Strange But True Tire Tales
Too often, we’re consumed by the Ordinary. We get into our daily routines and never waver. No matter how much you love what you do every day, it’s still refreshing to take a break once in a while from the Everyday. To help you do that, we’ve tracked down some of the most unusual tire
Waste Not, Worry Not: Fleets That Partner Up with Tire Dealers Can Take the Worry Factor Out of Tires
“He saves us tens of thousands in potential workers’ compensation claims. His labor costs are $18 an hour, while mine are $22. My overall insurance costs are lower, and I’m saving 10% per tire in labor alone.” That’s Scott Francis, fleet maintenance manager for Whiteline Xpress Ltd. in Champaign, Ill. He’s in charge of watching
Looming Mandate: Without Help, Dealers Face Dark Future. How Will You Cope?
To many in the tire industry, TPMS is a four-letter acronym that is quickly becoming a four-letter word. That goes for retail dealers and, soon, consumers alike. But these people are only considering the hassles involved with servicing tire/wheel assemblies featuring these gizmos. Look a little deeper, and you’ll see the potential for independent tire
Clean Living: A Safe, Tidy Tire Operation Will Scrub Your Image Inside and Out
In recent years, I’ve visited a number of trucking companies and had the opportunity to study their tire operations in some detail. Several I’ve seen lately made quite an impression, in that they were very atypical compared to what I have been used to seeing over the years. Specifically, they were organized, uncluttered and very
Revealing Your Potential: The Complete Business Makeover
When was the last time you looked at your tire dealership – not as a business manager but as an objective observer? If it’s been a while, take a step back and really study your business. What do you see? Sagging sales? Unbalanced balance sheets? Peeling paint? If you’re suffering from any of those, it
10 Easy Ways to Boost Sales
Here’s something you may not know: American consumers spent $46.2 billion on tires and other auto accessories in 2002, the last year in which the U.S. Bureau of Economics has accurate numbers. That figure may sound impressive, but the Bureau also reported that Americans spent even more than that on shoes. The point: Don’t take
10 Sales Smashers: Avoid These Common Missteps to Ensure Solid Sales Growth and Content Customers
Retail business can be brutal. A tire dealer can spend countless hours contemplating broad business strategy, making sure each facet of the business is in line with overall profitability goals. But you don’t sell to a plan. You have to deal with real customers who, by their nature, are fickle, demanding and unforgiving. No matter
Maxed Out?: Size Race Slows, But Fashion vs. Function Questions Remain for Dealers
For a few years, the tire and wheel industries resembled the Cold War nuclear arms race – every year, someone rolled out a bigger weapon. It started with eye-popping, wheel-well-stretching 20-inch wheels and tires and progressed to the 2004 SEMA Show, where gigantic 28-inchers were every where. A sort of dÉtente has settled in, if
Plus Sizing Profits: Managing Your Business and Maximizing Profits is a Numbers Game
Years ago, one of my journalism mentors gave me some advice. “You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” he told me. “That’s a catchy sentence that might work in an article someday,” I thought to myself. I didn’t realize at the time how valuable his advice would become. The concept would ultimately prove useful in
The Ties That Bind: How Do Successful Tire Dealers Cope When Home and Work Collide?
What if your boss is Mom or Dad? What if your closest, most trusted business partner is your brother or sister? Do you need a psychiatrist’s couch or a punching bag? Or maybe – just maybe – you don’t have a problem working with and living with relatives 24/7/365. In fact, what if just the