Almost 4 years since they purchased CARQUEST and they still don't know how to do commercial business. They listen to nothing from the CARQUEST employees who know the commercial business, it's all we ever done. I continue to lose my customers since I was integrated into an Advance store. Lack of product for the fleet and heavy duty customer. If you need more than one of something you better find another supplier perhaps NAPA will be your best bet. A real piece of crap for a computer system. Not even close to anything we had at CARQUEST but yet they have no plan to upgrade probably because they can't afford it. Customer service is awful with the DM's micro managing the payroll. I've lost about 75% of my commercial business that I had before we integrated into the Advance store. But they can't figure it out. Stock price for this company is in the toilet glad I didn't put much of my money in it. Don't think I'll be around by the end of the year I tired of being embarrassed by Advance.
5 replies (most recent on top)
Advance has created all of it's problems by being cheap. You can not expect sales to increase when you decrease stock in your stores and warehouses, and hire part time kids at minimum wage with no automotive knowledge as the employee that interact with the customer. Commercial customers "do not" want some wise a-- punk taking care of them and trying to force the wrong parts or worse, your stupid specials that can be bought else where for less. Advance is paying way to much in salary at the top and getting crap results, heads at the top need to roll.
You should also realize those legacy CQ people at corporate do not interact with the end product users. You can warehouse all the parts you want, it means nothing unless you have relationships in the field. The credibility of AAP is non-existent.
you all do realize that nearly all of the current leadership in inventory, supply chain, and merchandising made of the same Carquest leadership you claim knows how to run the parts business. Literally less than 15% of the employees in these departments made the transition to the CQ/Raleigh office
They are in the dark and don’t even know how to turn on the lights!
They are so arrogant that their ears and eyes are closed. Reminds me of a ship that hit an iceberg.
Advance Auto Parts doesn’t deserve to have the CQ commercial business !
Better to be with a real commercial supplier like NAPA!
I agree, your post is right on target, Advance has no clue how to do commercial and they have lost so many customers because of their own stupidity.