Based on our observations most dealerships are missing out on opportunities for tire and alignment sales
When we ask general managers or dealer principals: “Are you in the tire business?” 99 per cent of the time the answer is yes.
Once we look into how they do business in aftersales we come back with the question slightly different: “Are you really in the tire business?”
Being in the tire business is a must for all dealerships. In our opinion the best place to sell tires is in the service drive during the walkaround. You may recall that we believe that a service advisor doing a walkaround with the customer at their vehicle is the best place to sell tires.
This should be done each and every time a customer drops their vehicle off for service. During the walkaround with the customer the service advisor will inspect the tires with a gauge if they don’t have a Hunter Tire Checker.
The advisor then should go over the measurement with the customer and the condition of the tires. It would be at this time the advisor should review the alignment specs from the Hunter Alignment Checker.
The “Better” tire will be the tire you have in stock and want to sell. Most customers are not brand loyal to tires; they are coming to you for advice.
This should be done each and every time the customer comes in. Yes even if the car only has 15,000 kms on the odometer. Why? Because we are building trust. We all know the tires will be fine at 15,000 kms but we build trust with the client showing them the measurements and going through the alignment check. Who are we training here? The customer.
The customer will expect this type of inspection or discussion each and every time they come in for service. It is up to your service manager to make sure this happens each and every time.
Consistency will pay off. If the client needs tires the advisor should be able to walk to a tire display showing the available tires you offer. We like the Good-Better-Best displaying three offerings of the tires you recommend.
The “Better” tire will be the tire you have in stock and want to sell. Most customers are not brand loyal to tires; they are coming to you for advice.
So if you like Michelin tires, stock them, if you find Continentals are better than make that your middle recommendation. Sure you will get the occasional driver that is very brand loyal or that performance car you have in your car park that takes a special speed rated brand of tire.
Your customer with this type of request will be ok that you don’t stock that tire and is happy to wait for that special tire to come into stock. The Good-Better-Best display or the advisor should have at hand the installed pricing for the tires.
The advisor shouldn’t have to go to the parts department and wait there to get pricing. The advisor should be able to sell the tires installed and balanced to the customer in the service drive at their vehicle.
Of course with new tires a wheel alignment should be sold as well. Interesting fact: 90 per cent of customers will buy tires from the first person that recommends them.
This is very powerful and important knowledge for your advisors to have. Having the technicians recommend them when the car is on the hoist and then having the advisor call the customer with a quote when they are at home will cause what to happen? Yes, the customer will shop you.
I have even heard advisors on the phone tell the customer the tire size and the customer will inadvertently say: “I will call you right back.”
It is at that point in time they are calling around or looking on the internet. The sale will be lost. Our successful dealerships take this advice to heart.
Not only do they do a great walkaround each and every time with the customer at their vehicle but they present the alignment check and inspect the tires with the customer.
Guess what? They sell lots of alignments and tires. We even have dealers now that offer a special on snow tires in the spring and summer/all seasons in the fall. They will have snow tire displays in the service drive in spring.
Wait, what? Think about this, your customer comes in for the seasonal tire swap in April, you look at their winter tires and they are worn out. “Mr. Customer, your winter tires are worn out. We have winter tires on sale right now and I can put them on your rims before we put them into storage at last year’s price. That way they will be ready to go and you won’t have to worry about a price increase or availability next fall.”
Wow, imagine selling winters in the spring. One last thing I want to mention. Most of your tire suppliers will not only help with the Good-Better-Best tire display but they will offer you free training as well.
Training that is online for your parts and service advisors to learn how to sell tires, alignments and learn about the new tire technology. I took the training every year and it was fantastic and I always learned something. So I will ask you, Are you really in the tire business?
