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Recognizing Your Employees!

Posted on September 13, 2022September 13, 2022 By right-e261f6
Recognizing Your Employees!
Auto Shop, Tips for Tires, tire business

I happily just celebrated my 15th anniversary with Upright Communications (Upright Tire) just this month! And as I celebrated my successes, it prompted me to think about all the ways that we can be celebrating our employees when they reach epic milestones (or even 90-day ones! Celebrating anything is fun!).

As noted by Tire Review, former U.S. Defense Secretary and Ford Motor Co. President Robert McNamara put it simply: “Brains, like hearts, go where they are appreciated.” Who can relate to that? I mean, I certainly can appreciate that sentiment. If you’re not appreciated, chances are you’re not going to put all your heart into your work. 

In the day-to-day grind of running a business, we can quickly get caught up in the ‘thanks’ or simple ‘congratulations’ for when employees reach a milestone. However, given the shortage of quality talent and life as it is, can shop owners afford to not implement an employee retention program centered on recognition? Being recognized, both monetarily and morally, can boost morale more than you may realize. (So many valuable words that start with ‘m’ in that sentence!)

A 2013 Harris Interactive online survey, on behalf of Glassdoor, reported that 81% of respondents said they’re motivated to work harder when their superior shows genuine appreciation for their work, and 53% said they’d be more inclined to stay with the company longer if they felt more appreciation from their bosses. 

So now that you know all this, what the heck do ya do!? Let’s think!

What to celebrate?!

  • Work anniversaries – 90-day, 1-year, and epic milestones like 5, 10, 15, etc. These are really big deals. Think how hard folks work for you and they CHOOSE to remain with your organization. If you appreciate them, let them know!
  • Professional certs – I’ve always wanted to shorten the word ‘certifications’! 
  • Individual or team production efforts
  • No work days missed
  • Unexpected kindness showed towards customers and co-workers
  • Personal successes like volunteering opportunities outside of work for example

As I’m learning through personal growth, the positive behavior you want to be repeated is the one you need to be celebrating! Quality shop owners know that recognition improves engagement, and it’s that personal touch that can make your day-to-day that much better.

Oh and also, when rewarding folks it’s not just about a yearly review, it can be things like giving baseball tickets to an avid baseball fan for when they sold a crap ton of tires. Or maybe you’ve had an employee work really hard for you and you know he/she has been away from their family a lot – consider thinking of them too. Your job accounts for a LARGE portion of your well-being and that includes the impact your job has on your home life. 

How to do it!?

I heard of an acronym one time that resonated with me…. It’s RISE. R – Regular. I – Immediate. S – Specific. E – Encouraging.

It basically goes like this… Regularly recognizing your employees at least once a week gets you into that routine of noting people’s successes. The sooner you can recognize that behavior, the more often they’ll repeat it. That’s your ‘immediate.’ Then, you have the specific recognition that you want to focus on! And finally, you continue to encourage and support your employees when they do an outstanding job. 

If anything, we need more excuses to celebrate with each other. Tell us how you celebrate your employees!

The New Pinterest Analytics Tool!

Posted on September 13, 2022September 13, 2022 By right-e261f6
The New Pinterest Analytics Tool!
tire business, Tire News

You may have remembered in our post Inside Scoop on Social Media Material that we mentioned Upright Tire has a Pinterest account. We shed light on how we use our Pinterest page and the main goals behind the account. Account managers use Pinterest in a different way than most businesses. We utilize Pinterest as a way to organize the account manager’s suggestions for our tire dealer’s social media postings. Each account manager has a pin board of their ‘favorites’ and when it comes time to create the postings for the month, the creator takes ideas for each pin board to compile a month’s worth of diverse postings.

Without a doubt, we are having a lot of fun! Pinterest recently launched an analytics platform that has enhanced our experience. We can now see what pins are getting the most attention and this helps us forecast what posts are going to do well or what posts we should use first.

A few notes from the Pinterest analytics platform:

  1. The analytics is for business Pinterest accounts
  2. Add website verification for enhanced data
    1. Data such as popular pins, pinned directly from your site
    2. For example, we can get data from our blog posts that are pinned directly from our site using the ‘Pin-it’ button to our ‘Blog Post’ pinboard
    3. Data includes information about the profile, audience, and activity
      1. Average daily profile impressions
      2. Average daily viewers
      3. Average monthly engaged
      4. Average daily impressions
      5. Top pins and impressions
      6. Boards with the post impressions
      7. Clicks from website to Pinterest
      8. & so much more!

Of course, being S.E.O savvy, we were very excited about the new platform. There is so much insightful information and it is nice to see what is and what is not working on Pinterest. It is a great way to measure businesses’ social media efforts and shape what to change or improve. Make sure that your Pinterest account is a business account before accessing the URL (click here for Pinterest analytics). Pinterest is intuitive and can decipher business accounts from personal.

Highlights of the 2014 Chicago Auto Show

Posted on September 13, 2022September 13, 2022 By right-e261f6
Highlights of the 2014 Chicago Auto Show
Auto Shop, tire business

Highlights of the 2014 Chicago Auto Show

Growing up in Chicago, going to the Chicago Auto Show (CAS) at McCormick Place was an event akin to something you would see in the movie, “A Christmas Story.” Mom bundled us up, piled us in the car and we all drove into “the city” to go see the latest and greatest the automotive industry had to offer. As a kid, it was the promise of getting out of the house in a “Chiberia” winter and sitting in polished cars with the hopes of getting Mrs. Fields cookies in the end. For Dad, it was a chance to check out what was on the horizon for him to buy in the next few years…and a Mrs. Fields cookie.

