Aftermarket May 2022

T yres are a major opportunity for independent garages according to ISN Europe Chief Executive James Boon, but he noted there are many common misconceptions holding businesses back: “The first is that there’s no point in selling tyres unless you have a MOT test facility. Why not? Of course, you pay specific attention to the condition of a vehicle’s tyres during an MOT, but surely it’s an added value service to inspect the tyres on any car that comes into your workshop. “No one is in the business of handing an unsafe car back to its owner, so don’t we have a duty to check for obvious safety issues? Many drivers don’t know the legal limits for tyre wear and these days, unless you wash your own car, you’re unlikely to notice tyre wear.” Demand James continued: “The next one is that garages say they don’t see a demand for tyres. That’s probably because they are not checking tyres and highlighting potential issues to your customers. If you are, but you are then sending your customer away to a competitor to have the tyre work done. This means you are losing out on margin and giving your competitor the chance to take future business away from you. “Then there is the assumption that people go to the big tyre chains for their tyres. Granted, many do; but there’s a significant number of people that don’t like the service the tyre chains offer. They come to you for service, repair, MOT etc because they trust you to look after their car. They might just appreciate the opportunity to buy their tyres 52 AFTERMARKET MAY 2022 TYRES AND TYRE BAY EQUIPMENT www.aftermarketonline.net Tyre wear and punctures might be a pain for motorists, but with the right tyre bay kit and supplies, you could be making a mint from you too. “Others say they can’t compete on price. It’s true, you might have to work on a slightly lower margin than the specialist tyre chains but your overheads are probably lower than theirs and, anyway, price isn’t everything. Many of your customers would be happy to pay a little extra if they knew they would have their car back with everything sorted, with no need to make another journey to get their tyres changed.” Equipment Once a garage commits to making tyres a big part of their offering, they need to make sure they have the right kit, and James said ISN Europe is well placed to support garages: “These days, equipment supply, installation and maintenance is all handled through ISN Garage Assist. We HOLE-Y ROLLERS Above: Tyre sealant products from Air-Seal Products