Heffernan’s – First on the MAP in Ireland
It was back in January 2005 that Michelin launched its Michelin Accreditation Programme (MAP), aimed at recognising excellence in independent tyre dealers and raising standards of professionalism and customer services to the highest possible level. Then in February, MAP crossed the Irish Sea when Heffernan’s Tyres of Kildare became the first Michelin Accredited Centre (MAC) in the Irish Republic. Heffernan’s is a family-run business, founded in 1952 by Joe Heffernan and now run by Thomas Heffernan and his wife Linda.
The road to MAP accreditation is not an easy one – initially the Michelin Account Manager conducts a Gap Analysis, which essentially outlines the gap between the way the centre operates now and the standards required to become a MAC. When the centre believes that it has reached the required standards, a mystery shopper puts it to the test and, if this proves satisfactory, a full audit is carried out. Success in this leads to accreditation, but the story does not end there, as further mystery shops are carried out and, a year after accreditation, another full audit is conducted.