How Scranton Chevrolet Boosts Off-the-Shelf Fill Rate | Chris Ponte of Scranton Chevrolet

In this Executive Spotlight, Kyle Alexander talks with Chris Ponte, parts director at Scranton Chevrolet in Norwich, about how he improved his off-the-shelf fill rate and won the Impact Award at the Reynolds and Reynolds Automotive Amplifiers Contest at last year’s Amplify 2025. Ponte submitted his fill-rate strategy after Reynolds and Reynolds invited dealership employees to share ideas that improved their stores. Judges selected him as one of five finalists, and he presented his case to about 300 people in Dallas before taking home the top honor.

Ponte identified a low off-the-shelf fill rate as a major obstacle to service sales. When he started at Scranton Chevrolet, technicians found the correct part in stock only 30% of the time, forcing customers to schedule return visits and costing the store sales. Ponte tracked lost sales tied to missing parts and adjusted inventory accordingly. Within three months, he raised the fill rate to nearly 62%, and it now hovers around 72%.

Ponte avoided overstocking by selectively logging lost sales, keeping inventory value increases to about 5% while still improving fill rates. He also created flat-rate menu pricing for common service jobs such as brakes and wipers, giving customers upfront costs and building trust.

Ponte urges dealership staff with strong ideas to enter future contests, noting that the process of writing up and explaining a concept often improves it, regardless of outcome. He credited an open, store-wide approach to problem solving, welcoming suggestions from any employee. Ponte will return to the Automotive Amplifiers Contest this year as a judge.

Watch the video above to learn more about this and more!