A Summer at the Parts Counter

This summer, I had the opportunity to gain job experience as a product support intern with Redline Equipment. My job involved working in the parts department and learning all the procedures related to getting parts to our customers. I was then given a series of projects to complete throughout the remainder of the summer.

I gained this internship through a career fair which was held at Purdue University, where I was able to talk to Lisa Reffett who felt I could be beneficial in the parts department. It was agreed upon that I would work in the parts department and learn how it works at the dealership level. I would then lay out all the important duties of the parts employees in a knowledge binder for use to train and assist future parts employees. I would also look at the feasibility of an Ebay store to move obsolescent precision farming parts from the dealer’s inventory.

While working for Redline Equipment, I learned what it is like to work in an equipment dealership and gain job experience for my resume. What I actually learned was much more than I could have imagined. I have learned the workings of the entire parts department from invoicing customers to looking up parts, ordering parts from suppliers, handling returns and the general skills of managing an efficient parts department. I have had the opportunity to gain wisdom and insight from parts managers who have worked at the dealership level for more than 30 years. 

I feel my work with Redline Equipment has also been beneficial as I was able work with a newly formed company and contribute to the formation of new standards and policies which will be used for years to come. This unique set of circumstances made for a job experience that has taught me far more than I could have ever imagined.

Jon Neff is a Junior at Purdue University studying Agriculture Systems Management