Power Steering: Understanding the Dynamics and Diagnostics
Twenty-five years ago, when the power steering failed, diagnosing the system was easy. The most difficult problem to diagnose was the “morning sickness” that plagued some vehicles when they were cold. Today, the introduction of speed sensitive steering, electric power steering and computer controls have made power steering diagnostics more demanding. There are two types
Eco-Friendly Tires
There aren’t many products with a worse environmental image than tires. Too many people have seen huge piles of scrap tires, or worse still, burning tires that defy attempts to extinguish them. It’s a problem that’s hard to ignore, and, not surprisingly, tire manufacturers today seem to be very sensitive to the issue. Tiremakers stress their commitment
Ag Tire Dealers Face a Myriad of Challenges
For most companies, the single largest expense is employee benefits. Often, companies will consider that to include wages, bonuses, commissions, healthcare, and 401(k) programs. But what about the costs of keeping your largest investment safe and properly trained – not to mention, the costs of attracting and retaining the best possible talent? A long-emerging and
The Quiet Giant
In 2015, the giant OTR tire segment experienced low demand in north America and globally. Several tire manufacturers reported a flat 2015 and expect the market to remain much the same in the coming year. “The North American mining tire market has been impacted by the ongoing slowdown in global mining operations. Production has been
The Great Property Debate: Buying vs. Leasing
When Scott Rhodes’ father opened the family’s first tire store in 1963, he bought the real estate. Little did he know that the single purchase would eventually grow into a 59-location chain – 55 properties of which the family would also own rather than lease. With facility sizes between 4,000 and 10,000 square feet, that’s
Proud to Be a Tire Dealer: John Zisser
When protests turned to riots in Ferguson, Mo., in August 2014, John Zisser sat in his living room, local news on the television, and watched in dismay as looters shattered the windows of his tire dealership and carried out much of the inventory. “There wasn’t a darn thing I could do,” recalls Zisser, who founded
Google: Changing the Rules
In a world where more than 80% of prospective consumers will see your ad but still look you up online before calling or visiting your dealership, an ad placement in a local Google search is critical. A local search is triggered when someone types in “tires” and the name of the city in which you
Performing Background Checks
While conducting reference checks on potential employees is a sensible way of managing your business risk, employers must carefully follow legal limits on the type and extent of background checks they can conduct. First, when making inquiries into an applicant’s past, ask for the consent of the applicant and get approval in writing. Inform the
Managing Cash Flow
Are you paper rich but cash poor? A business can be profitable on paper, but bankrupt in real life – if you don’t manage cash flow effectively. Without cash, a tire dealership will inevitably shut down, regardless of how profitable it looks on paper. You can be “rich” in accounts receivable and inventory but cash
K&M Tire Dealer Conference: More and More
After years of watching its annual dealer conference progressively grow larger and larger, the under-theme of K & M Tire’s 2016 gathering had to be “more and more.” More products, more programs and more opportunities were the talk of the two-day program at the Overland Park Convention Center, in suburban Kansas City. And K&M Tire
Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 3+
Why does Michelin race? Groupe Michelin sees the racetrack, and races such as Le Mans, as an opportunity to innovate. “We see the track as a laboratory. Conditions are exacting and sometimes excruciating and feedback is immediate. At the track we test, race, learn and then repeat the process. Because the research and development cycle
Crafting Tire Registration: Bring Your Ideas to the Table
Now that the president has signed the massive five-year, $325 million surface transportation reauthorization bill, work can begin on fixing more of our badly broken roads and bridges. And tire registration system. Everything needs a starting point, and I suggest this process would best be served if all of the parties – in particular the