Veteran Los Angeles, Calif.-based tire dealer Bob Mirman is putting a new spin on the traditional program group concept by launching the United Tire Dealer's Association (UTDA).
The association will offer typical program group benefits like competitive credit card rates, discount buying, group insurance, and more, says Mirman, who also owns West Coast Tire & Service, a dealership in L.A.
But in a unique twist, the UTDA will not impose volume, signage or territory requirements, he explains. To "buy in," dealers must purchase an instructional DVD -- Bob Mirman's Keys to Success in the Tire Industry -- for $195. The transaction automatically enrolls dealers in the UTDA for one year.
Mirman, who's been selling tires since the 1950s, wants to sign 1,500 members within the next 12 months.
He's gearing the UTDA toward smaller independents who have one, two or three locations. "If I can put together a couple thousand members, I'll be in a position to go to a tire company and say, 'I want to buy 100,000 tirs today and I want the 10 best sizes only.' Then I would e-mail my members and say, 'I've just put this deal together. Who's interested?'"
