Are you looking for an entry-level position with opportunities for growth in the automotive industry? Advance Auto Parts careers offer a dynamic environment where you can contribute to our success while building your own. As a Store Driver, you will be a crucial link in our operations, ensuring our commercial customers receive the parts they need, when they need them. This role is perfect for individuals who enjoy driving, customer interaction, and being part of a team. Whether you’re seeking a part-time or full-time position, Advance Auto Parts provides a platform to advance your career in the automotive parts sector.
Your Role in Delivering Excellence
As a Store Driver at Advance Auto Parts, your primary responsibility is to ensure the timely and safe delivery of automotive parts to our valued commercial customers. This involves more than just driving; you are an extension of our store, building relationships and ensuring customer satisfaction with every delivery. Your day-to-day activities will be varied and engaging, keeping you active and involved in different aspects of our store operations.
Key Responsibilities:
- Safe and Efficient Delivery: Your main duty is to safely operate company vehicles to deliver parts to commercial customers on established routes or as needed. This requires adherence to all traffic laws and Advance Auto Parts’ safety protocols to ensure both your safety and the integrity of the parts being delivered.
- Order Fulfillment Assistance: You will play a vital role in the order fulfillment process by accurately picking and staging parts according to customer orders. This ensures order accuracy and readiness for efficient delivery.
- Managing Returns and Cores: Efficiently handle pickups of customer returns and core parts, ensuring proper documentation and adherence to company procedures. This process is critical for inventory management and customer account accuracy.
- Sales and Marketing Support: Support our sales efforts by distributing weekly and monthly sales flyers to commercial customers during your delivery routes, keeping them informed of promotions and new products.
- Credit Account Management: You will be responsible for the daily collection of payments from commercial credit accounts, ensuring accurate handling of cash and checks and adherence to company financial procedures.
Contributing to Store Success:
Beyond deliveries, Store Drivers are integral members of the store team and contribute to the overall smooth operation of the store.
Secondary Responsibilities:
- Maintaining Store Appearance: Contribute to maintaining a clean and organized store environment. This includes tasks such as cleaning floors, restrooms, facing shelves, dusting, and ensuring the parking lot is tidy and safe for customers.
- Stocking and Inventory Support: Assist with general stocking duties, including unloading delivery trucks and stocking shelves in both the front store and back stock areas. This helps maintain inventory accuracy and ensures products are readily available for customers.
What Makes a Successful Store Driver?
To excel as a Store Driver at Advance Auto Parts, certain skills and attributes are essential:
Success Factors:
- Driving and Navigation Proficiency: You should possess strong basic driving skills and the ability to navigate efficiently using maps or GPS systems to ensure timely deliveries.
- Delivery Management Systems: Familiarity or the ability to quickly learn and use delivery board systems or similar technology to manage delivery schedules and customer information is important.
- Customer-Focused Communication: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are crucial for building positive relationships with customers and providing friendly and professional service during deliveries.
- Parts Knowledge and Location Skills: The ability to locate and stock parts accurately is beneficial for order fulfillment and store organization, contributing to efficient service.
- Safety Consciousness: A strong understanding of safety procedures and a commitment to safe work practices are paramount in this role, ensuring a safe environment for yourself and others.
- Inventory and Equipment Operation: Basic experience with operating inventory systems (for back stock management) and store equipment (like pallet jacks or hand trucks) will contribute to your effectiveness in the role.
Essential Skills for the Road Ahead:
- Effective Communication and Relationship Building: Communicate clearly and professionally with customers, peers, and management, fostering strong working relationships and providing excellent customer service.
- Reading and Comprehension: Ability to read and understand documents such as safety regulations, operating instructions, parts catalogs, and procedural manuals is necessary for safe and accurate job performance.
- Basic Math Skills: Accurate application of basic math skills, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in various units of measure, is needed for handling orders, payments, and inventory.
- Flexible Availability: Must be available to work a variety of shifts, including days, evenings, and weekends, to meet the needs of the business.
Experience to Pave Your Way:
While not always mandatory, prior experience in the automotive parts industry can significantly enhance your success as a Store Driver.
Prior Experience that Sets a Driver up for Success:
- Automotive Parts Experience is Preferred: Previous experience working with automotive parts, whether in sales, warehousing, or delivery, is highly advantageous and will allow you to quickly grasp the specifics of the role.
Licenses and Certifications:
- Valid Driver’s License and Fleet Safety Certification: Must possess a valid driver’s license and be able to obtain fleet safety certification as a condition of employment, ensuring compliance with driving standards.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:
This role requires physical stamina and the ability to work in various conditions.
Physical Demands:
- The role requires prolonged periods of walking and standing.
- Must be able to communicate effectively verbally (talk and hear).
- Requires manual dexterity to handle parts and operate equipment (use hands and fingers to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms).
- May involve physical activities such as climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling.
- Must be able to frequently lift and/or move items weighing up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move heavier items up to 100 pounds.
- Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment:
- The majority of work is performed indoors; however, occasional outdoor work is required, exposing you to varied weather conditions, such as when installing batteries or wiper blades.
- May occasionally be exposed to environments with moving mechanical parts, heights, hazardous chemicals, electrical hazards, explosives, and vibration.
- The typical noise level in the work environment is moderate.
Join the Advance Auto Parts Family
Advance Auto Parts is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.
If you are a motivated individual with a passion for cars and customer service, and are looking for “advance auto parts careers”, we encourage you to apply for the Store Driver position and drive your career forward with us!
