WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (July 24, 2014) — TBC Corp.'s Big O Tires unit, after a few years of consolidating and shoring up its franchise network, has put together a package of incentives to spur growth both in the number of stores under franchisee control and in boosting revenue per store and customer.
TBC and Big O management outlined the company's vision at the recent Big O franchisees' national meeting in San Diego, where convention-goers were struck with Big O's message for the coming year: “Full Speed Ahead.”
According to Executive Vice President Kevin Kormondy, Big O management sees store growth coming from three distinct areas, or in Big O vernacular, a three-legged stool:
- Existing franchisees adding stores, either by building new stores or acquiring other Big O locations;
- Existing independent tire dealers/auto service business owners who convert their stores to Big O or sell their location to a Big O franchisee; and
- Entrepreneurs looking for a lucrative franchise opportunity.
From the individual franchisee point of view, Big O is concentrating on a number of issues and incentives to help dealers boost their bottom line, Mr. Kormondy said.
“We're emphasizing ‘top line' sales,” he told Tire Business, “which, when properly managed, drive profitability.”
Among the specific goals discussed at the convention to drive top line sales were increasing daily customer count by two cars, selling two more tires per day per store, improving service offerings to yield a larger ticket per customer, etc.
To achieve these goals, Big O franchisees were offered seminars on improving phone skills, increasing online traffic, improving the safety inspection process, being more diligent with looking at customers' factory scheduled maintenance needs, etc.
