Spare Parts Know How

Spare Parts Inventory Management Training

  • Log-In
  • Individual
    • Practitioner Toolkit
    • Open Access
    • Compare Options
  • Organization/Team
    • Foundations for Teams
    • Enterprise Access
    • Foundations Playbook
    • Operations Playbook
    • Compare Options
  • Targeted Improvement Programs
    • Capability Programs
    • Advisory Support
    • Inventory Optimization Software
    • Data Management Services
  • Resources
    • The Spare Parts Decision Framework
    • Spare Parts Capability Playbooks
    • Roadmap for Spare Parts Decision Capability
    • Site Capability Assessment
    • Spare Parts Management Checklists
    • Obsolescence Risk Calculator
    • Criticality Assessment Tool
    • ROP/ROQ Calculator
    • Last Time Buy Calculator
    • Books
    • Practitioner Playbook Digital Library
  • Contact
  • About
    • Past and Current Users
    • Testimonials
    • FAQs
    • Phillip Slater

Three Questions For Better Spare Parts Management

December 8 spkhadmin

Usually I use this forum to provide answers but this month I have decided to pose some questions. It’s up to you to determine the answers that will work best for you!

Here are three questions to help you achieve better spare parts management by focusing on the actions that will make a real difference:

  1.  What one thing, if you fixed it right now, would make the biggest single difference to your spare parts management outcomes?  

    This will be specific to you, your company, and your site.  Don’t jump too quickly in saying what you think this is.  My guess is that you could write a list!  But what I am asking is what ONE thing would make the biggest difference.

  2.  

  3. What three specific actions can YOU take to change or turn around that one thing? 

    Think in terms of things that you can do without further approval.  For example, in a recent workshop I challenged the group to identify actions that they could take, without extra authority or support, to address their high level of inventory stocking.  They very quickly identified 10 separate actions!

  4.  

  5. What is it costing to not take action? 
    Will you continue to over-invest in inventory that you won’t use, carry the cost of the stock that you already have that is in excess, experience stock outs and expediting costs, experience extended downtime, do rework because things aren’t done correctly, have inefficient stores or maintenance activities because of parts issues?  The costs are many and varied and again will be specific to the ONE BIG THING that you need to fix.

 
Why not spend a half an hour, right now, thinking through these three questions.
 
 
 

Ready to learn more?Click Here

 
 
 

Continuous Improvement

Make Better Spare Parts Decisions

Decide what to stock, how much to hold, and how to tackle excess inventory using practical tools, templates, and specialist guidance.
Explore the Practitioner Toolkit...

Get Your Team Making Consistent Decisions

Align maintenance, procurement, engineering, and stores around shared spare parts decision principles to improve inventory performance. Explore Foundations for Teams...

Turn Improvement Goals into Results

Reduce excess inventory, improve stocking policies, or standardize practices across sites with a targeted program combining team development, practical tools, and implementation support. Explore Capability Programs...

Latest Blog Posts

  • Why Spare Parts Inventory Optimization Doesn’t Stick
  • AI Spare Parts Technology Won’t Fix Weak Decisions
  • Twenty-Five Years of Better Spare Parts Decisions
  • The Cost of Inconsistent Spare Parts Decisions
  • Spare Parts Capability Cannot Reside in One Person
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2026 IPIAIGHT PTY LTD.