The Impact of the Connected Vehicle
The aftermarket is just beginning to understand the impact that connected vehicles can have on the future of the auto service business. This article describes that impact in terms of the maintenance options available to customers today and how those options will likely evolve in the future. Maintenance Planning & Correction The fact is that
Indian Tire Industry Faces Tough Year
Huge momentum in the Indian automotive industry in recent years has led to a brisk growth for Indian tire production. With a population of more than 1.3 billion people and one of the fastest growing automotive industries, tire production in the country is expected to reach new heights in coming years. The following is an
Chinese Tiremakers Plan Future Growth in U.S.
These days Chinese biking lovers are overwhelmed by a newly launched foldable electric bike called the Uma Mini, produced by Hangzhou-based tech start-up Yunzao Technology. The company has sold more than 2 million Uma Minis since the product was launched on June 24. Similar enthusiasm is also given to the Ninebot electric self-balancing scooter by
Retread Industry Update
The global retread industry is facing difficult and uncertain times. But there are bright spots within the industry and opportunities for growth in many markets. The retread industry has always been about delivering a quality product at an economically advantageous price while also delivering high-impact environmental savings. With increasing supply and over-supply of inexpensive third-
Six Trends Impacting the Trucking Industry
From increasingly stringent fuel efficiency regulations to the regionalization of fleets, a number of trends continue to impact the North American trucking industry. Let’s look at six of the top trends within the segment. 1. Tonnage increases According to the most recent data available from the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the trucking industry hauled 9.96
OTR Market: Highs and Lows
The off-the-road (OTR) tire business is cyclical, highly specialized and greatly impacted by global economic factors. This may not be groundbreaking news, however the extent and speed of change for these cycles has taken on a new level over the past few years. This will present several new industry challenges over the short-term, with much
Ag: A Story of Emotions, Volatility and Risk
Agriculture in 2016 is a story of intuition and data. For centuries, farmers have been successful in part by relying on their good intuition passed from generation to generation. Many farmers know when to plant, which crops will yield the most bushels per acre and the highest profits, and they trust their gut to know
It’s an Industry Issue, Not a Women’s Issue
Labor shortages seem to be the common story of our industry. Although sources differ in their analysis of what the Canadian automotive industry labor gap will actually be in the coming years, our members are alarmed, claiming numerous unfilled jobs and a dwindling pool of available skilled candidates. A 2009 Canadian Automotive Repair and Service
Dealer Training for a New Marketplace
Twenty years ago, a young non-profit professional was tasked with convincing the truck tire and wheel service industry that they needed to train their employees in order to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. It’s just as absurd as it sounds. Employee training has been required by OSHA for almost 40 years
Auto Care Update: Warranties & Telematics
Within the auto care service industry, tire dealers are one of but two segments that show growth in the total number of outlets over the past eight years, up by 0.9% annually since 2007 to an estimated 19,851 locations in 2015. Even more impressive is the fact that the rest of the service sector contracted
U.S. Tire Demand Near All-Time High
Once you eliminate the noise around the politics of a weak economy and look at the facts, it appears the U.S. tire market is ready to break records. The U.S. replacement tire business (which is greater than 80% of industry volume) is facing demand never before seen in the truck and bus radial (TBR) segment.
How Did We Do Today?
It’s widely accepted that gathering customer feedback can help a tire dealership better meet its clients’ expectations. After that, the clear-cut details start to fade. What’s the best way to gather feedback – and exactly what customer satisfaction data should be sought? And once you have the data in hand, how do you translate that
