A Winning Workplace
Having difficulty finding talented employees? Take a good hard look at the engagement level of your existing employees first. Spending the last 20+ years in business consulting, the past 10 in my own practice, I have too often heard the plea “we can’t find good people” from business owners and/or management personnel. In fact, if
2015 Top Shop Finalist: Mountain View Tire & Auto Service
Chris Mitsos, vice president of Mountain View Tire & Auto Service, admits that no business is perfect. “We touch almost 17,000 vehicles a month,” he says of the dealership, which saw gross sales of nearly $48 million last year through a mix of 40% tires and 60% vehicle service. “Who’s going to go a perfect
Understanding Toyota’s direct and indirect TPMS
Toyota has installed direct TPMS united in the following Toyota and Scion models: 4 Runner 2004-12 Avalon 2007-13 Camry 2007-15 Corolla 2007-09 FJ Cruiser 2008-15 Highlander 2007-15 Land Cruiser 2005-15 Matrix 2007-13 Prius 2006-15 Rav4 2006-15 Scion tC 2007-15 Sequoia 2004-15 Sienna 2006-15 Solara 2007-09 Tacoma 2005-15 Tundra 2005-15 Venza 2009-15 Yaris 2008-15 The direct
Looking Into Plant Expansion
The hustle and bustle of 23 million people in the streets of Shanghai is echoed in Double Coin Holding’s factories in and north of the city. From one end of the factories to the other – the mixers, calendars and extruders to tire fabrication and curing – the buzz of activity is everywhere. Tire Review
Raising the Bar: Safety Systems for People or Profit?
If you raise the bar should you expect others to follow? Does raising the bar establish only one new level of competence or does it instill consistent focus on continuous improvement? What if you felt that raising the bar would benefit another group, but that group doesn’t seem to notice or care? Where is the
2015 Top Shop Finalist: Courtesy Auto Service & Tire of Tacoma
If you asked Courtesy Auto Service & Tire of Tacoma owner Scott Welsh what he does for a living, he wouldn’t tell you he’s a tire dealer. He would tell you he’s a problem solver. “Everyone from myself down to my newest guy, who is primarily a tire installations/general maintenance technician, we all have the
2015 Top Shop Finalist: Indy Tire Center
Anyone watching Indy Tire Center’s Top Shop Award entry video pitch will quickly gain insight into what makes the chain successful. The embracing lyrics and folksy sound of Phillip Phillips’ ubiquitous hit, “Home,” is the soundtrack to a long string of employee photos, captioned with such bond-forming tidbits as their favorite movies or quotes or
The Payday Polka
Payday. While it is music to an employee’s ears, payday presents logistical and legal challenges for your company. One of the chief challenges is ensuring your employees are paid properly under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Why does FLSA matter to you? Money. Improperly paying employees opens you up to potentially massive liability from a
Aeolus: 50 Years to a Global Brand
Aeolus Tyre Co. welcomed its OEMs, wholesalers and tire dealers from more than 50 countries to the Chinese city of Jiaozuo to be a part of the tiremaker’s 50th anniversary. Aeolus kicked off the September celebration at its 50 Anniversary Conference in the Taiji gymnasium with dancing, music and speeches. During its 50-year celebration, the
Encountering Value
Outside of the medium truck tire realm, the Sumitomo brand and independent tire dealers have not enjoyed a close relationship. Often associated with Sears Auto Centers (not any longer), judging by the results in the most recent Tire Review Tire Brands Study, dealers don’t see a lot in Sumitomo consumer tires; they rated near the
Turning Employees into Salespeople
Looking for new ways to address flat sales and low profitability? Try turning all your employees into salespeople. Regardless of an employee’s position or job description, there’s an opportunity for people at all levels to be salespeople. Here are eight ways to make sales part of every person’s job, adapted from Patricia Sigmon’s new book
Looking Ahead to 2016
This November, I will be taking over as president of the Tire Industry Association (TIA), a role in which I am truly honored to serve. With more than 7,500 members, TIA is the largest it has been in its history. But it’s not all about size; it’s about the strength of the association and how
