SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2013 THE PUBLICATION FOR TIRE PROFESSIONALS FROM WESTERN CANADA TIRE DEALERS Meet the Leek-Seekers Trever & Hal Sparrow Think Outside the Tank Matt’s Matters: When in Doubt, Tag it Out! Remembering Pioneer Ed Campbell Why Safety Bulletins Work • Effective Background Checks • Get More from Social Media • The Case for Winter Tires • Pitching in for Charity TIRE RACKING | TIRE CONVEYOR | AUTOMATIC WHEEL WASHER TIRE & WHEEL DISPLAY | INFLATION SAFETY CAGE TIRE HANDLING EQUIPMENT | TIRE INFLATION TOOLS TIRE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER 1.866.409.RACK WWW.MARTINSINDUSTRIES.COM | [email protected] Memphis, USA | 1-866-409-7225 Montreal, Canada | 1-866-409-7225 Sydney, Australia | 0418 255 745 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2013 PUBLISHED BY WESTERN CANADA TIRE DEALERS PO BOX 58047, CHaparraL RPO, CALGARY AB T2X 3V2 Publication Mail Agreement no.40050841 WCTD EXECUTIVE 2013 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department PRESIDENT, CLEM COLLET - WEST END TIRE PO Box 58047, Chaparral RPO, Calgary AB T2X 3V2 1991 Dugald Road, Winnipeg, MB R2J 0H3 Phone: 204-663-9037 Email: [email protected] email: [email protected] PAST PRESIDENT, KEN ESSEX - STURGEON TIRE (1993) LTD. www.wctd.ca 2901 Sturgeon Road, Winnipeg, MB R2Y 2L9 Phone: 204-987-9533 Fax: 204-837-8285 Email: [email protected] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ANDY NAGY PO Box 58047, Chaparral RPO, Calgary AB T2X 3V2 Phone: 403-264-3179 Fax: 403-264-3176 DIRECTORS 2013 BRITISH COLUMBIA PAUL MCALDUFF - TIRELAND PERFORMANCE CENTRE 300 East Esplanade, North Vancouver, BC V7L 1A4 Phone: 604-980-1578 Email: [email protected] GARY HOOVER - O.K. TIRE 19082 - 21 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3R 3M3 WCTD MEMBERSHIP APPLIcatION Phone: 604-542-7991 Mobile: 604-754-8963 Email: [email protected] COMPANY NAME DALE PARSONS - KAL TIRE PO Box 1240, 2501 - 48 Avenue, Vernon, BC V1T 6N6 ADDRESS Phone: 604-828-3135 Fax: 604-460-1261 Email: [email protected] CITY ALberta RAY GELETA - TIRECRAFT PROV POSTAL CODE 1171 – 167 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5M 3S2 Phone: 780-475-4165 Email: [email protected] PHONE FAX ROSS KELLY - INTEGRA TIRE & AUTO CENTRES 9333 - 37 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6E 5N4 EMAIL Phone: 780-462-1223 Email: [email protected] CATEGORY OF MEMBERSHIP (SEE BELOW) JASON HERLE - FOUNtaIN TIRE 8801 - 24 Street, Edmonton, AB T6P 1L2 VOTING MEMBER ASSOCIATE MEMBER, NON-VOTING Phone: 780-410-2136 Email: [email protected] a. Independent Tire Dealer 1. Jobber or Distributor b. Retreader 2. Manufacturer NEIL SHYMKO - TIRE VILLAGE LTD. 3. Exporter or Mfg. Rep. 8805 - 156 Street, Edmonton, AB T5R 1Y5 4. Dealer Support Services Phone: 780-484-1184 MY BUSINESS IS MADE UP PRIMARILY OF THE YES NO SALE OF TIRES AND TIRE RELATED SERVICES SaskatchewaN (CIRCLE ONE) AUTHORIZED BY BLAIR HOLMES - MAPLE CREEK TIRE (DBA KAL TIRE) (PLEASE PRINT) 19 Pacific Avenue, Maple Creek, SK S0N 1N0 Annual Dues $105.00 Incl. GST Per calendar year, per location. Phone: 306-662-3155 Email: [email protected] PLEASE FORWARD TO: PAUL NEWTON - SASKATOON WHOLESALE TIRE LTD. WCTD 2705 Wentz Avenue, Saskatoon, SK S7K 4B6 PO Box 58047, Chaparral RPO, Calgary, AB T2X 3V2 email: [email protected] Phone: 306-244-9512 Fax: 306-244-9516 MANITOBA CLEM COLLET - WEST END TIRE (AS ABOVE) The Tracker | September - October 2013 | www.wctd.ca 3 Able to leap high expectations in a single bound! Go ahead. Expect more from Federated Insurance. Federated Insurance Risk Services Coordinators are so well-equipped to handle WCTD dealers’ insurance, it’s like they have superpowers. They have the strength to protect you, the flexibility to fit your needs, and you can trust them to leap into action when you need them most. Find your local superhero today at www.federated.ca. President’s MessaGE Bumping the Slump through Value and Service By Clem Collett, WCTD President was catching up with a friend of mine a while ago, phenomenon with which we’re all faced today. However, as we sat beneath the awning of his camper on a with a little creativity and calculated forecasting it Irainy Saturday afternoon. We got on the topic of the can be achieved. You can reduce your inventory by not somewhat sluggish economy and how it was affecting our cannibalizing the slower moving sizes and simply stocking respective industries. He’s in agriculture and specializes in your best seller in those categories. You can also reduce animal nutrition. It seems no matter who I talk to these days, your inventory turnover by 15%-20% which should also