PORTLAND, Ore. — Point S USA has designated 44 Point S stores as "Top Shop" honorees, determined by a review of each of their retail locations.
Each of the stores, part of the 200-plus-store marketing cooperative, will receive the Point S Top Shop for Customer Experience Award.
The Point S Brand Committee was tasked to provide strategic insight by integrating branding, operational and experiential measures across the system while providing insights for owners.
The Essential Brands Standards program was established as the committee collaborated with Market Force Information L.L.C., a location-level customer experience management business that helps to measure the brand's reputation and customers experience.
Stores could accumulate up to 100 possible points, based on a checklist of customer experience audit questions. Two reviews were conducted in stores last year, one in the spring and one in the fall.
"It was great seeing my fellow owners not just adopt the Essential Brand Standards but self-enforce them across their entire operation," Cory Brown, board member and chairman of the Brand Protection Committee, said.
A store needed to score in the top percentile of all Point S Network locations achieving a combined Market Force Report Card score of 95% or higher in order to be designated a Top Shop honoree.
Clint Young, director of sales and business development for Point S, called the feedback "invaluable."
"We all learned a lot and found areas to improve and focus on," Mr. Young said. "In fact, it was impressive seeing a 7% bump in average scores across our entire co-op from the first round of surveys to the second."
Mr. Young said the owners are "leaders in our industry and represent the value Point S brings to its customers, tire vendors, and are a beacon for other independent tire dealers to join our co-op."
"The Top Shop winners cap a successful 2018 partnership with Market Force," Point S CEO Walter Lybeck said.
"This will be a key component continuing into 2019. Market Force has provided location-level customer experience management solutions and actionable feedback for our owners.
"It has reinforced the strength of our brand and our group's commitment to their customer's experience."
During its annual dealer meeting, held in mid-February in San Antonio, Point S launched, among other things, the All-Trac Platform, an online store and customer management program designed to continue growth in the expanding digital marketplace.
It will provide online scheduling, reputation management, declined service management and other time-saving resources for tire dealers.