As commercial tire dealers look to enhance their business values into the same stratosphere as retail tire dealers, some are looking at integrating the more profitable elements of retail business into their commercial operations. From a customer retention and profit perspective, this makes perfect sense. 

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.

All of us are looking for ways to generate new business. There are two basic ways to accomplish this: do more with the customers that you have or increase the number of customers you serve. While both are effective, one is much more limiting. The greatest gain comes in finding ways to bring in more customers.

Should your business have an employee handbook? How can an employee handbook help you set employee expectations and even boost employee morale? This Tire Dealer Survival Guide article explains how an up-to-date employee handbook can benefit both you and your employees.

How can you use social media and online reviews to drive more traffic to your website and store? What are some tips for managing your online reputation? This Tire Dealer Survival Guide article provides proven best practices.

Why is delivering good, old-fashioned customer service not enough in today's hyper-competitive market? How can you "make the switch" to providing a repeatable, superior customer experience instead? Check out this article from MTD's Tire Dealer Survival Guide for more information.

Are you leveraging available digital tools - as well as data and analytics - to zero in on your target customer demographic? This article from MTD's Tire Dealer Survival Guide explains how you can gather and harness customer information more effectively.

Can you force your employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine? Can you demand proof of vaccination? How should you set up a vaccination incentive program? This article from MTD's Tire Dealer Survival Guide provides guidance as you manage through the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Does it feel like you spend more time working “in” your business than “on” your business? MTD’s Tire Dealer Survival Guide is here to help.

Jaecen Aspa, owner of Fountain Tire's Terrace, British Columbia, location has received Fountain Tire's Most Valuable Player award for his "entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm," according to Fountain officials.

Barry Steinberg, longtime owner of Watertown, Mass.-based Direct Tire & Auto Service and Modern Tire Dealer’s first Tire Dealer of the Year Award recipient, has died. He was 75 years old.

More COVID-19 economic relief is on the way. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will provide $5 billion in additional assistance to businesses with fewer than 10 employees that have been impacted by COVID-19.

One of the most powerful marketing tools for your tire dealership isn’t some fancy new digital ad or geotargeted social media campaign, although I’m a big advocate of digital advertising tools like these. It’s good, old-fashioned word of mouth. 

Erik Olsen will step down as president and CEO of TBC Corp. on June 30. He will be replaced by Michelin executive Laurent Bourrut.

“The industry looks considerably different than it did 15 years ago, both in the retail marketplace and the manufacturing and distribution arenas,” says Dave Marks, president and CEO of the Independent Tire Dealers Group LLC. “It’s impacting all sides of the market.” 

Program and dealer groups have been around for decades. But due to continued consolidation, changing consumer preferences and other factors, it could be argued that the need for these organizations is greater than ever. 

It’s now the second quarter of the new year. As you take your first real deep breath from the grip of COVID-19 and how it has affected your business, I would like to remind you that you are not alone.

Let’s be honest - a few of you read the headline of this article and thought I was referring to one of the many tire brands that you sell. This is certainly not unexpected, considering our industry and the various tire brands that are out there. However, there is one brand that means more to your business than any other. It is built and tested everyday, but not inside a manufacturing plant. 

The U.S. Small Business Administration has increased the top amount that small businesses can borrow through its COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

What do you think of when you hear the word “sustainability?” For many years, the term, in my mind, evoked thoughts of recycling and other ordinary, everyday practices that fall under the general umbrella of “environmental friendliness.” But there’s so much more to how sustainability is now defined within our industry.

Anyone who has worked in the tire and automotive repair business for even a week will be familiar with metrics -  important financial and operational milestones or ratios used to evaluate how efficiently and profitably a store is run.