May 2019

MAY 2019 AFTERMARKET 43 meet customer expectations and to grow lasting relationships.” Equipment Commenting on Sigmavision’s TreadReader tyre inspection and diagnostic equipment, Sue says: “This gives tyre retailers the means to operate in a transparent way and rapidly build customer trust. A TreadReader Hand Held scanner can capture a 3D scan of a passenger car's tyre tread (fig 1). The full TreadReader Customer Tyre Report, which is stored in the TreadManager cloud portal (fig 2), presents with full transparency the condition of each tyre on the customer's vehicle. And what an interesting picture it presents. The rear tyres have reasonable tread depth, in places up to 4.9mm. However, the rear left, as we also see above, shows uneven wear. This is an opportunity to discuss how the customer can save money in the long term, by correcting poor wheel alignment to prolong the life of the tyre. “For the front tyres, there's little time left to take corrective action. The sensible course of action would be to replace the tyres, to ensure safer driving and an improved stopping distance. The vehicle owner might also benefit from some advice about regularly checking tyre pressure, as the front left would have worn more evenly with a little more PSI.” This level of detail is crucial says Sue: “More than anything else, the customer is able to see the exact condition of their tyres and make an informed decision regarding what to do next. For the garage business, there’s an increased likelihood of new tyre sales, both now and in the future. It’s also very likely that the customer will better understand the need for corrective wheel alignment.” She adds: “There's therefore no need for a 'hard sell' of new tyres, or a long explanation of why wheel alignment is necessary. Instead, there is full transparency, enabling an open and Below: Fig 2. TreadManager Customer Tyre Report example