An inventory management system utilizes unattended facilities remote from
a central warehouse for service parts logistics. Items are placed in
inventory in secure enclosures at the unattended facilities by the
inventory management service or are delivered directly to the unattended
facility. The unattended facilities may be located near one or more
customers to reduce a service technician's travel time and customers'
inventory costs. A service technician utilizes a passcode to retrieve
needed items. The service technician may order items that are not kept in
the inventory of the unattended facility in which case the items may be
delivered to the unattended facility and the service technician may
receive a notification related to all the items that comprise an order
that the order is ready for pick up at an unattended facility. Unused,
used or damaged parts may be returned by a technician to a remote secure
enclosure where such returned parts may be retrieved and disposed of,
repaired or placed back into inventory if not damaged or after repair,
and the processing of such returned parts begins by information entered
into a data entry device at the remote secure enclosure location. Return
items that are not damaged may be included in the inventory of an
unattended facility.