Why Service Still Wins in the Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket

It doesn’t matter if the part is in stock if no one knows how to recommend it. That’s why the aftermarket’s biggest competitive advantage in commercial vehicle segments is who’s standing at the counter.  

“When you talk to a true heavy-duty technician, a counter person, or the heavy-duty customer, they want a person that is trained and experienced in heavy-duty,” says Roy Kent, executive vice president, business strategy/member support, Federated Auto Parts. 

Experience Still Drives Commercial Vehicle Service

The commercial customer still depends heavily on human interaction. Whether it’s a call to identify a part or a counterperson who remembers a fleet’s specs, it’s the personal connection that builds loyalty—and keeps the trucks moving.  

“I really feel that in heavy-duty, it’s more of a partnership approach to selling. It’s a long-term relationship. It’s not about the short-term deal. It is about how do I make sure that you’re going to be here for me, the fleet, when we sell a larger fleet?” says Steve Tucker, president of Automotive Parts Associates (APA). “They’re very much more concerned about hours of operation and getting the parts there.” 

“Commercial aftermarket success is tied to providing great service that goes the extra mile for the customer, because customers do reward you for that,” agrees John Lee, senior category director for HD, NAPA. “It also helps differentiate you as a service provider, as a parts provider.” 

Heavy-duty parts and component knowledge. That is a focus you’ll hear when talking about serving the heavy-duty aftermarket.  

“When it comes to the independent heavy-duty distributor—they grew up in the business,” says Jim Pennig, vice president of business development for VIPAR Heavy Duty. “They’re second- or third-generation. Their employee base is somewhat self-made. They’ll bring in the warehouse worker or the parts delivery person and groom them to take the next step in the business. And, they can continue to use their knowledge and arguably outperform those that are VIN-driven in numerous cases.”  

Heavy-Duty Parts Training: Selling Smarter

“In heavy-duty, tribal knowledge is non-negotiable,” says Bryan Miller, vice president of product category management at Arnold Motor Supply. “You’re not looking up a part by VIN and getting an instant answer. You need to understand how the equipment operates, how parts wear and what the real-world application looks like.  

“One thing we’ve prioritized is heavy-duty-specific training,” Miller adds. “We’ve worked with suppliers, hosted in-store sessions, and leaned into peer mentoring. It’s not just about selling more—it’s about selling smarter. We want every counterperson to feel confident in their knowledge, whether they’re helping a school district, a municipality or a fleet repair shop. That confidence builds loyalty.” 

Training is crucial in building heavy-duty tribal knowledge. Both formal and informal channels—online modules, manufacturer field training, even peer mentoring—are helping distributors close the knowledge gap and increase service confidence.

Federated’s Kent points to the work by the Auto Care Association relating to the heavy-duty segment. Through ACES and PIES data standards, the heavy-duty aftermarket is moving closer to the reality of a “year, make, model engine” lookup where the industry has been VIN- and VIO-reliant.  

NAPA’s Lee highlights manufacturer and supplier training resources as knowledge-rich outlets to grow heavy-duty knowledge.  

“The other piece is partnering with our suppliers to get people out into the field to go to work belly-to-belly with the folks at that store or that store group,” Lee explains. “Usually, the heavy-duty independent distributor driving volume isn’t doing it out of one store. They’re generally group owners or operate multiple stores. They’re happy to leverage their people power to get into those places and provide in-person or onsite training.”