Craig Gifford, Author at Tire Review Magazine - Page 5 of 6
The Road Less Traveled: The winter tire

It’s clearly not a tire for every dealer. And it’s obviously not a tire you’re going to keep in stock most of the year.It’s a specialty tire, a true niche product. A hybrid created to deliver safe, reliable traction on snow, ice, slush and sleet, and handle extreme cold weather without a whimper – all

The Best of Both Worlds

The Best of Both Worlds ‘The majority of people come in for both Tires and Service’ This is the 10th 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’s

Get Some Wheel Salvation

Profit Handbook Get Some Wheel Salvation Picture this scenario: Sometime during the process of dismounting, servicing and mounting a tire, the customer’s expensive custom wheel gets seriously damaged. Or this scenario: The wheel comes in damaged, unbeknownst to the customer. Every tire dealer has lived at least one of these situations in the past. And

Takin’ Care of Business

Profit Handbook Takin’ Care of Business There is an over-used, oft picked-on phrase that goes something like "TCB." Better known as "Takin’ Care of Business." It’s a business model for some, a laugh for others. While the phrase is trite, it is still accurate in describing tire dealers that handle commercial accounts – especially time-sensitive

Baja Racing: Not For the Faint of Heart

I had only one thought while standing in the middle of the Mexican desert.How on earth did I get here?

Taking the Long View: Today’s Dealers See the Long Term Benefits of Private Brands

nal exposure that would make them more well-known among consumers. And today, they enjoy much the same level of technology as the majors, but dealers often face an uphill battle convincing consumers of their quality and performance. Most importantly for dealers, however, is that unlike the major brands, private brand lines deliver the territory exclusivity

Selling in the Private Market

Selling in the Private Market “We’ve been in business 21 years and never carried name brand tires.” This is the eighth 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

Best Practices: Basics of Fleet Tire Maintenance Will Keep Customers Truckin’

Best Practices Basics of Fleet Tire Maintenance Will Keep Customers Truckin’ Even in these booming economic times, when the trucking industry appears to be spending more money on new equipment and tires, truck fleets are still looking to squeeze every penny out of their tire investments. A good truck fleet will buy the best tires

What’s the Real Value?: Methods Vary, But Calculating the Cost/Value of Truck Tires is Key

What’s the Real Value? Methods Vary, But Calculating the Cost/Value of Truck Tires is Key Finding ways to save money is important to any business. No owner wants to see more money going out the door than is coming in. Commercial fleets are no different. The costs of equipment, salaries and repairs can be high,

Dealer Diary:Capital-izing on Service

Capital-izing on Service Dealer Name: Sparks Commercial TireLocation: Findlay, OHYears in Operation: 13Number of Employees: 20Repair Specialty: Brakes and springsAverage Number of Repair Orders per week: 105Tire/Service Sales mix: 80 percent tires This is the seventh installment of Tire Review’s Dealer Diary, a year-long series showcasing a typical tire dealer, his business, how he runs

Dealer Diary: Employees Benefit

Employees Benefit ‘The employees absolutely get along with each other. They’re friends.’This is the fifth 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

Wet ‘N’ Wild

Wet ‘N’ Wild When it comes to wet weather tires, the story is simple. One tire manufacturer created what was termed as the first dedicated rain tire line, and other tire makers followed suit. But, the evolution of the rain tire hasn’t stopped there. The ability to evacuate water quickly has always been an expressed