Craig Gifford, Author at Tire Review Magazine - Page 4 of 6
Sonic Bust

Sonic Bust Can we rebound form a speed-of-sound decline?   It’s fair to say the medium truck tire market is sagging. Stagnant at best. Fleets are filing Chapter 7 and 11 at a record pace. There is a surplus of used trucks just waiting to be bought. Production of new trucks is at a trickle.

Dealer Diary: Getting It Right

Getting It Right For the past two years, Tire Review has brought you Dealer Diary, a monthly series that focuses on typical tire dealers and the ins and outs of their business.Dave Schardt, president of The Wheel Source in Dayton, Ohio, has made custom wheels his primary focus through both a retail store in Dayton

Does Anyone Know?: Has the LT/SUV Market Changed in the Post-Recall World?

Does Anyone Know? Has the LT/SUV Market Changed in the Post-Recall World? Not too long ago, the light truck/SUV market may have changed forever. Aug. 9, 2000, to be exact. It was a Wednesday, not unlike any other Wednesday. Except the firestorm that started that day has had a far-reaching – and still unclear ®“

Dealer Diary: Picking the Keepers

Picking the Keepers For the past two years, Tire Review has brought you Dealer Diary, a monthly series that focuses on typical tire dealers and the ins and outs of their business.This year, we’re excited to be profiling a unique and well-known dealer – and someone whose primary focus is customer service – Barry Steinberg,

Brains Match Muscle: The Intelligent Tire

Brains Match Muscleas Tire Chips Finally Hit the Market The Intelligent Tire. Many see it as a myth, an unworkable idea with no real world merit.  Others see it as the wave of the future, a screaming-to-be-born combination of technologies that will solve so many tire maintenance matters. It’s no secret that tire manufactures have

Dealer Diary: Selling Yourself

Selling Yourself By Craig Gifford For the past two years, Tire Review has brought you Dealer Diary, a monthly series that focuses on typical tire dealers and the ins and outs of their business.Dave Schardt, president of The Wheel Source in Dayton, Ohio, has made custom wheels his primary focus, through both a retail store

Dealer Diary: User-Friendly

User-Friendly For the past two years, Tire Review has brought you Dealer Diary, a monthly series that focuses on typical tire dealers and the ins and outs of their business.This year, we’re excited to be profiling a unique and well-known dealer – and someone whose primary focus is customer service – Barry Steinberg, owner of

Profits 101: A Little Education Can Increase Your Bottom Line

Profits 101 A little education can increase your bottom line. Attention, class. It’s a phrase that many throughout the tire industry have heard numerous times. It’s a phrase that many more still need to hear. Finding properly trained help is something everyone in the industry wants. Poor performers are financial drains on any business. But

No Typical Dealer: College Plan Leads Dayton’s Schardt to Success

No Typical Dealer Diary ProfileDave Schardt, OwnerThe Wheel SourceLocation: Dayton, OhioYears in Operations: 10No. of Bays: 3No. of Techs: 2 mechanics and 2-4 tire changersTire Brands Carried: Yokohama, Toyo, VogueAverage Jobs/Week: 40-50 wheel/tire jobs,10-20 service jobsRetail/Wholesale: 40-50%Other: Non-Tire Services: Springs, shocks, brakes, performance exhaust, superchargers, bolt-on horsepower items, NOS installation and refills, alignments, oil changes,

Wheel Well: What the Future Holds For Custom Wheel (and the Dealers Who Sell Them)

Wheel Well What the Future Holds For Custom Wheel (and the Dealers Who Sell Them) The wheel. A long ago invention that somehow managed to change the world. A round object that’s so imbedded into our culture we have no idea how civilizations survived without it. But it’s no longer just a commodity that we

Capital Idea: Pieces of Equipment are a Big Piece of the Puzzle

Capital Idea Pieces of Equipment are a Big Piece of the Puzzle To the layman, the only two things needed to open a tire dealership are tires and customers. Too bad that’s not even the majority of the equation. A lot more goes into being successful. Things like quality service, quality technicians, advertising. And let’s

Moving Day

This is the 11th – and final – installment of Tire Review’s Dealer Diary, a year-long series showcasing a typical tire dealer, his business, how he runs it, the many issues he deals with, and his thoughts on the industry in general. This year, our Dealer Diary series, written by Managing Editor Craig Gifford, featured