There’s nothing like giving a customer more bang for their buck to keep them coming back to your shop.

That’s where tire service packages can come in. Bundling together various services, whether tire or mechanical, offer more value for customers. At Michael Coggins’ eight OK Tire locations in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, a winter maintenance package gets a good response every year.

“With a tire changeover in the fall, we offer an oil change, add nitrogen into the tires, provide fluid top-ups and a 30-point digital inspection,” explains Coggins, Co-Owner of the eight OK Tire shops. He also offers a package with a tire changeover that includes an alignment, fluid top-up, and the 30-point inspection. Most customers appreciate the maintenance package, as with a Maritime winter on the way, everyone wants to make sure brakes and fluids are ready for action.

Pothole season

However, not every customer wants an oil change with their tire changeover. Depending on how frequently they’re driving, they may not require one. Or, they may have already been in recently for an oil change. “In that case, we just do the tire changeover and the inspection,” says Coggins.

In the spring, Coggins offers a similar package. He gets more requests for alignments, because there are so many potholes. “Here in Atlantic Canada, we have a lot of plows on the road, so we get a lot of potholes,” describes Coggins. “When we change over our tires in the spring, they’ve taken a beating over the winter, so they need an alignment.”

The spring months are also when customers may be planning road trips. Especially in the pandemic, when there were more “staycations,” with Martimers exploring their own provinces. “There were a lot more maintenance requirements on cars,” reports Coggins.

In fact, his shops always have a package available, and he often will include a set of windshield wipers. Coggins estimates about 30 percent of his customers take advantage of the packages. He advertises them over his social media channels, like Facebook.

Every vehicle is different

Picking and choosing what services are required is an important consideration when offering tire service packages, according to Yves Richard, Senior Director, Products and Pricing for Fountain Tire Ltd. “We offer basic tire service packages with the purchase of a tire that includes installation, balancing, valve stem and TPMS reset,” he says.  The packages included with the tire sale make it easier for customers to understand the total cost of their service, and also to do a quick comparison when they’re shopping around for competitive quotes.

However, Richard stresses that it’s key to consider that every vehicle is different, and to offer services that address the particular needs of customers and their vehicles. Sometimes, bundling services may suggest preconceived notions of what customers require. “That’s not the way we want to treat our customer base,” he explains. “We’re interested in doing maintenance and service on a vehicle when it’s needed.”

Sometimes, Fountain Tire will do cross-promotional offers, selling a customer a set of tires and offering a 50 percent discount on their next seasonal car care package. The vehicle may not require servicing at the time of the tire purchase, but the customer is given the opportunity to come back. “We’re trying to offer them something for when they need it,” describes Richard.

Fountain Tire does offer a seasonal car care package, which includes a basic oil, lube and filter job, plus an inspection to ensure vehicles are in their best operating condition. The inspection is provided to the customer in digital format at no extra cost, and they get a report which outlines very clearly what’s in good shape, what may need attention in the future, and what needs attention right away.

Transparency

Dustin Kellar, Owner of two Point S Action Tire locations in Barrie, offers an upgrade with oil changes. “You can have a complete oil change, and for another $60 you can get an engine treatment, a conditioner, and fuel additive,” he notes.

Kellar also does free rotations with all oil changes, as well as a digital vehicle inspection. He uses Tekmetric, which sends images to the customer, as well as an estimate. Customers can approve the work and sign off on the invoice right on their phone.

“People love it!” Kellar exclaims. “They can see the problem, they know what it costs, there’s no guesswork. It’s all transparent, they know exactly what they’re getting.”