{"id":40785,"date":"2026-04-09T12:49:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:49:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.method.me\/?page_id=40785"},"modified":"2026-04-09T15:23:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T19:23:41","slug":"go-powertrain","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.method.me\/customer-success\/go-powertrain\/","title":{"rendered":"Go Powertrain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How Go Powertrain connected sales, inventory, and operations without an ERP<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

To connect siloed systems and reduce manual workflows, Go Powertrain used Method CRM to create a fully connected, customized operation that integrates sales, inventory, and customer management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Try Method CRM and sign up for a free trial with Method<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Want to see it in action first? Take me there \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Go-Powertrain-Customer-Story-Method-CRM\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Reduced estimate-to-invoice process to 6 steps from 60<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By creating a more efficient estimate \u2192 sales order \u2192 invoice process, Go Powertrain cut complexity, saving time and minimizing mistakes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2x\u2019d inventory fill rate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By building a custom inventory system, Go Powertrain doubled its in-stock fill rate and improved inventory turnover.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Improved post-sale customer service<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By creating detailed warranty records, Go Powertrain enhanced post-sale service for complex automotive components.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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For many months, Aaron Barnhart, CEO of Go Powertrain, was on the hunt for an ERP. Instead, he discovered Method CRM and realized it offered all the functionality he was looking for in an ERP but never found.  <\/em>
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<\/em>Method replaced the company\u2019s need for an ERP entirely and allowed Aaron to build custom workflows and a tailor-made inventory module, resulting in a completely integrated system adopted across departments. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go Powertrain: The history <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When Aaron Barnhart founded Go Powertrain in 2014, he was his first and only employee. Today, the company has grown to 40 employees and serves independent repair facilities, fleets, third-party administrators, and municipalities across the U.S. and internationally. Go Powertrain sells major automotive components, including engines, transmissions, differentials, and transfer cases, along with warranty support for these products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As CEO, Aaron focuses on discovering new ways to create efficiencies across departments while driving sales growth. Before adopting Method, that growth presented a problem: the systems that once supported the business became the same ones slowing it down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"aaron-barnhart-quote-go-powertrain-method-crm\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The challenge: Siloed systems, spreadsheets and manual work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before Method, Go Powertrain relied on tools like Google Sheets and other standalone software services that didn\u2019t communicate well with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur biggest pain point before we came on board with Method was finding a way to blend all of our departments together,\u201d Aaron said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team initially searched for an ERP system but hit a roadblock and paused their efforts. They adopted Method as a CRM that syncs directly with QuickBooks, but quickly realized its flexibility could support much more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe started with Method as a CRM, but once we realized the opportunity in front of us with being able to develop it into essentially our ERP system, we were able to go full speed ahead on that,\u201d Aaron explained. \u201cIt\u2019s been a great success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customizing Method to provide the functionality of an ERP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Out of the box, Method provided estimate, sales order, and invoice functionality for Go Powertrain. From there, the company built out a series of highly customized modules to fit their unique workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I\u2019m almost positive there\u2019s no other ERP system out there where we\u2019d have the adaptability we do with Method,\u201d\u00a0 Aaron added.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, nearly every department uses Method, including sales, cores, warranty, shipping and receiving, and accounting. The company is close to 100% adoption across the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"business-outcomes-go-powertrain-method-crm\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What was built with Method<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Efficient estimate \u2192 sales order \u2192 invoice process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before Method, the process of converting an estimate to a sales order to an invoice required around 60 steps. Data was duplicated repeatedly, leaving room for human error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After mapping and rebuilding the workflow in Method, the team was able to reduce that process to just six.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This resulted in more efficient sales operations and reduced manual work, improvements that have since been replicated in other departments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bolstered customer service due to detailed warranty records<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Go Powertrain also customized Method\u2019s Cases module to handle all warranty workflows. The team can now manage claims, track details, and maintain organized records they can easily reference later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s done an amazing job of being able to keep those records so that we can refer back to them,\u201d Aaron said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s really upped our customer service when it comes to the backend of our business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the labor hours tied to the large automotive components they sell, providing strong post-sale warranty customer service is a critical part of the business, Aaron added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"custom-inventory-tracking-go-powertrain-method-crm\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Revolutionary\u2019 custom inventory system<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rather than purchasing a separate inventory management system, Go Powertrain built their own from scratch within Method.

As a result of this system Go Powertrain was able to increase its in-stock fill rate from roughly 20% to 40%, creating a healthier inventory and turning products more frequently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would say Method has been really revolutionary when it comes to how we handle the inventory side,\u201d Aaron said. \u201cWe had scoped out multiple inventory-specific programs and actually building one from scratch was the best thing that we could have done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go Powertrain\u2019s inventory module:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Tracks inventory levels and demand data
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  • Supports multiple warehouse locations
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  • Manages the full lifecycle from check-in to shipping and logistics
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  • Ties directly into invoicing
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  • Syncs with e-commerce platforms, ensuring changes made in one system are reflected in the other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    By connecting inventory data directly to sales orders, the sales team can see real-time stock availability and location information on the same screen. Automation also helps them quickly fill products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Holistic customer view <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Go Powertrain also enhanced Method\u2019s native Contacts module to create a more robust customer profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    They track average order size, total order volume over the last 365 days, account health profitability, and accounts receivable status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Every custom module built in Method ties back to Contacts. With a single click, the team can see everything about a customer in seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"customer-profile-go-powertrain-method-crm\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The results: Faster processes, higher fill rates, and stronger customer relationships<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Go Powertrain began seeing immediate changes after adopting Method, and as they became more familiar with the platform\u2019s customization capabilities, the impact grew significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Key results:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • Boost in customer service quality<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Estimate-to-invoice process reduced to six steps from 60<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Inventory fill rate increased by 100%<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • End-to-end inventory visibility  <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Ability to reallocate labor from admin work to customer relationships<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • A robust view of each customer <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cFrom an efficiency standpoint across all of our departments, it has saved us a tremendous amount of money,\u201d Aaron concluded. \u201cThere’s a lot of manual tasks that we’ve been able to automate that have saved a complete position that we would have had to hire for.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      About<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Founded in 2014, Go Powertrain is a leading provider of major automotive components, including engines, transmissions, differentials, and transfer cases, along with warranty support for these products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Hinton, VA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Industry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Warehousing & Distribution<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      Favorite Method builds & features<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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      • Transformed estimate-to-invoice workflow<\/strong>
        Reduced a 60-step process to just six, eliminating duplicate data entry and saving hours of work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Custom inventory management system<\/strong>
        Built a tailored inventory system from scratch, increasing in-stock fill rates from 20% to 40% while supporting multiple warehouses and improving stock visibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Integrated e-commerce sync<\/strong>
        Changes in inventory and orders automatically update across all connected platforms, keeping stock and order information accurate and current.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Robust warranty management<\/strong>
        Custom Cases module tracks claims, records, and post-sale service details, improving customer support and reliability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Holistic customer profiles<\/strong>
        Customized Contacts module captures order history, account health, and profitability, giving the team enhanced visibility into each customer. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Automated workflow across departments<\/strong>
        Sales, cores, warranty, shipping, and accounting all work in one connected system, reducing manual tasks and improving operational efficiency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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        Watch demo of Method CRM<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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        See what users have to say about Method:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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         <\/div>\n

        Read more Method CRM reviews <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n