everyone seems to find that business is, and I quote; “a improve your cash flow, a great added bonus. The risk, little slow”. Our conversation expanded to what measures however, is running out of stock, so paying close attention we were taking in dealing with the slump. The funny thing to your inventory is a must. is that, no matter what industry you’re in, the same topics Value keep popping up. Delivering good customer service; offering the right product; and giving our customers value were the Just what is value? It’s that perfect mix of service, price three biggest things we could think of. and all the things that leave your customer walking out of your store feeling confident they made the right decision. Customer Service But how to measure something that means so many things It’s an important part of any business strategy. But if to different people? Well that’s up to you to decide. What I there was ever a time where service matters even more, do believe is that customers who value value, (pardon the it’s during the slow part of a business cycle. Customers who pun) will be less likely to purchase elsewhere, for fear of experience that WOW factor when they step into your shop losing out what they get when they walk through your doors. are more likely to remember that—and become a customer It’s this way of thinking that can create repeat business for for life. So why not cater to them when time permits? In you for years to come—during both good times and bad. my opinion, customers will not expect that level of service In the end, working hard to earn and / or maintain the all the time, but will certainly appreciate it when they do business you are after, or already have, during the rough receive it. They will also be more inclined to refer family times will only help your company thrive during times of and friends to your store. How’s that for cost-effective prosperity. If we take the time to make a game plan and advertising? take the necessary preparations, we can face the ugly Reducing Your Inventory storm head on. With nothing left to do but batten down the hatches. Cutting back on stock when sales are down seems like a no-brainer on paper. But this can prove to be quite challenging when dealing with the ever-growing SKU The Tracker | September - October 2013 | www.wctd.ca 5 6 ANDy’s Corner When the Going Gets Tough… By Andy Nagy, WCTD Executive Director ell it’s been quite an eventful year so far: hand, taking a short-cut will either get you hurt or having to flooding in Alberta, airplane crash in San do the job over again. There are some safety bulletins WFrancisco and train derailment in Quebec. on our website about recent incidents in shops. It’s worth It’s hard to grasp all this; the resilience of people is just your while to take some time and look them over. amazing. The homes destroyed by the flood and the The Scholarship Program is gaining momentum, hardship of it as well as the dangerous goods from a train wiping out several blocks of businesses; it’s difficult to this year we had over 30 applications. Fantastic. However, believe that this all happened in such a short time. some people are not fully aware of the process: the application must be in on or before July 31st. We had a WCTD would like to thank all the volunteers who are still couple arrive late. Sorry! Those missed the cut-off. helping with neighbours and non-neighbours to get homes and businesses back to normal. What the outcome will be I have a good supply of 2013 TPMS Charts; please is hard to say. I talked to people who were so devastated note that their availability for 2014 will be an issue. by the flood that they’re having to start all over again. For Our next convention will be in 2014 in Niagara Falls many it’s hard to comprehend. Some are seniors who have in conjunction with the Tire Dealers Association of Canada worked their whole life getting to where they could live (TDAC). More details will be forthcoming in the next few comfortably and now they have to start all over again. Trackers. The train accident didn’t have to happen. The lack of The advance ETS course for November in Saskatoon policy by a rail company to not lock-up the engine or to ensure that the train will not move, regardless of the braking is filling up, if you haven’t signed up, go to our website or system, is beyond my comprehension. If I understand send me an email. TIA’s Matt White will be instructing correctly how a brake system works on a train, it needs this class which will be the first of its kind in Canada. air pressure to release the brakes and a mechanical spring Our next Tracker is scheduled for November / system to apply the brakes.