With a Smile

To hear Anthony Blackman tell it, selling tires is as easy as pie. In reality it isn’t, but Blackman has learned his lessons well. “The universal language is the smile,” he says. “Everyone can understand a smile and a warm greeting. That’s what they receive and more when they do business at one of my two dealerships.

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"No one, and I mean no one, regardless of how busy we are, enters our front door without having been greeted and addressed with a smile within three seconds,” he says. That alone speaks volumes about Blackman, owner of two Atlantic Tire & Service outlets in Raleigh, N.C., and in the so-called Research Triangle area of the state.

He is also a member of just about every organization in his market area and a proud graduate of nearby N.C. State. Attend a football game or watch it on TV and you see that Blackman has created an Atlantic Tire & Service fan zone inside the stadium, complete with large banners and other logoed items for customers. “We also have a barbecue before the game,” he says. “We give away little footballs with our logo on them.”

Many of his customers are also N.C. State fans who happily sit in the “fan zone” and have fun thanks to Atlantic Tire & Service. This type of promotion is probably as powerful as it gets, and you’ll find Blackman in the thick of it.

Inviting Interiors
Maybe one of the most striking visuals customers notice when they walk into one of his locations is the complete and utter lack of tire displays. “I don’t want this place to have clutter. I don’t want it to smell like rubber, I don’t want out-of-date posters,” he says. “What I do want is what I call our ‘constant state of promotion’ that has helped me build a strong customer base, much of it built around sports-minded customers.

“We have beautiful waiting areas that are comfortable and have a variety of things to pass the time. We have leather couches and chairs so customers can rest, read or watch or TV. We have a lot of women’s magazines – and I mean a lot – plus magazines for men, and they are all current. We are as up-to-date in the waiting areas as we are in our ability to recommend the right tire for each customer and the state-of-the-art equipment in our service bays.”

He also notes his own mother has checked each of the shops’ restrooms, and they have passed her cleanliness test.

Getting Noticed
In keeping with Blackman’s love of sports, Atlantic Tire advertises on WRBZ, a total sports radio station locals refer to as ‘The Buzz.” He also advertises on Spanish-speaking radio and TV stations like Univision, as well as in the Cary News, which circulates in an area with a population of 115,000, Blackman says.

“All of this pays off for us in terms of who and what we are, and what we do. A year ago the Cary News named us the winner of their ‘Best Customer Service Award,’” he says. “So we understand the value of advertising as much as we understand taking care of the customer.”

In Blackman’s market area, he is heavily involved in charitable organizations (at least 11). He still takes courses at N.C. State and has been honored in his community at least six times in the last seven years, including Cary Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the year in 2006.

“We were the main sponsor of the local business expo in 2006, 2007 will be again in 2008,” says Blackman. “Last year there were more than 100 companies involved and thousands of attendees. Our purpose is to make sure none of them forget Atlantic Tire & Service.

“We also regularly give out sports gear with our logo on them to customers’ children. Additionally, we support local education on the primary, secondary and university level. It’s my belief that by working hard for our customers, we establish a lasting customer base that will return to one of our stores for the finest service around.

“All of this has to do with our dislike of saying ‘no’ to any customer. If they need a ride to work, we provide it. If they need a ride home, we provide it. If they want to see the part we tell them is worn out, we put it in a plastic bag so they can show it to anyone who wants to take a look. There are no secrets here,” says Blackman. “Our slogan is ‘service you can trust’ and we mean every word of it.

“I even hire secret shoppers to check us out. Any weaknesses are corrected immediately because we want to stay ahead of our competition,” he says.

Atlantic Tire also has a variety of promotions and seasonal special offers each year, as well as designing its advertising around seasonal and holiday promotions.

Qualified Help
A student of consistency, Blackman hires only ASE-certified technicians who must exhibit a commitment to advancing themselves professionally.

“I expect all certifications to remain current and it is mandatory that our techs attend classes to keep abreast of changes in the industry,” he says. “For example, we send our techs to the Raybestos brake clinic in Chicago every year to receive training by the authorities in brake development.

Even the counter people at Atlantic Tire, who must possess a great deal of knowledge about all the aspects of tires, receive regular training at the Michelin sales training center in Greenville, S.C. The dealership also has TIA-certified specialists who help keep tire sales and service up year after year.

“Would you go to a doctor with no license to practice? Of course not, and we don’t expect our customers to trust their vehicles with people who are not certified to perform the work,” Blackman says.

“It’s all about knowledge, commitment to the business, a pleasant demeanor and customer service to the max. This may sound easy, but it is anything but…we must be on our toes every minute of every day to get it right. And we do get it right.

“That’s why all of us at Atlantic Tire & Service understand that when a customer walks through our front door they are honoring us with their visit. It’s also why we go to great lengths to hire people who genuinely like others.

“Our commitment to professionalism begins and ends with the customer,” said Blackman. “In our market area we have set ourselves apart from the competition because we are professional. Because our market is surrounded by such major universities – North Carolina State, North Carolina, Duke and others – 64% of our customer base holds at least a bachelor’s degree.

“These are very bright people who’ve done their research. We can’t fail to answer their questions properly or we risk the chance of losing their respect, confidence and trust.”

Atlantic Tire also takes the time to wash every car and clean the interiors before each vehicle leaves the dealerships. “We even take the time to make sure we shine up the tires before the customer picks up their vehicle,” Blackman says.

“We also believe that everything we do is a little different. Our staff makes a strong effort to greet our customers by name and we offer discount programs for regular and group customers. Making us even stronger is the hard fact that we have very little turnover at Atlantic Tire & Service, and that helps us build long-term relationships with our customers,” he says.

Living a Dream
For Anthony Blackman, the dream of being a tire man has come true. “As a youngster, I watched my uncle operate a small two-bay gas station. I saw and understood what he meant to that small community of only 900 people.

“He served the needs of that community and made a living doing it. But most of all I learned that the community was better because his businesss was in it.

Blackman’s business start was much like many dealers – long hours, undercapitalized and no steady income for months on end. “Although neither I nor my wife, Beth, ever questioned that decision, she said later that she did have some anxiety during this startup phase. We were successful because of hard work, a passion for the industry and instilling the philosophy that we are here to serve our fellow man. That has been the mainstay for our company and the reason for its success.”