June, 2009 Archives - Tire Review Magazine
Software Needed for Business Success

Therecan be little question in 2009 that every tire dealer in the countryhas some sort of computer system at the point-of-sale, the back officeor both. It’s almost impossible to run a tire business any other way,which has led tire dealers to making the obvious choice – tiredealer-oriented software. POS software will allow you to knowimmediately

Make the Best Use of Tire Storage Racks

Youmay not know this, but our industry is moving close to reaching the100,000-range of parts and tires being stocked on a regular basis, afact of life that will increase annually. The issue facing every tiredealer is how to store these products for quick access and safety fromdamage. If you’re a tire dealer with the need

Understanding the Features of Today’s Compressors

Justwhen we thought we knew it all, we learn that we really know verylittle about certain pieces of equipment in our shops. Take a minute toreview this glossary of terms as they apply to compressors. Whatabout full load – do you know what this means? In short, this is aboutair compressor operation at full speed

Hand Tools Are Still Irreplaceable

Here’sa handy bit of advice: hand tools in a tire dealership aren’t about todisappear anytime soon. Despite living in a digital age – and despitethe best technological efforts of aftermarket suppliers – there isstill no better way to remove a stuck radiator hose, heater hose or fanbelt than a hose puller. It’s the same with

With Both Feet: Dealers Show Business Success Means Doing Things Differently

Rare is the spring weekend in northeast Ohio with wall-to-wall pleasant temperatures and no rain. So rare that local brides grit their teeth and light votive candles by the score, hoping their dream day doesn’t become a deluge disaster. Indeed, holding a full weekend event in these parts involves more prayer than planning. Little wonder

Down Again: May No Flower as Spring Tire, Service Sales Drop

February and March showed some signs of growth with a slight upturn in tire and service sales. April sales results stayed neutral. But May tire unit and service sales took yet another tumble. Click here for June 2009 Charts Tire Review’s exclusive dealer panel reported tire unit sales leveled off in final April results, down

Bring in New Customers With New Approaches

Although it’s been proven to be far less expensive for a company to keep existing customers than gain new ones, attracting new business remains the toughest, most vital part of staying on top. This holds true particularly for tire dealers in today’s economic climate, where the majority of consumers are limiting tire and vehicle service

Is There Still Room For Small Independents? YES!

By this time, most small independent tire dealers in the U.S. are tired of hearing how bad the economy is. Those who are experiencing a downturn in business are forced to deal with it, and those who are progressing don’t believe it.

On The Job: Demanding Police/Pursuit Segment Requires Dealer Focus

But just as police officers do more than flag down speeders, their high-powered cars “protect and serve” in many other ways. And that means specialized police/pursuit tires. Being a servicing tire supplier to local or state police doesn’t really take special equipment – regular tire changers, balancers and tire tools will do the job just

Continually Adapting: The Search Continues for ‘Perfect’ TPMS Systems, Tools

Even though it has been a few years since tire pressure monitoring systems were first mandated on U.S. cars, the quest for the “perfect” system with the most effective sensors has been an ongoing pursuit. The same is true for the TPMS tool manufacturers and marketers. Progress is being made on both fronts in North

Buildin’ It Up – Part 2: Putting the Finishing Touches on a True Original

Last month, we began to walk through the process of putting a true original back on the street with custom wheels and new tires. To pick up where we left off in May, Larry, the owner of the 1935 Chevy 3-Window coupe, had chosen BFGoodrich KDW II tires with the new tread pattern. The BFG

June 2009 Sales Intelligence

Covering Albuquerque, N.M.; Des Moines, Iowa; Anchorage, Alaska; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Atlanta, Ga.; and Sacremento, Calif., retail tire marketsduring period of May 19-21. For this monthly feature, InteliChek directly contacts a selection ofindependent tire dealers, mass merchants and car dealers to obtaincurrent pricing on replacement tires and vehicle services. InteliChekrequests and verifies retail prices via phone