The Tire Review Crew recently visited the annual K&M Tire Dealer Conference, this year in Kansas City, and while we were there, it was our goal to get a pulse on the industry by tracking down tire dealers and asking them our most burning questions.
This week, that question is: What is your technician training focus in 2022?
Between the “Great Resignation” and labor shortages plaguing the industry, technician training might be more important than ever for tire dealers. These dealers let us know what they’re concentrating on this year to improve the skills of their staff.
As part of our ongoing “What’s the Deal?” series, Tire Review will be asking tire dealers their thoughts on a variety of topics. Do you have a topic you’d like addressed? Let us know! Contact us by emailing TR Senior Editor David Sickels at [email protected].
Here’s a transcript of the episode:
Alex Skander, Skander Tire Service
David Sickels: Alex, thanks for talking to us. Where are you from?
Alex Skander: I’m from Evans City, Pennsylvania, a little bit north of Pittsburgh. It’s called Skander Tire Service, the location that my grandfather started in 1969.
David Sickels: So third-generation dealer here. What are you focusing on when it comes to technician training? What do you want your technicians to really have down right now?
Alex Skander: Really, basically all the thorough things that we do that differentiate us from but more of the big box stores, the things that make us an independent tire dealership. So not just getting the right torque, making sure you can read the load indices and speed ratings, but also customer service skills. Being able to go back into the waiting room and talk to the customer about what’s wrong with your tire, and why you should get this tire for your vehicle, rather than just knowing how to change tires, which is simple enough. I feel I can teach that to almost anybody. But it’s those more fine-tuned customer service things that require a little bit more help.
Luiz Gomez, Triple L Tire
David Sickels: Luis, thanks a lot for talking to me. Where are you from?
Luis Guzman: Mexia, Texas.
David Sickels: And what’s your shop name?
Luis Guzman: Triple “L” Tire.
David Sickels: So technician training, what are you focusing on this year?
Luis Guzman: Well, this year, I’m focusing on how to use a touch screen. We have all the Hunter equipment, up-to-date Hunter equipment. So now, you pretty much walk away, it does the tires, all that stuff. So we’re trying to train them all on that.
