Modern Tire Dealer 100 MTD:ofInthe Chicago, areadded you targeting innermost U.S. has a number of city areas or are you attempting to blanket tires being sold to mining accounts. The the suburbs first? mining business in the U.S. remains strong Barnes: We’re focusing on all the Chiand the long-term potential forofcontinued cago suburbs first. That’s where we see the growth is good. greatest opportunity. McDonnell: We see the overall market
being relatively flat in 2020 compared to MTD:But, Chicago is a massive market — lots 2019. of course, an election year always of people with lots of vehicles and it also throws some curve balls that are unexpected. seems like an extension of Belle’s entry Rasey: We’re cautiously optimistic about into the Indianapolis market. How are actual demand for 2020, particularly since things going in Indianapolis? it’s an election year. Based on the politics Barnes: We entered statelikely of Indiana in of any election year, the it’s not that any 2015sweeping via Southinfrastructure Bend. We did very wellwill in new programs South Bend started to make our way be passed by and Congress. south through Fort Wayne and more of However, the easing of the regulatory the northern Indianapolis markets. And environment over the past few years, coupled over the last two to three years, we’ve built with a low unemployment rate, has provided in the area. amore nice than boost30tostores construction, quarry, and The stores we built are doing very, mining activity for the earthmover segment. very well and it’s really just because of the amazing people (we’ve placed) MTD: From your perspective, whatinside trend (those locations.) or development will have the biggest impact We’vetire been very lucky and blessed to on OTR dealers in 2020? be able to recruit, hire, train ‘Belle Besancon: Every dealer is goingand to have to look at how close they are to their customers
Tire-ize’ teams are inside. truly on hiring and whatthethey arethat doing to differentiate is the trade war being impactfocused in the OTR busiThat’s where the magic happens. nice people. themselves. Everyone has to be dedicated to ness. Depending on whether anything It’s not the brick-and-mortar. Weit can teach customer service. That means being dedicated changes or not, could havepeople a signifitires. cant It’s the people inside (who are) It’s often hard to teach to to safety. And they have to be dedicated impact on the choices (made by) people OTR tire taking care of the customers. be nice. We want to hire people to service levels – having the right people manufacturers. it be Bend, are going to whoWhether are trained andSouth can do the work. The Rasey:whom I thinkwe thatknow it’s probably going Fort Wayne or Indianapolis, we’ve represent our brand well and customer has to have faith in the dealer and to be a combination of several things. Thif e been able to grow those markets theyand have experience in the tire his or her personnel. rate of change absorption of technology very and significantly. industry, If they we Ourwell business has been much more profesat dealerships will great. continue to don’t, be a key And we want to continue to can teach them. sionalized. We have more people who are focus “Everything we area for most. That, coupled with grow inatcontiguous And we’ve been able to trained a higher levelmarkets, and moresopeople turnover and the recruitment do who needs toemployee be Chicagoland was a natural fit, recruit people from all different important because understand how tires work with machinery. and training of sales/service personnel to consumers are retiring seeing as we’re are in going southwest typesteam of industries Th e fundamentals to be the our drivers. replace members,—iswhether another judging us every Michigan, as well as northwest it’s the hospitality industry, Kershaw: The biggest continuousday,” trends/ on-going challenge. says Barnes. Indiana. it’s our industry … developments in the OTR business for 2020 Both ofwhether those challenges – along with “We have to earn anything and everything. their business evand beyond is the need for heavy carrying continuing to find ways to profitably difery time they walk MTD: What’s the secret torated) We’ve been very and luckysolution that we capacity (two- through four-star and ferentiate their sales, service in.”With its recent moving into a new market and have a strong culture that focuses higher speed-rated tires, and multi-use tiresinto Chicago, offerings from competition – will dominate entry finding the right right on our activities. customers. And when I Belle Tire now hasday-to-day built for both loaderspeople and dump trucks, with their off the bat? What has worked say customers, it’s not just the a presence in Ilinarticulated dumps and loaders moving more ois, Indiana, Ohio for Belle the past? external customers who weight at ainfaster speed. “Any one of these challenges, by come itself, and Michigan. Barnes: There’s really nobeing one a priority inmanagement and buy things It’s Also, with infrastructure takes serious focus,”from notesus. Rasey. thing or one secret thing. It’s really just us our internal customers. in a large portion of the U.S., the need for “But when combined, it will require having being true to ourselves knowing who Ourgame internal aremanagers our employgrader, loader, articulated— and scraper tires a solid plancustomers and quality to we are and the kind of people we want and ees and we know that our internal customin mostly radial designs will increase. keep their focus on what matters the most” McDonnell: The most unsettled issue as the market evolves. ■
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