A new team created by epyx is helping to re-educate franchise dealers in how to proactively sell and fit tyres.
It is part of the company’s TyreServe programme, launched last year with the objective of helping franchise dealers compete with fast-fit centres and other tyre suppliers for fleet business.
David Goodyear, commercial director, said that some franchise dealers had effectively left the tyre market 20 years ago and there was subsequently no in-house tyre experience on which to draw.
He said: “There are franchise dealers who want to re-enter the tyre market through TyreServe but effectively don’t know how.
“The new team is designed to walk these dealers through the process – from ensuring that tyres are being offered to fleet customers when appropriate opportunities arise through to having the appropriate technical skills and equipment to fit them.
“Importantly, they are helping to put infrastructures in place so that management teams at these dealers are actively promoting tyres throughout the organisation and monitoring the results.”
There were now more than 1,600 franchise dealers across the UK signed up to TyreServe, David added.
“There is huge interest in the market in the programme and some dealers are producing excellent results. However, others do need a helping hand, so hence the creation of the new department.”
There had also been a very positive response from the fleet sector with several leasing companies in conversation with epyx about adopting TyreServe.
He said: “Leasing companies know that it is an irritation for drivers and a waste of resources for their employers if they have to visit a franchise dealer for servicing and then a fast-fit for tyres.
“TyreServe is an easy way to resolve this issue and is competitively priced. Fleet customers can select a fixed price deal or opt for a variable option which tracks overall market movements.”
Franchise dealers can easily adopt TyreServe through epyx’s 1link Service Network service and maintenance e-commerce platform, already in use by the vast majority of UK franchise dealers, alongside fleets totalling more than three million cars and vans.
