BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors hosted about 150 customers for in-person training, equipment demonstrations and a trade show this month. In a year where most dealer events were canceled due to COVID-19, the BTS team wanted to find a safe way to offer the help it traditionally offers customers.
Rick Benton, who oversees the wholesale distribution arm of Black’s Tire Service Inc., says the big takeaway from the event was that customers said this was their only exposure to training and vendors and new products since COVID-19 began forcing shutdowns and cancellations in the spring.
“Dealers appreciated the opportunity to get out,” Benton said.
The event was held Nov. 12-14 at the company’s warehouse in Cayce, S.C. — near the Columbia, S.C. airport. And it was patterned after the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s Show, but in this case SEMA stood for:
-
Sales partnerships
-
Equipment and supplies
-
Manufacturers support
-
Action plan for future together
So with safety precautions in place — meals were served outdoors and the indoor events included masks and social distancing — BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors pulled off the event.
There were sessions that included marketing tips and human resources help, and training on everything from TPMS to tire sales.
Attendees also gathered for discussions to talk about how they have adapted and found success even with the restrictions of the pandemic. Some customers said they required appointments for all automotive service. Others added curbside service and loaner cars.
Additional training included a tire repair clinic, as well as equipment demonstrations from companies that included Hunter Engineering Co.
The trade show included 28 vendors.