another team within the normal business processes. Other issues are handled by Team Leaders or Managers. The key is that there is are very clear processes and goals defined.
One last note. We heavily use technology as an "enabler". It is tool, not the solution. We have made those mistakes.

Well as a suggestion to increase sales pay your techs commision on every thing they can sell and have system with who ever puts in the highest leads on a monthly basis gets say 100 dollars and at the end of the year who ever has put in the most leads gets a bonus.Tech can sell parts to existing customers but a lot of them dont bother with the hasstle because the reward is not enough if all the techs say for example put in 100 leads and u only win 50 thats 50 you probably wouldnt have had before

Well as a suggestion to increase sales pay your techs commision on every thing they can sell and have system with who ever puts in the highest leads on a monthly basis gets say 100 dollars and at the end of the year who ever has put in the most leads gets a bonus.Tech can sell parts to existing customers but a lot of them dont bother with the hasstle because the reward is not enough if all the techs say for example put in 100 leads and u only win 50 thats 50 you probably wouldnt have had before

It is my belief that the end goal is to break down barriers between the Parts, Service and then Sales departments, to form a bond between Parts and Service. My "new" GM is looking to break down the the "box" departments and have us all flow into one open concept; where we flow into one another as one unit and not seperate departments. I am to submit an idea/concept that would increase part sales(In a depressed area. My competion have been downsized to a four day week with compensation to match) and move towards this more open concept.
I am at a loss. I am already running a skeleton crew, my MEHDA numbers are perfect and my inventory is stellar but our Service department has high internal billing. Management swapping has already been put into place at one of our other facilities. Perhaps I am to posessive of my department. I suspect we will follow soon. I will probably lose my "ace staff member" and
inventory control is not something you wake up one day and master. My staff has worked hard and I am at a loss. Any inventive idea for increasing sales, no matter how obscure, would be greatly appreciated.

I would want a little more information as to the motivation and a much more clearly defined set of goals for this project before I would touch such a concept with a 10 foot fiberglass pole...
what is the motivation? perhaps the real answer is _management_ -team- building and redefined management compensation package that more clearly reflects interdepartmental cooperation.