Westside Tire & Service’s customer base continues to evolve. And the Youngstown, Ohio-based dealership is staying ahead of the curve, says Lisa Walters, one of its owners.
West Side Tire & Service is seeing more female buyers than ever before. These customers “have a better idea of what they want” than men and often “are more concerned about safety,” according to Walters.
“Our female customer base is actually somewhat larger than our male customer base. We believe if we help educate our female customers, we help empower them to make informed decisions about the repair and maintenance of their vehicles.”
Ten years ago, Westside Tire & Service earned the Certified Female-Friendly designation from AskPatty.com, a company whose goal is to help women feel more comfortable when buying and repairing vehicles.
Walters and her brother, Westside Tire & Service co-owner Rich Rogenski, require all the dealership’s customer-facing employees to take - and pass - AskPatty.com online training.
The three-location dealership also hosts annual car care clinics for female customers at its Niles, Ohio, store.
“We typically have about 20 women present,” says Walters. “We have refreshments and giveaways. We explain the importance of maintenance at proper intervals. We have new and old parts on hand to show them what a worn-out brake pad looks like versus a new one. And we answer any questions they may have.”
The clinics include a “hands-on” portion, during which a store manager, technician or service advisor teaches participants how to open the hood of their vehicles and add oil or windshield wiper fluid.
“We show them how to check air pressure in a tire and where to find the proper tire (pressure level) for their car. We show them where the spare is located on their vehicle - if it has one - and the best location to put a jack.”
Westside Tire & Service also has hosted car care clinics for Girl Scout troops, special needs students and teenagers who are taking life skills courses at a local high school.
“We enjoy hosting the car care clinics and having the opportunity to help people,” says Walters. “We feel strongly about supporting our communities that have supported us for so many years and it’s just one of the many ways we give back.”
