From Complexity to Clarity: Breaking Down the Barriers to Aftermarket Transformation

The value of the aftermarket is no longer in question. For many OEMs, it’s now recognized as a critical profit driver and a strategic lever for growth. Yet transformation in this space is too often slowed, stalled, or sidelined entirely. Disconnected systems, outdated processes, and a short-term focus keep OEMs from unlocking the aftermarket’s full potential.

In a recent conversation, Syncron’s Luke Huckerby and Thomas Lindahl shared their perspective on the barriers holding OEMs back and how to move past them.

“The opportunity is huge,” said Luke. “But although many manufacturers recognize the potential for growth in the aftermarket, there remain fundamental operational and data barriers standing in their way.” 

The Reality on the Ground

Many OEMs operate in siloed environments where areas like planning, pricing, and warranty rarely connect.

The result?

Missed opportunities, slow decision-making, and inconsistent customer experiences.

Thomas noted that even strong OEM brands struggle when service promises outpace parts readiness.

“If you’ve promised a fix but the part isn’t there, you’ve broken the trust with your customer. That’s not a process problem in isolation — it’s a symptom of disconnected thinking.”

Four Common Barriers to Aftermarket Transformation

1. Fragmented Technology and Processes

Planning, pricing, warranty, and service often run on separate systems, each with its own data and priorities. This makes it difficult to coordinate decisions or respond quickly to changing conditions.

2. Limited Access to Actionable Insights

While most OEMs have vast amounts of data, much of it remains underused.

“It’s not that the data isn’t there,” Luke explained. “It’s that it’s not being harnessed to make better decisions in the moment.”

3. Change Resistance

Even when the need for transformation is clear, entrenched ways of working can slow progress. Teams are reluctant to move away from processes that feel familiar, even when they no longer serve the business well.

4. Short-Term Focus

Pressure to deliver immediate results often overshadows the need for long-term investment. Without a strategic plan, initiatives remain piecemeal and fail to deliver lasting impact.

Aftermarket Intelligence: The End State

At Syncron, we think about Aftermarket Intelligence as the end state for customers; a connected, intelligent aftermarket ecosystem that turns complexity into competitive advantage.

AI and machine learning can play a pivotal role here, but only when they’re applied to connected, high-quality data. As Luke put it:

“It’s not about whether a solution utilizes AI or ML. It’s about whether it delivers a valuable outcome, unblocking challenges better, faster, and at scale.”

Used well, these tools can uncover hidden patterns in parts demand, enable predictive planning, and support proactive service strategies. But the foundations still matter—the smartest AI won’t deliver results if the data it relies on is locked in silos.

Getting to Aftermarket Intelligence doesn’t have to happen all at once. In fact, the most successful OEMs take a stepwise approach, focusing on targeted, high-impact improvements that build capability and confidence over time. Even small steps toward Aftermarket Intelligence can yield outsized benefits, from improved first-time fix rates to stronger customer loyalty and higher margins.

“When you connect the dots,” Thomas said, “you move from firefighting to forward thinking, and that changes everything.”

Where to Start

Luke and Thomas highlighted three practical first steps OEMs can take right now:

Start with a focused initiative

Pick one high-impact area, such as improving first-time fix rates, to demonstrate quick value and build momentum.

Bring cross-functional teams together early

Ensure planning, pricing, and service leaders are aligned from the outset so changes deliver value across the business.

Use data to challenge assumptions

Let the numbers show where current processes fall short and where investment will make the biggest difference.

The Payoff

Aftermarket transformation isn’t just about operational efficiency — it’s about building the intelligence, agility, and trust that keep customers coming back.

“When you treat the aftermarket as a strategic asset,” Luke concluded, “you don’t just improve operations. You create a growth engine for the whole business.”

The journey to Aftermarket Intelligence starts with tackling the barriers holding you back. Take the first step—and watch the benefits multiply.