Introduced in March at the Mid-America Trucking Show, Yokohama Tire Corp.’s SmartSolution Certified Dealer Program has already added several hundred qualified members. 
And by the end of the year, YTC expects to have “more than a thousand individual locations across the country, providing superior service to fleets,” according to Rick Phillips, Yokohama’s director of commercial sales.
“The SmartSolution Certified Dealer Program benefits large and small fleets as well as owner operators,” said Phillips. “The way a manufacturer delivers its products to the market is as important as the product itself. We are very selective with who represents and distributes our product to the transportation industry and have spent years developing and building an intricate and capable network of the best service providers in the country. I feel we offer the best distribution network in the industry.”
The program is based on YTC’s SmartSolution communications platform for dealers, fleet owners and truck operators. The platform is divided into a four “value propositions”: longevity, efficiency, availability and dependability.
Phillips said the “availability” pillar is highlighted in the SmartSolution Certified Dealer Program.
“Yokohama tires are available for purchase at thousands of points of sale throughout the U.S., including truck stops, making us one of the most widely available brands. And we pride ourselves on customer service, so if a customer encounters a problem while on the road, we have them covered with our Yokohama Emergency Service dedicated roadside assistance program available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year.”
To become a SmartSolution Certified Dealer, participants are verified as having met 12 criteria. “It’s a way to be a member of an elite group of dealers who’ve met the highest standards in the industry and be part of a vast, nationwide fleet support system,” he said.
Dealers that qualify receive special designation on Yokohama’s website dealer locator, along with a SmartSolution Certified Provider plaque, countermat and a window decal.
