Mazda plans to include tyre fitting in an online service booking facility it is rolling out as part of a website upgrade to all dealers. The websites are templated by Mazda UK, but are unique to each dealer.

NEED TO KNOW
♦ Owners who type in reg details will be shown all tyres available through their dealerships
♦ Dealers upload available time slots in own workshops

This allows the manufacturer to centrally upload details of national campaigns, so they go live nationwide at the same time, leaving dealers free to enter stock and local offers onto their site.

While some manufacturers offer online booking systems, Mazda’s dealers upload their own available time slots, giving them much greater control over their workshops.

Eventually, dealers will also have the option to offer customers a new tyre package online.

Mazda owners will be able to type in their car registration details and they will be shown all the tyres available through their dealership, from OE through to ‘value’ brands. The customer can then decide to buy the new tyres and book the change in with the dealer.

To prompt interest, dealers are likely to alert customers in advance of a need to replace them.

David Wilson-Green, Mazda UK aftersales director, said: “Typically, if a car has been given a visual health check and the dealer identifies the need to change tyres after a certain mileage, the customer can be left to search on Google and be sent to the major independents. Many don’t realise franchised dealers sell tyres.

“Making the tyre offering, complete with fitting price, more overt will give us a greater chance of keeping the customer in the franchised network.”

To ensure Mazda dealers are pushed to the fore at the start of the customer’s search journey, their websites will be optimised to ensure results from online tyre searches display them prominently.

“Dealers also have the choice to pay for search criteria to keep them at the top of the results,” said Wilson-Green.

Mazda says it won’t make money out of tyre sales. “We’ve made a convenience offering – we don’t want a commission.

“We want dealers to keep tyre prices competitive and to maximise the opportunity we’re giving, particularly with the arrival of winter and the winter-tyre sales opportunity.”

Mazda is signing dealers up now to the tyre sale offering. The tyre supplier is Micheldever.

Eight years ago, Mazda was the first manufacturer to adopt digital service records for its cars. The data this has provided helped to prompt the move.

“There are two perceptions we are working to overcome regarding the independent sector. One is price. The other is the greater convenience in using an independent outlet for servicing,” said Wilson-Green.

“Online booking is a major step towards this, supported by the digital service records, which we administer to alert customers to their servicing needs.”

Motor Codes ratings show that 94% of customers were satisfied with the service and repairs carried out on their vehicles by Mazda dealers during 2013.

“The 94% satisfaction rating is an endorsement that our dealers offer an open, honest and fair service, provided by competent and conscientious staff,” said Wilson-Green.

“The survey demonstrates that car owners looking for a reliable, trustworthy garage can be confident of finding exactly that when they visit a Mazda dealer.”