Fitment Blues: Seven Real-Life Cases Show You How to Handle ‘Common’ Tire/Wheel Problems
You must have at least one employee with some basic knowledge of custom wheels and non-OE high performance tires, even if you don’t sell them. Why would you want to know about something that you don’t sell? First, if you’re not selling custom wheels, you’re missing a huge profit opportunity. Even then, you will certainly
Globalization: Can We Survive the Onslaught?
(Douglasdale, South Africa/S.A. Treads) Never before has the trend of Globalization been more acutely felt. In the context of the tyre industry, Globalization began almost a century ago, when manufacturing giants such as the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. began establishing operations outside of its home base, the U.S.
Exit Strategy: Recruiting the Right People Helps Your Business Run on its Own
I meet a lot of tire dealers who want more time for family, friends, hobbies, etc. Even though thousands of U.S. business owners have already discovered how to be absent and still make money, most can’t pull it off. It requires finding good, honest employees, keeping them happy and training them to be as good
CTNA Plans Capital for Mt. Vernon, Wants Wage Cuts
(Akron/Tire Review) Just days after announcing significant cutbacks at its Charlotte, N.C., tire plant, Continental Tire North America (CTNA) said it planned a $60 million to $70 million capital improvement effort at its Mt. Vernon, Ill., passenger and truck tire facility.
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
Surviving the Big, Bad B: Confronting Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy looms in your future. If not for you, personally, then for one of your customers, employees or vendors. Chances are good at least one of you will end up in bankruptcy court. Nobody wants to think about bankruptcy. That’s understandable. However, now is the time to give it some serious attention. In April, the
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
Critical Mass: Under Cost and Capacity Pressures, BFNAT Outlines Its Plan
Under Cost and Capacity Pressures, BFNAT Outlines Its Plan
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