How Fleets Can Get the Most From A National Tire Account
By Jack Roberts
National tire management programs initially began as roadside assistance services, but now include complete tire life cycle management and data analysis options as well. Photo: Goodyear
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Tires are tough to manage, even in ideal conditions. Start adding hundreds of tractors and trailers, spread them across the vast expanse of North America, and a tough problem can become an impossible one almost immediately. National tire accounts, offered by major tire manufacturers nationwide, evolved decades ago to help long-haul fleets deal with their most pressing problem: failures and roadside service in areas far away from home.
Tire management has steadily become more sophisticated, and tire management programs have evolved as well. Today, fleets can choose a host of management options, from simple roadside service packages to comprehensive, on-site cradle-to-crave management programs.
Rich Cottrell, general manager, fleet solutions, Goodyear, says fleet feedback through the years has led to a continuous improvement effort for its national tire program, with an emphasis on understanding emerging needs while optimizing tire performance and lowering operating costs. But he says, that experience has also taught Goodyear that not every fleet is a good candidate for large, national programs. “We’ve learned that offering alternatives is important as well,” he says. “This is why we also offer our Preferred Fleet program, which is geared toward small and mid-size fleets. Fleets have different needs and we strive to meet them ‘where they are.’”
Fleet managers already have plenty do, says Tom Fanning, Continental Tire’s vice president of sales and marketing for commercial vehicle tires in North America. And a national tire program gives them a break from worrying about tires, which can be a demanding job for a full-time employee. Among the benefits he points to are a single point of contact at a tire OE for all a fleet’s tire needs, as well as …Read the rest of this story
