One-stop car service hub vows to relieve customer pain points

International brand Tyreplus opens shop in Philippines

As with many things, it pays to get things right from the get-go. North Trend Marketing Corporation chief operating officer Ronald Ang recently shared the results of a JD Powers study that examined five measures of service experience in the realm of car service centers: Service quality; service initiation, the waiting time of a customer before the vehicle is actually serviced; vehicle pickup, the wait for the vehicle to be finished; the service facility’s ability to diagnose problems and offer parts when needed; and the service advisor.

Notably, a 2017 Philippines customer service index study revealed that our top three priorities in order of importance are service quality, service initiation, and vehicle pickup. “But basically, a shop should fulfill what is promised to the customer,” said Ang.

This awareness of the market’s expectations, he stressed, lays the foundation for the entry of Tyreplus. Established in 2002, the Australia-headquartered brand has over 7,000 centers worldwide. Its first outlet in the Philippines (at 8153 Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue [formerly Sucat Road], Parañaque City) is operated by Trend Performance Centrum, Inc. under North Trend. Tyreplus is part of the “Michelin global network of professionals in car maintenance.” Specializing in off-warranty service for cars, Tyreplus offers tire sales and service, wheel alignment, oil replacement, battery replacement, brake and suspension service, and ATF dialysis, among others.

Michelin chief country representative Michael Nunag averred that the center offers a curated mix of brands such as Michelin, BF Goodrich, Mobil, Total, Denso, Bendix, and Hitachi to cover various price points and demands, and is meant to “democratize” the market by offering a viable option to typically more costly casa services.

“It’s not just a tire shop,” joined Tyreplus development and distribution manager

Beltran Yturriaga at a recent press launch, and added that customers appreciate “someone taking the time to help guide them in the right direction.” It should not be “dark, dirty, and unfriendly,” but “caring, friendly, and honest.”

At Tyreplus, Yturriaga maintained that “customer interaction begins at the doorstop (when) the car-care supervisor welcomes the customer and inquires about the reason for the visit.” They want to do away with the unprofessional practice of the customer looking for the technician or mechanic instead of the other way around.

“Our car-care supervisor gets all the information from the customer, then a highly skilled technician conducts free safety check. We have consultants who offer advice about products and services. “We do our servicing according to manufacturer standards, and with the appropriate, certified tools and equipment,” underscored Yturriaga.

In a bid to demystify the process for non-gearheads, Tyreplus even has an “expert wall” where car-care supervisors show the customers what is be done and the available options through easily understandable visuals.

There are no imminent plans yet to open another branch as Tyreplus ascertains the market reception here. Besides, Ang stressed “it’s not about making money, but (having) sustainability year on year.” For now, the company is buckilng down to work to “deliver solutions, and make the company matter by creating more values to benefit customers.”