Is your dealership equipped to handle the sale and service of electric cars? As consumers consider EVs more seriously, experts say now is the time to get your house in order. Today on Inside Automotive, we’re pleased to welcome back Dave Boyle, the President and Chief Executive Officer of TraXtion, formerly Tire Profiles, to discuss how car dealers can adapt to this emerging segment.
Many car dealers and fixed operations managers are concerned that electric and hybrid cars will spell trouble for the service drive. Typically, dealers are not good at selling tires or alignments, and a lot of that work has been pushed off to the aftermarket, says Boyle. The good news for dealers who take tires seriously is that electric cars go through tires more rapidly than internal combustion vehicles. In fact, Tesla released statistics showing 23 tire service visits for one of its test vehicles during a 400,000-mile lifespan.
For car dealers to adapt to this new reality, Boyle says it starts with culture. Make tires and alignments part of your brand. When customers come in, they need to know that you are in the tire business instantly. Many fixed ops managers or service advisors have a straightforward view of tires and their margins. However, Boyle says tire services bring in other lucrative work like brakes, wheel-work, and suspensions. For example, car dealers sell between 11 and 12% of their alignment opportunities. The lack of focus on tires has created a lack of focus on the things that go along with it, like alignments.
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“It’s about the process and the technology that supports the process,” says Boyle. “And good technology should always support a process.”
For over ten years, TraXtion has developed and pioneered sophisticated technology that scans tires and automatically sends a text message report directly to the customer’s smartphone. TraXtion focused on making this process as simple as possible, explains Boyle. The latest version of their technology comes in a box and snaps together for installation in an hour. The TraXtion team is also there every step of the way during pre-launch, installation, and soft launch. They show their dealer partners how to use the equipment and build their data. Moreover, the team will teach the staff how to sell tires, present the products, and drive consumer engagement.
To learn more about TraXtion, visit traxtion.com, or schedule a demo here.
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