Offering your customer different levels of tire service—from basic installations to complete recommended packages—will help you quickly identify whether the customer is primarily interested in price or the quality and scope of the service provided.
An effective way to increase your sales is to increase consumer awareness of the sub-services included in the installation packages. Creating a written menu price list with “á la carte” pricing can become the sub-services that are bundled and itemized into basic and recommended packages at discounted prices.
As an example, when asked for the price of a tire, the tire price alone is “cash and carry,” and then the basic and recommended installation choices of “mounted and balanced” discounted package prices can be developed through your sub-menu of services. This gives you the opportunity to build customer appreciation, knowledge and trust in the superior value your shop offers in simple, but defined, packaged pricing. Listing sub-services on the ticket also becomes the shop checklist to consistently complete the repairs. Additional services in the shop such as brakes and wheel alignment can also be added with the same “á la carte” listing and bundling philosophy in mind.
Vehicle inspections and diagnostic time to define needed repairs are also a great marketing tool, but don’t necessarily have to be done for free. A vehicle inspection process or diagnostic fee could be waived if the customer chooses to have a maintenance service performed or the discovered component failure repaired. During the inspection, the findings and “declined” recommended services should be documented and removed from the repair estimate.
The following exhaustive listing of bundled wheel services can be offered in single-price quote packages.
Free with Oil Change
20-Point Vehicle Inspection, Tire Rotation and Road Test, $39 value
This includes: noise, vibration, steering and brake performance tests, brake linings, lighting, suspension and steering components, alignment check, driveline check and a battery load test. It also includes checking windshield wipers, air filters and oil and fluid levels.
Another excellent marketing tool is to offer free customer services to draw and build customer loyalty. This also provides your dealership the opportunity to uncover other necessary repairs.
Tire Service Menu Examples
Free-of-charge services can build customer loyalty and lead to sales increases.
Free Tire Check and Set Air Pressures, Inspect Tires, $15 value
Tires set to vehicle recommended placard pressure. Tires checked for abnormal wear and damage from foreign objects.
Free Flat Repair Service, $30.99 value
Internal tire check for damage inspection, premium safety plug/patch repair and rebalance.
Tire Installation Services
Tire Demounting and Mounting, $19.99
Damage-free rim clamping and tire removal, high-performance tire mounting lubrication, uniformity-enhancing tire inflation, torque all lug nuts to vehicle specification and includes tire disposal fee.
Rim Bead Seat Inspection and Cleaning, $10.99
Cleaning corroded bead seats prevents air loss and improves tire uniformity.
TPMS Reprogramming, $18.99
Wheel position location change.
Valve Stem Replacement or TPMS Service Kit, $4.99-$12.99
Recommended at tire replacement to prevent future air loss.
TPMS Sensor Replacement, $10.99 + parts
TPMS replacement in complete sets is recommended due to similarities in battery life.
Dynamic Wheel Balance, $20.99
Precision-centered, cosmetic-protected wheel clamping, dynamic weight correction.
Hidden Weight Dynamic Wheel Balance, $22.99
Includes essential balancing and hidden adhesive weight placement.
RFV Premium Dynamic Wheel Balance, $25.99
Includes essential balance, tire uniformity diagnostics, tire-rim and vehicle hub match mounting.
Tire Purchase and Installation Quote Examples
Add tire “cash and carry” price to installation packages below.
“Good” Installation Package, $31.99 ($40.98 value)
Tire demounting, disposal fee and pro-mounting, as well as dynamic wheel balance.
“Better” Installation Package, $39.99 ($61.97 value)
Tire demounting, disposal fee and pro-mounting, hidden weight dynamic wheel balance and TPMS position reprogramming.
“Best” Installation Package, $43.99 ($86.95 value)
Tire demounting, disposal fee and pro-mounting, rim bead seat inspection and cleaning, RFV premium dynamic wheel balance, valve stem replacement or TPMS service kit and TPMS position reprogramming.
An extensive list of tire services requires the correct tools, equipment and parts to be available to the technicians, along with the necessary training and team awareness of the process.
Tire Service Tool & Equipment Checklist
- A basic tire changer handles tires down to 60 series aspect ratios and rims up to 17-in. diameter with optional drop-center tools.
- A high-performance tire changer is required to handle run-flat tires and low-profile tires less than 65 series aspect ratio, rims larger than 17-in. diameter and reverse drop-center applications. Mechanical sidewall drop center pressing devices are part of the process and necessary on these tire changers.
- High-quality tire mounting lubrication
- Valve stem removal tool
- Valve stems and TPMS service kits
- Valve core remover and torque tool
- Wheel hub bore, mounting pad, bead seat and vehicle hub cleaning brushes
- Plug-patch repair kits, chemicals and tools
- TPMS reprogramming tool
- Lug nut damage removal sockets
- Lug nut torque application tools
Balancing Tools and Equipment Checklist
- RFV diagnostic balancer (with added uniformity measurement)
- Precision low-taper balancer cones, PCD flange plates and spacers
- Weight selection inventory of adhesive and coated clip-on weights
- Weight hammer and clip removal tool
- Adhesive weight removal scraper
- Adhesive weight surface degreaser solution and cleaner rags
- Truck wheel-to-hub centering tools
The ability to offer the highest level of service with customers accepting what best fits their needs and budget is an education and selling process that must remain consistent at the front counter. Packaged single-priced services are simple to understand for your customer, but the menu pricing of sub-services within packages is more important for your customers to understand as it provides the details that underscore the value of their total service package.
Documentation and communication can set your business apart from competitors and educate customers about what they can expect to receive when they come to your shop.
Documenting details of the repair service on the job ticket also provides a reminder to your technicians about the processes that must be followed in order to provide the most consistent-quality repair. The invoice should reflect the repair details and sometimes even declined service recommendations to solidify the best understanding of the repair provided.
Adopting simple package pricing, sub-menu service detail and outfitting your shop with the correct tools, equipment and team training will deliver greater sales and more customers returning to your dealership. This, in turn, will allow customers to spread goodwill by recommending your shop to friends and be a healthy payback on your investment in the new year.
To read the full January 2021 issue, click here.
