Improving Parts & Service Solutions since 2000
Welcome to Fellowes Research, your source for expertise on OEM Service-Parts Data and Dealer Parts & Service solutions.
What we bring to the table
For all stakeholders in the OEM Dealer Parts and Service space, we deliver insights on: (i) the strategy and tactics of successful digital Parts and Service solutions; (ii) emerging opportunities and challenges; (iii) market and technology trends including Megatrends that will greatly impact the entire automotive industry - in the long-term.
For solution providers we offer aid defining and assessing product road maps as well as program implementation guidance and leadership. We also build and refine alliance plans - tactical and strategic - from simple systems integration to co-marketing to acquisitions.
For vehicle manufacturers we provide advice on service-parts initiatives and evaluation of potential program partners.
For the Investment community, we offer insight on solution-providers’ prospects to sustain and grow current and new business lines, to expand market share and to do so profitably.
Our Areas of Practice
Business Strategy
Strategic Planning including market landscapes, Porter’s five forces, and SWOT analysis.
Product Positioning.
Program Implementation
Market validation leveraging directly relevant service-parts solutions expertise and experience.
Developing and refining Product Road Maps.
User story development.
Risk reduction and management.
Thought Leadership
Content for (and leadership of) Webinars and Workshops on Parts & Service.
Content for client white papers and reports.
Analysis of trends and their potential impacts.
Investment Advisory
Assessment of business lines in terms of: synergies, economies of scale and scope, network effects, trends and market landscape.
Market growth and size.
Customer satisfaction and unmet needs.
Risks - near-term, mid-term and long-term.
Product & Market Assessment
Product opportunities and challenges (new products, product extensions, product improvements).
Segmentation & product differentiation.
Pricing options and optimization.
Distribution options.
Alliances
Identifying alliance opportunities.
Establishing, growing and re-invigorating alliances - tactical and strategic.
Alliances for software utilities & widgets, data sources, systems integration and publishing services.
Alliances for distribution, co-marketing of complementary products/services and to enter new geographic markets.
An Introduction to Parts & Service Dealer Solutions
Service-parts
Service-parts are essential to maintain and repair vehicles (accounting for approximately 10% of parts manufactured – the other 90% go to assembly of vehicles). Service-parts are also known as “spare parts” or “replacement parts” and are core to what is often called “aftersales” and “aftermarket” to distinguish it from processes of assembling, marketing and selling vehicles.
OEM-Dealer Solutions
These consist of the software, systems and services used by franchised dealers to automate their operations. There are over a dozen distinct types of Service-Parts solutions and - at last count - over 100 solution providers. The objectives of Service-Parts related dealer solutions include: delivering a superior buyer experience, boosting dealer staff productivity and selling more parts (and labor.)
OEMs
(Original Equipment Manufacturers) is a term used interchangeably with “Vehicle Manufacturers” and means firms that assemble and distribute vehicles – and their service-parts. In automotive, the vertical with the largest volume of service-parts, OEMs are often referred to as “Automakers”.
Competition to new OEM service-parts (“genuine” parts) consists primarily of new AM (Aftermarket) parts, salvage (used) parts and re-manufactured (Reman) and reconditioned parts. AM parts are sold via their own channels of parts WDs (Warehouse Distributors), jobbers and retail parts stores - franchised dealerships will buy AM parts - typically for a current service job (not for stock) and usually for servicing a vehicle the dealer does not have the franchise for (“non-make”). With minor exceptions (generally ‘fast-moving’ maintenance parts), OEMs don’t compete with each other directly for service-parts sales - the OEMs compete with the Aftermarket.
Competition
Franchised-Dealers
Franchised-Dealers (Dealerships) are franchised by OEMs for specific vehicle brands (“Makes”) - in the U.S. with minor exceptions, OEMs can only distribute their new service-parts through their franchised-dealer channel. Dealers consume 40 to 50% of OEM service-parts in their own service workshops and collision repair facilities (on average). Dealers sell the remaining 50 to 60% of OEM service-parts retail (a few %) and wholesale. There are two major market segments for wholesale parts: (i) collision repair and (ii) mechanical repair and maintenance. Parts for collision repair are purchased by collision repair facilities (often known as Body Shops); parts for mechanical repair and maintenance are purchased by Independent Repair Facilities (IRFs) also known as the Independent Motor Trade (IMT).
Aftermarket as described above (and as used in our industry) has two distinct meanings - first, aftermarket means all parts, service and accessories activities that occur after the car was sold. Second, aftermarket means parts not supplied by the OEM - this usage often uses the abbreviation: as in “AM parts”.