CHICAGO, IL (January 22, 2015) – Today’s automotive dealers have an incredible opportunity for replacement tire sales and alignments in their service bay, but many are only capturing 6.5 percent of the current market, even though 20 percent of their customers need new tires and 30 percent need an alignment.
Until now. An innovative technology from Tire Profiles Inc. – TreadSpec™ Precision Laser Diagnostics– is putting these profitability building services in the fast lane for auto dealers and tire retailers.
Introduced in 2013, TreadSpec Precision Laser Diagnostics is transferring laser diagnostic technology pioneered for the railway industry and developed for Formula 1 racing into innovative laser measurement software solution that automotive dealers and tire retailers can apply to passenger vehicles. This simple-‐to-‐install and easy to use system provides a detailed customer report that clearly demonstrates the quantifiable needs for new tires and/or an alignment.
“Today’s auto dealers, tire retailers and service centers are challenged to develop new revenue sources for their businesses,” said Roger Tracy, CEO of Tire Profiles Inc. “When you consider that 20 percent of all vehicles they see need replacement tires and 30 percent need alignment, there is a tremendous opportunity for capturing these sales and their customers’ ongoing business. TreadSpec meets that need with a smart solution that easily translates to the sale of additional services.”
The TreadSpec Precision Laser Diagnostic Technology and hand-‐held Groove Glove system measure over 400 points across each tire. Then the TreadSpec proprietary software analyzes the laser data, checking more than 80 potential wear and alignment conditions. These condition codes include things like camber and toe adjustments, air pressure adjustments, feathering, shoulder wear and more.
Consumers receive a full-‐color diagnostic report that details the need for tire alignment, tire rotation, tire replacement as well as tire wear and braking distance calculation.
The TreadSpec system has been selected as part of the General Motors, Hyundai and Mercedes Benz Dealer Equipment programs and is also available as part of Bosch’s Flex Inspect Service Platform. Some 100 auto dealerships across the country are currently using the TreadSpec systems and seeing significant results.
TreadSpec offers two installed options to maximize busy service center space. The Service Bay unit is designed to be operated by shop staff and can be located anywhere in the facility. The staff member simply pulls the vehicle on the equipment, scans the front wheels, then pulls forward to scan the rear wheels. Total evaluation time is 30 seconds or less.
The Service Drive is the ultimate in convenience and efficiency. The consumer drives over the measuring panel when entering the service drive, and the system does all of the work. This allows the shop to scan 100 percent of the vehicles visiting for service, maximizing the revenue potential.
Along with TreadSpec, Tire Profiles Inc. recently introduced the new Groove Glove™ handheld laser measurement solution. The Groove Glove is ideal for tire retailers and service centers. Its portability allows technicians to complete a vehicle scan anywhere inside the service facility. Groove Glove utilizes the same proven cloud based software as the TreadSpec.
In addition to capturing the tire and alignment data on the fly, Tire Profiles Inc. has pioneered the ability to capture a vehicle’s VIN number without stopping. Within a matter of seconds after a customer arrives at the service center, a printed or electronic vehicle specific report is generated, giving a great tool to increase tire and alignment sales.
“The beauty of our system is how quickly and accurately this information can be obtained,” said David Boyle, COO of Tire Profiles Inc. “The key to maximizing this huge opportunity is the ability to look at every vehicle, while the customer is with you, not just the ones for which you have time.”
TreadSpec Precision Laser Diagnostics and Groove Glove are part of the Tire Profiles Group, which manufactures a number of different laser measurement systems and tools for the automotive industry worldwide.
About TreadSpec and Tire Profiles
Tire Profiles, Inc., led by Roger Tracy, CEO, and David Boyle, COO, who bring more than 50 years of combined engineering, automotive, technology and industrial design experience. TreadSpec is a division of Tire Profiles, Inc., headquartered in Chicago. For more information visit www.TreadSpec.com.
Tire Profiles was formed in 2008 as an offshoot of a South Carolina based railway diagnostics company called ImageMap. From the early 1990s, Tracy and his team of engineers at ImageMap developed diagnostic measurement systems for railway infrastructure and rolling stock. At the same time, ImageMap was also developing systems for use in the tire engineering labs of major tire manufacturers to measure tread depth and sidewall deflection of tires under load. The cutting edge technology of these “TireMap” systems formed the seed of what would eventually become Tire Profiles.
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