Customer Refunds: Are You Doing Them Right?
Refunds. You probably wince at the word. Some – like customer refunds for returns – are fairly uncomplicated, thanks to QuickBooks’ tools and those on POS systems. Others, not so much. You may find yourself unable to balance your accounts receivable. There are numerous scenarios that necessitate the use of credit memos, including overpayment, order
2010 Dealer Sales Volume: Consumer Tires
Between 2009 and 2010, half of dealers polled reported their consumer tire dollar sales increased, up 9% on average. More dealers reported a decrease in tire dollar sales (29% said sales dropped between 2008-09, while 38.5% reported a drop from 2009-10). For the 2009-10 period, the average decrease was 10%. Data from Tire Review 2011
The Final Countdown Counts On You!
This is it…the final countdown until the end of the year. While it’s easy to fall into vacation mode and coast through the holidays, you would be ill-advised to do so. Like a boxer that lets his guard down in a match, you could very well get knocked out! This time of year finds many
Product Spotlight: Oils and Lubricants
If auto service is a big part of your tire dealership’s business, it is important to stay current with the latest product offerings in oils and lubricants. The use of synthetic base motor oils has become more common, and offering premium lubricants can be one way to differentiate your oil changes from the competition’s. Often,
December 2011 Sales Intelligence
Covering Boston, Mass.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Des Moines, Iowa; Indianapolis, Ind; Miami, Fla.; and Seattle, Wash., retail tire markets during the period of Nov. 18 to Dec. 1.Tire Review and InteliChek present up-to-date tire and service price information from U.S. metropolitan areas. For this monthly feature, InteliChek directly contacts a selection of independent tire dealers,
Your Business’ Spokesperson: Putting Your Face and Voice to Your Brand
Anyone who has been around our industry more than just a few years has seen how dramatically customer interaction has changed. Tire specifications, features, ratings, prices – they’re available at everyone’s fingertips. People can literally buy tires and have them installed without leaving their house. A few years ago I saw a customer use his
U.S. Distribution Channel Shares: P-Metric Tires
In 2010, 201.3 million P-metric tires were shipped, up from 2009’s 189.52 million units. Though the actual number distributed to independent tire dealers increased (130.85 million units in 2010 vs. 2009’s 126.98 million), the percentage of the distribution channel comprised of tire dealers dropped, from 67% to 65%. Tire company-owned locations saw a share increase,
Lay Claim to Your Google+ Page
Falken Tire came out of the gate quickly on Google+, announcing the creation of its page not long after Google released this new social media platform for brands and organizations to connect with consumers. I recommend that you follow suit, but proceed with care. After setting up JTMarCom’s business pages, here is what I found
The Three Most Common Budgeting Errors
When it comes to creating a budget, it’s essential to estimate your spending as realistically as possible. Here are three budget-related errors commonly made by small businesses, and some tips for avoiding them. Not Setting Goals. It’s almost impossible to set spending priorities without clear goals for the coming year. It’s important to identify, in
Product Spotlight: Batteries
Selecting and stocking aftermarket automotive batteries doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does require some knowledge of the range of products available and the applications for which they’ll be used. In NAPA BatteriesNAPA points out that its automotive batteries are made with advanced computerized equipment and undergo stringent testing and quality control checks to
November 2011 Sales Intelligence
Covering Helena, Mont.; Lexington, Ky.; Macon, Ga.; Madison, Wis.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Trenton, N.J., retail tire markets during the period of Oct. 28 through Nov. 2. Tire Review and InteliChek present up-to-date tire and service price information from U.S. metropolitan areas. For this monthly feature, InteliChek directly contacts a selection of independent tire dealers,
Get a Solid Education in Customer Service from Amazon.com
I love Amazon! Over the past five years or so, I have purchased countless items from Amazon: books, DVDs, office supplies, electronics, coffee, assorted gifts and a lot more. In fact, rarely does a week go by without at least one Amazon package arriving from UPS.