Preventive maintenance creates customer loyalty

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Northwest Tire invests in commercial tires for the future

PLAZA TIRE SERVICE RECOMMENDS FLUSHES AND ALIGNMENTS

By Joy Kopcha

hen Mark Rhodes W was growing up in southeast Missouri, full-service gas stations were a community staple. Consumers drove in for fuel and an attendant put the gas nozzle in the tank and then checked the tire pressure, windshield wipers, windshield fluid and oil, and made sure to suggest tires when they appeared worn.

Those full-service stations are all but a

memory, and Rhodes, president of Plaza Tire Service Inc., wonders, “What has replaced that in our world?”

He wants consumers in his markets to answer that question with “Plaza Tire Service.” But Rhodes thinks any tire dealer

can fill that preventive maintenance role. Rhodes is a second-generation tire dealer who in 2017, along with his brother Scott, was named the winner of Modern Tire Dealer’s Tire Dealer of the Year Award.

“A lot of customers think you’re inspecting the vehicle just to sell them something, but it’s also providing a pretty good service that used to go on every week. I always tell our guys, at the end of the day somebody has to point out to the customer ‘you have to change your air filter.’ Somebody’s got to make that suggestion.”

Those suggestions create traffic in the store, and Rhodes says, “It’s creating loyalty to the customer.”

Plaza Tire Service places most of its marketing focus on tires, and Rhodes says his rule has been to lead every promotional piece with tires first. “I’m getting a little

You can handle

specialty assemblies

HD Tire Changer: % Saves time and adds safety % Increases capacity % Simplifies match-mounting softer on that. We’re starting to do a lot more alignments. We’re doing more and we’re promoting it more.”

Another tool sits on the sales counter inside all 63 Plaza Tire Service stores. A two-sided mat details preventive maintenance services. One side breaks down the company’s good-better-best options for oil changes (see charts).

The other side details an “OEM approved” maintenance schedule (see page 30). In addition to synthetic, high-mileage and standard oil changes, it describes other additional services and explains why they’re needed.

Other services: Smart driver package

(includes basic oil change, top off fluids, tire rotation and more) Cooling system flush

(includes flush, conditioner chemicals and most types of anti-freeze) Transmission fluid flush

(includes flush and conditioner chemicals for most cars) Power steering flush

Pflush (includes flush, conditioner and most types of fluids) Brake flush

(includes mechanical flush and addition of new, OEM-approved fluid) Differential service 3-step engine performance service

Tire repair

Tire rotation

Wheel balance

Wheel alignment

Front disc brake service

Rear disc brake service

$64.95 From $99.95 From $129.95 From $89.95 From $69.95 From $99.95

From $89.95

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