Spreading Out: Matthews Tire Maintains Business Ideals Across Multiple Locations
Managing multiple store locations is never easy. Although each store may carry the same dealer name, each is unique in its customer base, manager’s style, employees, equipment and inventory needs.
The challenge is keeping your employees on track and headed in the same direction, according to Trevor Rezner, general manager of seven Matthews Tire locations in east-central Wisconsin.
“Getting what you want communicated to everyone is tough,” he says. “E-mail helps, but it can’t get your tone across.”
With stores separated by up to an hour’s drive, it’s hard to get everyone in one place at the same time on a regular basis. Every Monday, Rezner has a conference call that covers sales, objectives, payroll, promotions and other concerns with team leaders. He also meets with individual store managers monthly.
The system has evolved, much like Rezner’s involvement with the business, which was started by Fred Matthews more than 50 years ago, and purchased by Rezner’s father in 1985.
Now, Rezner is a second-generation co-owner of the business with his sister, Debbie Duesing. When he came into the shop in the early 1990s, Rezner said, “I definitely am not staying,” since he already had employment elsewhere. “But you grow into the job,” he admits, “and it becomes part of your life.”
He handles the sales side, inventory and promotions. His sister, who also came into the business from another job, takes care of the administrative duties, accounts and employee matters with the title of controller.
Rezner says the division of labor developed to match each of their strengths and weaknesses.
Matthews has six retail locations to tap into markets close to the homes of its customers: Appleton West (the flagship store), Appleton East (opened in 2001), Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Menasha and Waupaca (a rural, ag tire store). All are Goodyear Gemini stores with eight to 10 bays each, offering full-service auto repair, ASE-certified technicians, and most are also American Car Care Centers.
Belonging to two marketing groups is the best of both worlds, Rezner says, since it offers travelers more options to match a plan with their hometown tire stores.
Two-is-better-than-one is an attraction for regular customers, as well. Matthews has opened a stand-alone commercial truck tire center, also in Appleton, that allows easier access for commercial vehicles, has more room for inventory, a large service bay and big parking lot.
Embracing New Technology
Matthews Tire has embraced social media in a big way, and with an approach that is still evolving. The dealership uses Facebook and Twitter to offer special deals, discounts and the opportunity to win prizes.
Rezner has transitioned from buying media himself to working with a Green Bay-based ad agency, Insight Creative, to handle the buys. “Over time,” he says, “they have taken more ownership in helping us grow and get the best bang for our buck. They got us involved in social media, and they work with us to keep up-to-date and create monthly and weekly promotions, including discounts.” The agency also monitors Matthews Tire’s Facebook and Twitter presence and gives daily feedback on any negative posts (so far, there haven’t been any).
As for the cost, Rezner says he can justify that expense as part of his ad budget. “Maybe it comes at the cost of a direct-mail or newspaper promotion, but at this point, it is as beneficial as any other means.” And the results? “I look at the feedback, the fans we’re getting and their posts. It’s a bit more tangible because real people are responding and communicating with you.”
The dealership has an e-mail club and does e-mail blasts once a month, not more often, to avoid turning people off. The company also is working with DME Automotive to develop customer loyalty programs via e-mail. A newly updated website offers professionally made YouTube video customer testimonials, travel tips and a page for “baby photos” where customers can submit an image of their mechanical “pride and joy.”
Matthews Tire still maintains a presence with traditional media such as radio, TV, billboards, moving vehicle ads and newspapers. The message mix is still evolving and hard to measure. Rezner says the gauge is: “Did you do new business and did traffic come into the store after the promotion?” He accepts that usually the promotion is part of a multiple approach, so it’s hard to tell which one worked.
Employee Involvement
“We believe our employees are our greatest asset and we try to be the best employer we can be,” Rezner says. The entire dealership averages about 84 employees. “Obviously, we have a business to run and we have to make a profit, but we also have a Christmas party, and we try to make our pay plans be as lucrative as possible. To help our employees advance, we’ll try to pay for any type of training they want to do. They are part of us; it is a family business.”
Rezner adds, “When they have a wedding or baptism, we’re part of it.” He’s proud of the low turnover, with the group averaging eight years’ employment.
“Rezner knows he is only as good as the people he has working for him, and for that reason he’s always coming up with creative ways to keep things fresh,” says Rick Roesler, manager at Appleton East. “It’s always about ‘what can I do for the employees of Matthews Tire?’”
When he needed to recruit new technicians, Rezner learned the best trade-school students were going to auto dealerships. “They offered scholarships to offset tuition, so we started doing that and it led to bigger and better things. We really believe in growing our own technicians,” he explains. To retain technicians, he tries to challenge them, gives them growth opportunities, reimburses them for passing ASE tests and pays a bonus for ASE master-certification. “It’s good for customers, and it shows the employee wants to improve and get better in the industry.”
He averages one or two students per year. Some leave, but a few have returned, one after more than six years away. Rezner is now on the advisory board of nearby Fox Valley Technical College, and the company offers scholarships through the college.
Additionally, two store managers are involved with the high school auto apprenticeship program.
Rezner asks all of his managers to take part in some form of community service, such as church councils, sports teams, hockey associations, Lions, Kiwanis or Rotary clubs. The dealership participates in a Christmas collection, Make-A-Wish Foundation and the American Cancer Society programs. He believes, “Not only is it good for us, but it is also good for our community.”
Despite the downturn in the economy, Matthews Tire has continued to survive and prosper. Sure, the managers watch expenses and are prudent in everything they buy.
Also, knowing his market and not wanting to alienate customers, Rezner is careful not to oversell. “Like I preach to everybody, just do it right and take care of the customer and everything else is going to take care of itself. That’s been our philosophy even when the economy was good. We have a good base of customers because we’ve taken care of them.”
He has proof, too. Customers voted Matthews Tire “dealer of the year” four years in a row in a contest appearing in the local Post-Crescent newspaper.