In the tire and auto service industry, profit margins are relatively small and business is still highly driven by on-demand services. That means one day can be busy and the next day can be slow. 

The next great innovation in tire and automotive service doesn’t have to be expensive. But it must be well thought-out and it must make your customer experience better than what your competitors provide.

In 2022, professional training is a critical must. As an industry, we don’t train nearly enough. To retain good employees, they need to know that they are being paid fairly and have been given the tools to do the job right. 

Two of the most frustrating things to hear in our industry are “I’m too busy to go out looking for techs” and “Well, it’s been slow, so I don’t think I can afford another tech right now.” As an industry, we need to go out looking for people who aren’t looking for us.

It can be very tempting during a difficult period to come out financially on the plus side and think, “I’ve worked especially hard, so I deserve to reward myself.” Yet here I am going to advise you to hold off.

The year 2021 is drawing to a close. For independent tire dealers across the country, it has largely been a profitable - but difficult - year. With just a few weeks remaining, it’s time to take stock of the last 12 months and start looking at the next 12 months.

With the proliferation of tiers of tire brands, you are likely to survive those instances in which your preferred brands are not available. Automotive parts and lubricants, on the other hand, are another story.

Imagine running a tire dealership and not knowing what is in stock or what sales have been for the month - tirelessly writing up invoices as customers come in and hoping that at the end of the day you’ve made some profit. Sounds ridiculous, right? 

A few years ago, I wrote about an impending “wage war.” The primary driver at the time was a shrinking talent pool at the beginning of the pipeline and an aging skilled workforce. (At the time, the average age of a master certified technician was 55.) When you combine those two factors, it creates a wage imbalance.