As an adult, the excitement that the show brings to the city hasn’t changed since it started in 1901. My social media feeds were filled with an abundance of friends sitting in new models and makes they would someday like to own. This year the CAS featured new entries from Kia, Subaru, and BMW. Here are the highlights:

2015 Subaru Legacy debuted in Chicago

The 25-year-old model gets a new exterior style that can be attributed to last year’s concept Legacy from the Los Angeles Auto Show. The engine has a few more horses added and the overall look has an added sleekness to it.

2015 Kia Soul EV

This is Kia’s first all-electric small car equipped with state-of-the-art batteries and is expected to have a range of 80-100 miles. With its one-of-a-kind grill that incorporates charging posts, this unique design will be on sale in California, Washington, and Oregon later this year.

Volkswagen Beetle GRC

Could it be? A four-wheel drive Beetle with 560 horsepower? It’s true, folks! This which has been driven by Tanner Foust and Scott Speed will be a part of the Global Rallycross series later in 2014.

2014 BMW 7-Series 740Ld xDrive

BMW answered Audi’s A8 diesel power trained call with its own diesel-powered 7 series. This engine produces 255 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque, zipping it from 0-60 in just around 6.1 seconds. It will retail this spring for $83,425. For that price might as well get one in every color, right?

One large trend that was prevalent was the abundance of electric vehicles as well as phone charging stations. Many of the automakers provided cell charging stations that proved to be some of the most popular places on the floor. What are you looking forward to seeing in a future vehicle?

Vehicle Repairs to Pay Attention to

Posted on September 13, 2022September 13, 2022 By right-e261f6
Vehicle Repairs to Pay Attention to
tire business, Tire News

My oil change light popped up as I was driving this weekend and I thought to myself, “Already?” So I called my friend in the automotive repair industry to try and ease my woes by complaining about how much maintenance a car requires.  Karen made an interesting comparison between changing my oil and changing my nephew’s diaper asking if I wouldn’t change his diaper if he needed it.

We take care of ourselves with hair appointments, doctor appointments, going to the gym, and having self and rest time but tend to ignore the mode of transportation we use almost daily. Did you know that Americans drive about 37 miles a day on average? Why wouldn’t we take care of our vehicle?

Here are the 10 most common automotive repairs you should be paying attention to:

Brake Work

Wear and tear on brake pads will most likely happen more than once over the lifespan of a vehicle and is a moderately priced repair. If your brake system diagnosis is a disc, drum, or rotor repair then you may see a higher bill due to more extensive work.

Oil Changes

It is recommended that you always follow your owner’s manual regarding oil change service but most oil changes are routine. By maintaining a regular oil change schedule you can lengthen the life of your engine and even has been shown to help improve fuel efficiency.

Coolant System

The radiator and cooling system both fall into this category and have a wide range of prices depending on the service.

Tires

Tire patches or complete replacement is a fairly common service and these problems can occur for a number of reasons. Tire repair will be on the lower end of cost while full replacement can be more costly due to materials and work.

Ignition System

This includes the battery, starter, and ignition and has a wide range of pricing depending on if the part needs to be replaced or repaired. Battery prices can also vary based on brand and type.

Electrical System

Electrical systems problems car can vary from blown fuses to lamp bulbs but when it comes to a more serious issue it is best to let a trained professional diagnose and repair it.

Fuel System

Vehicles consistently running with ¼ a tank or lower on a regular basis may lead to a clogged fuel pump. Fuel filters should be replaced on a regular basis and should be done by a professional.

Transmission

Transmission repairs can be complicated and generally need a specialist or professional to perform repairs.

Exhaust

Again, these repairs can be complicated and costly due to the complexity so seek a professional diagnosis and quote.

Air Conditioning System

Air conditioning systems can tend to gain problems over time and should also be repaired by a professional.

Goodyear – The Future of Tire Buying

Posted on September 13, 2022September 13, 2022 By right-e261f6
Goodyear – The Future of Tire Buying
Auto Shop, tire business

It is no secret that Goodyear announced their intentions to become the first major tire maker to open a direct e-commerce line to consumers. Expected to launch sometime in the second quarter this program will be driven through its Goodyear.com website and be supported by both its dealers and company-owned stores.

There have been many reactions to this announcement including dealers who refuse to support these efforts and store owners who wholeheartedly support Goodyear and this endeavor. The idea that many tire companies could start to look in this direction will prove to have controversial opinions and ideas for the future of tire purchases.

I would like to hear from you! As a member of the tire store community, how do you feel about these inevitable changes, and do you support them? What would you change if not?

We look forward to hearing from the experts themselves, you the tire store owners!

Good Read

  • Emergency Road Services – All You Need to Know
  • 9 Easy Steps to Install a Gooseneck Trailer Ball
  • Be Careful Of Emergency Road Services All Year Round
  • Recognizing Your Employees!
  • The New Pinterest Analytics Tool!

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