The Art of Purchasing: Knowing What to Stock
To stock, or not to stock? In the case of independent tire dealers, that often is the question. With a host of factors to consider – finances, storage space, SKU proliferation, instantaneous customer service and more – inventory strategy is not something to be taken lightly. When it comes to finding the right balance between
Winter Driving Experience
The squeal of tires braking on ice reverberated throughout the University of Notre Dame’s Compton Family Ice Arena as trade media test drove vehicles fitted with Bridgestone’s Blizzak DM-V2 and Blizzak WS80 winter tires. In preparation for winter, Bridgestone Americas and Tire Rack teamed up to present the Winter Driving Experience in South Bend, Ind.,
Size Matters
Being a small tire dealership can provide your shop a competitive advantage over big box and large retail stores. The secret for an independent tire dealer to capitalize on this advantage is to celebrate your size, not hide it. Corporate giants just can’t achieve the level of personal relationships that small businesses can, and it’s
Software Solutions
Benjamin Franklin once advised tradesmen that “time is money.” While much has changed over the past two and a half centuries, this idea still holds true for small businesses. Most tire dealers are efficient with their time, but there is always room for improvement. If a tire dealership uses an antiquated computer program, or even
Meet the 2015 Tire Review Platinum Performers
It is always exciting and instructive to be in a tire dealership and watch it in action. The conversations, the customers, the equipment, the movement and process…small businesses are themselves an organism that lives and grows because of those actions and flourishes on the results. Rarely do we consider a tire dealership as a set
The Art of Purchasing: Buying vs. Leasing Equipment
Equipment costs are unavoidable. Whether it’s the front of a shop, back office or in the bay, tire dealers need a variety of tools to keep their dealership running. The debate for many tire dealers is if they should buy or lease this equipment. So when it comes time to make equipment acquisition decisions it’s important
The Art of Purchasing: Quick Inspections
When it comes to maximizing efficiency and gaining customer trust, quick inspection systems can bring both benefits to your tire dealership. While they come in several forms depending on the manufacturer – with the ability to instantly check tire tread, vehicle alignment and more – these relatively new shop tools offer common benefits: a way
UTQG Ratings Unfurled
Today’s tires have so much information imprinted on their sidewalls (and labels) that reading all of it is like sitting down with a book. Part of the verbiage is the Uniform Tire Quality Grade (UTQG) ratings for treadwear, traction and temperature. But what exactly do those numbers and letters mean, where do they come from,
Giant Speed Check
Everyone selling OTR tires has at some point encountered tires that have been subjected to excessive speed, overloads and heat. Of course the customer generally will not admit that any of this happened to the tire and they expect either the dealer or manufacturer to step up and handle any shortfall performance of the tire. This
2015 Top Shop Winner: Atlantic Tire & Service
Very little and yet so much has changed over the seven years since we profiled Atlantic Tire & Service when the Cary, N.C., dealership took top honors in the 2008 Tire Review Top Shop Awards, presented by Ammco/Coats. It’s still all about great people delivering great customer service. It’s still about a team built
5 Ways to Stay Out of the Courtroom
When it comes to business, there are so many things that owners need to do, the last thing they need is a lawsuit related to employment matters that can be easily avoided. Here are five tips to avoid employment lawsuits: 1. Document, Document, Document. The golden rule of human resources starts with documenting policies and
Into the Woods
Like many other specialty tire segments, demand in the forestry tire market is cyclical. With the demand for logging often echoing the economy, tire demand fluctuates as machines either sit or run. Currently the forestry industry is on a slight uptick, which is good for tire dealers who service this niche segment. “With some very