Magazine for the professional tire industry
Issue link: https://mtd.epubxp.com/i/714120
MTD August 2016 Specialty tires Display 'low-dollars' inventory Hill recommends stocking top movers in trailer and lawn and garden tires. "Low-dollars inventory is what I call it. Have it and display it. Let your custom- ers know you sell that type of product. Put up a small display of your lawn and garden and boat trailer tires, maybe a couple of skid steer tires, front farm tires and implement tires. If you can't have a display, put something in writing on the walls." e machines customers purchase help guide errien's decisions on tires to stock. If a Central Tire customer buys a certain machine, errien will make sure he stocks a tire for it. He also watches for new machines coming into the market. "If we're seeing a new machine in a couple customer locations, or at a rental yard like United Rentals or Hertz Equipment Rental, we'll stock one or two tires for it." Hill feels the key for a successful retail operation is to supply all tire needs. He points out that does not have to mean large OTR tires. Instead, stock the products that a customer who buys passenger tires also uses, such as boat trailer, lawn and garden, and ATV tires. "If a customer needs mower tires, you don't want him to go to another dealer because he may find a beer deal on passenger tires there. Be able to supply those smaller needs, the everyday family needs." Since a dealer's passenger tire customers may also own or manage home building, landscaping, excavating, and other companies that use construction tires, Hill suggests stocking those types of tires, too. Be a know-it-all A reputation as a know-it-all is essential in the specialty tire business. "You have to have knowledge of the equipment," says errien. "My brother and I are very knowledgeable about off-road equipment. If people tell us what equipment they are using, we usually know the tire size." Until the early 2000s, Central Tire supplied mainly passenger and light truck tires through its wholesale division. e errien brothers bought a service truck and began offering emergency road service about 15 years ago. " We focused on equipment com- panies," says errien. "Every day we were out there, we just learned all the equipment and the tires. at's when we realized we need to stock those tires." Sales and service of commercial tires is the bulk of the company's business today. Information sells tires, says Ondo. "If you want a different size or different tread paern, you can't do a Google search; you have to call North Gateway Tire. We have a lot of experienced people who know tread paerns, sizes, and options for customers who want to change a paern or tire on their equipment or vehicle. You can't Google that." North Gateway Tire freely shares information about specialty tires. "We supply that information to our dealers, and our dealers supply it to their custom- ers," says Ondo. "It sells tires. W hen customers know you can get something out of the ordinary for them, they are going to come back to you." Quik-Link: 800-687-1557 ext. 19123 46