How to Develop Loyal Patrons
One of the easiest ways to find out if customers are satisfied is also one of the simplest: Ask them. When customers are on the phone or in your store, ask them if all of their needs have been met. To get a better response, ask open-ended questions like: "How else can we best meet
Direct Importing: Do the Risks Outweigh the Reward?
(Akron/Tire Review) MEMA recently issued a special report dealing with the direct importation of automotive parts – including tires.
Speed Up Payments
Any tire dealer with a"commercial account" of some kind issues invoices at least once amonth. One sure way to improve cash flow is to speed up payment of thoseoutstanding bills. And there are ways to accomplish that without pressingvalued customers. • Make sure all invoices goout when they’re supposed to. An invoice on a sale
Textbook Example: Top Shop Winners AND Entrants Prove Independent Dealers Are Doing Well
The North American independent tire dealer is alive and well, and doing fine, thank you very much. In fact, based on the piles and piles of entries we received for our first Top Shop Awards contest, tire dealers are textbook examples of how small businesses should be run. Successfully, effectively, profitably – and people focused.
Control Costs
You don’t have to wait for acrunch to take tighter control of your cash flow. Here are a few non-intrusiveways to make cost control a year-long exercise: • Discontinue outsourcedservice, such as cleaning, travel agency or bookkeeping, for a couple ofmonths. If you find you can live without it, keep it cut. • Cut supply
Alcoa Sells Stake in Chalco for $2 Billion
(Akron/Tire Review) Aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. sold its nearly 7% stake in Chalco, China’s largest aluminum maker, for $2 billion. Alcoa said it would continue to invest in the aluminum industry in China, where it currently manufactures foil, fasteners, automotive components and other products.
Supreme Court Overturns Minimum Resale Price Rule
(Akron/Tire Review – SEMA eNews) On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled a 100-year-old legal precedent banning agreements between manufacturers and their resellers to set the minimum price charged by resellers to customers.
Autobacs Forms Credit Line for Acquisitions
(Akron/Tire Review) Japanese automotive parts and accessories retailer Autobacs Seven Co. has established a committed line of credit capped at $822.8 million, to finance the acquisition of competitors inside and outside Japan.
Sell the Sizzle: Building a Strong Performance Business Takes More than Prayer
When it comes to building high performance tire and wheel sales, offering the right products and having strong technical skills are only parts of the equation. Perhaps more than any other segment, marketing plays a huge role in building a solid, loyal customer base. In this Performance Training Guide article, we’ll look at success-building techniques
Getting Every Last Drop: Vendors Offer More Than Just Product – But You Have to Take the Time to Benefit
You have five “urgent” phone calls that “must be returned immediately,” an HR crisis that can’t wait, and a customer who demands “you” take care of them. Your insurance carrier thinks you should update your coverage and the bank just called because there is a “problem” with your account. Let’s not forget the fire inspector