Tire Pros dealers: getting better connected

March 20, 2012

Communication was a key theme at the American Tire Distributors (ATD) Tire Pros National Business Conference March 18-21, 2012, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Tire Pros National Council Chairman Tom Ceniglis, president of Tom's Tire Pros, Abilene, Texas, told the general session about upgrades to Tire Pros online (www.tirepros.com) that were based on dealer feedback.

“One of our biggest problems for a long time was communication,” says Ceniglis. “Now our landing page for Tire Pros online gives you everything you need to know.

"If you want to find something out, you just log-on to your account and if there’s something new, it’s right there on the landing page. I really believe that we’ve taken our communication to a higher level than it’s ever been.”

Ceniglis also addressed vehicle inspection sheets, which haven’t always been consistent from store to store. Now all Tire Pros dealers can utilize a new standardized vehicle inspection sheet.

Dan Brown, executive vice president of sales for ATD, announced that the event broke attendance records.

“This is the largest gathering of Tire Pros dealers in the history of the franchise,” says Brown. “There are 265 of the industry’s finest sitting here today. Congratulations.”

Brown discussed upgrades to Tire Pros online, including a central communication link with sections on marketing, a business center, an ad center, training, an operations manual and a dealer hub with several forums.

He also covered results from a dealer survey conducted by ATD in early March. The survey revealed that 96% of dealers feel that ATD is meeting or exceeding their expectations. Tire Pros dealers are also becoming more Web savvy, with 68% reporting they regularly visit Tire Pros Online.

“I encourage you to visit this site on a regular basis,” says Brown. “It’s a central communication link back in to you. We’re keeping it fresh with all of our initiatives and promotions. Plus, all breaking news from Tire Pros is there.”