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  • September 2023

    • September 2023

    Monro Inc.
    “We want to make sure we are using our working hours effectively,” says Russ Welsh, senior vice president of retail operations, North America, for Monro Inc. “We don’t want our techs to be doing a job that did not need to be done in the first place. It wastes everyone's time and money.”
    Retail

    Communication Is Key to Service Advisor Success

    Madison Gehring
    Oct. 26, 2023
    When customers first walk into a tire dealership, one of the first people they will meet is the company’s service advisor.
    Photo: SEMA Show
    With exhibitions both inside and outside the Las Vegas Convention Center, the SEMA Show brings together not just the tire industry, but the entire expanse of the automotive aftermarket.
    Suppliers

    Industry Week Preps for Las Vegas

    Oct. 24, 2023
    The 2023 editions of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show and Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) are scheduled to open Oct. 31 in Las Vegas.
    MTD
    'Smaller retailers often provide a stable environment that delivers more attentive customer service,' says McGregor.
    Retail

    For Tire Dealers, Bigger Is Not Always Better

    Michael McGregor
    Oct. 16, 2023
    Large retailers definitely possess some strengths that smaller tire dealers lack, such as access to capital, stronger bargaining power and widespread brand recognition. But other...
    Photo: Automotive Career Development Center
    'If you employ a younger person, talk about higher education,' says Van Batenburg. 'Offer them an incentive.'
    Retail

    When Techs Learn More, You Earn More

    Craig Van Batenburg
    Oct. 9, 2023
    Your new hires need to know more than tires and alignments. They need a solid background in automotive theory. But theory is about the least likely subject a young technician ...
    Photo: Hunter Engineering Co.
    Hunter Engineering sees a growing opportunity for tire dealers to maximize their alignment systems and services by doing ADAS calibrations, too. “If they don’t take advantage of their opportunities, someone else surely will,” says Ryan Gerber.
    Service

    ADAS 101: What Tire Dealers Need to Know

    Joy Kopcha
    Oct. 4, 2023
    As Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology becomes more common in vehicles on American roadways, there’s a growing market to maintain, inspect and calibrate the many...

    More content from September 2023

    Photo: Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.
    Toyo says the T3+ model is meant to complement the longer, in-depth sessions offered on its traditional T3 platform.
    Suppliers

    Toyo Adds Modern Twist to Training

    Joy Kopcha
    Oct. 3, 2023
    When it comes to training tire dealers, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. is looking to arm dealers with all the information they need to know about the company’s products. And in 2023 the...
    MTD
    A return to 2019-like numbers should be viewed as a positive.
    Retail

    The Tire Industry is Returning to Pre-Pandemic Levels

    Mike Manges
    Sept. 18, 2023
    It goes without saying that 2021 and 2022 were unusually strong years. What we're seeing now is a return to normal, which - in this case - means a return to 2019 levels.
    Wonderland Tire Co.
    Each member of Wonderland Tire’s next-gen group is required to progress through steps outlined in the dealership’s Family Manager Training Policy, which will “ensure that future generations of family members who intend to work in management at Wonderland Tire are properly trained in all facets of the business.”
    Commercial Business

    Wonderland Tire's Next Leaders Are Learning the Ropes

    Mike Manges
    Sept. 14, 2023
    Jon Langerak, MTD's 2023 Tire Dealer of the Year, is cultivating the next generation of Wonderland Tire owners and managers.
    Photo: Wonderland Tire Co.
    Jon (pictured) and Dave Langerak went to every Wonderland Tire store and grilled steaks for employees in September 2022 when the dealership had its first $3 million month. This continued a tradition they started years earlier.
    Commercial Business

    'Employees Are The Heartbeat of Wonderland Tire'

    Mike Manges
    Sept. 12, 2023
    “Employees recognize it when you do things for them that you don’t have to do,” says Jon Langerak, MTD's 2023 Tire Dealer of the Year Award recipient.
    Photo: Wonderland Tire Co.
    Having its own retread system and products gives Wonderland Tire “the ability to be independent enough to do the right things for our customers,” says Jon Langerak. “Take a particular tread design – if we want to build it, we can build it. All of our designs and rubber compounds are proprietary. AcuTread is an exclusive product. Nobody else has it. We’re very independent. We like to do things ourselves. We don’t like people telling us how to do it.”
    Commercial Business

    How AcuTread Has Fueled Wonderland Tire’s Growth

    Mike Manges
    Sept. 12, 2023
    “AcuTread has been wonderful for us," says Jon Langerak, MTD's 2023 Tire Dealer of the Year. "It changed our company."
    Wonderland Tire Co.
    'When we see a need, there's nothing holding us back,' says Jon Langerak. 'If a customer needs something - and we believe there's a market for it - we're going to pursue it.'
    People

    MTD Tire Dealer of the Year Profile: Jon Langerak

    Mike Manges
    Sept. 11, 2023
    Jon Langerak, MTD's Tire Dealer of the Year, discusses his dealership's biggest challenges, opportunities, triumphs and more.
    Wonderland Tire Co.
    'We have a long-term vision and a long horizon,' says Jon Langerak, president and CEO of Wonderland Tire Co. and MTD's 2023 Tire Dealer of the Year.
    Commercial Business

    Meet Jon Langerak: MTD's 2023 Tire Dealer of the Year

    Mike Manges
    Sept. 11, 2023
    Jon Langerak, MTD's 2023 Tire Dealer of the Year, has a long-term vision for his business, Wonderland Tire Co. Find out how he's building his dealership's future.
    MTD
    I want to reinforce the idea that “the only true risk is the risk not taken.” Why? Because I see fear everywhere in my interactions with owners and their teams. It is hands down the single biggest barrier to elevating performance.
    Retail

    Why Embracing Fear Is Good For Your Business

    Randy O'Connor
    Sept. 6, 2023
    I want to reinforce the idea that “the only true risk is the risk not taken.”
    MTD
    At long last, tire dealers indicate retail sellout trends have turned positive after declining year-over-year the past seven consecutive months. July marks the first positive month for sellout trends since November 2022, and it’s up a healthy 3.5% year-over year.
    Retail

    Retail Tire Sellout Turns Positive

    John Healy
    Sept. 1, 2023
    At long last, tire dealers indicate retail sellout trends have turned positive after declining year-over-year the past seven consecutive months. July marks the first positive ...
    Getty Images
    Trace the steps your technician takes throughout the entire process of the oil change — every movement. What you will have after the vehicle is pulled out will look like spaghetti.
    Retail

    You Need a Process — Even for Oil Changes and Tire Rotations

    Dennis McCarron
    Sept. 1, 2023
    Dennis McCarron explains why you need a process for everything that happens in your service bays - even tire rotations and oil changes.