Michelin urges AAD dealers to 'Bib Up!'

Sept. 22, 2010

Michelin North America Inc. is encouraging its Michelin Alliance Associate Dealer (AAD) program members to "Bib Up" and buy more tires. The return for dealers? More money in their pockets.

That was one of several messages delivered earlier this week during the kick-off of Michelin's AAD "road tour" in Greenville, S.C. (The tour will encompass 41 meetings across the country.)

"AAD is a retail program," Bob Schaffner, sales program development manager, told tire dealer attendees, most of whom were from the mid-Atlantic region. "Michelin is going to pay you (for tire orders) based on your retail business."

The AAD program is broken out into four levels, based on volume purchases: Bib 1, Bib 2, Bib 3 and Bib 4. The program's highest level, Bib 5, was recently eliminated.

"There's been some fine-tuning of the levels," Bruce Brackett, Michelin vice president of sales, told www.moderntiredealer.com. Michelin, he says, is responding to dealer feedback "about how we can make the program simpler. Fewer Bib levels is simply further simplification."

He added that rewards paid to AAD members also "are now significantly higher."

Michelin officials discussed additional improvements to the program, which is administered electronically via "e-statements" that dealers can read. E-statements are updated at 1 p.m. Eastern each day.

"You can now go back three years and see all previous e-statements. This fall, we'll be able to post co-op reimbursements on your statements."

They also promised several promotions to help drive business during 2011. "There are millions of tires out there that we can capture," said Schaffner.