A beta version of the Michelin Restaurants website has gone live, and the French company welcomes the involvement of online users and restaurant operators in finalising the site. Michelin explains that the http://restaurant.michelin.fr site – at present the Michelin Restaurants concept only covers France – offers a multi-criteria search engine that allows users to choose a restaurant corresponding to their desires and budget.
Cambrian Tyres is investing “substantially” in the development of a wholesale customer relations management (CRM) and virtualised server package with Cam Systems. According to a statement from Cam, Cambrian Tyres is continuing its partnership with the software solutions provider, providing it with more effective customer connectivity and future proofing its business for the next 10 years.
Kent-based distributor Wheelwright has launched the Calibre Couture range onto the UK market. The company said the collection of diverse designs would sit above the firm’s Calibre portfolio; the Couture range is aimed at the upper end of the vehicle parc, with several distinguished designs and fitments.
A business with multiple sites located across North West England, Equipe Tyre & Autocare is now seeing the benefit of monitoring energy usage. The idea is simple. If you can save energy you can save money. However, according to the company, getting on top of energy bills across all of its sites before the installation of smart meters was difficult; poor billing was a significant problem with meters being read infrequently. This led to over-estimated and costly bills being received. Equipe wanted a solution that would enable them to monitor usage, reduce the amount of energy wasted and most importantly ensured accurate billing for all of its premises.
Link Tyre Sales Ltd, based in Dewsbury, is introducing UniSerV from Cam Systems to its business. The company signed up for the system after witnessing the extensive benefits of the UniSerV platform in call logging, customer policy and contract management, integrated Casing Management and improved breakdown form processing at the UniSerV roadshow hosted by Cam Systems in October 2011.
February's Tyres & Accessories is now available online to read as an virtual e-paper. Subscribers can view this content, which includes features on light commercial vehcle tyres and diagnostics systems and equipment by clicking more.
HiQ will move “nearly all” of its promotion of the HiQ fast fit network away from traditional newspapers, radio and trade press to more online exposure, the network’s Wolverhampton PR agency Connect has revealed. The move follows the revamp of HiQ’s website for a new look and engagement strategy. Social media streams will be important to the brand’s new marketing strategy, with its website introducing a multi-media blogging channel from the end of March.
Cam Systems’ Cameo suite will provide the platform for Wigan car and commercial tyre operator Ashton Tyres’ retail operation. The company says adopting the system will aid the expansion of the operation currently taking place, having completed a new building to house its commercial operation adjacent to its existing site. Director John Philbin sought advice from industry peers on software systems to suit his purposes: “Everyone I spoke to recommended Cameo. “Cam Systems is constantly developing the platform and is the market leader in innovation in the industry. The efficiencies Cameo delivers will enable our team to be more productive and we will save on hard costs.”
Online ordering was first launched by Dutch wholesaler Heuver Tyrewholesale in 2008, and the company reports that last year it accounted for 12 per cent of total sales. This figure represents a much higher utilisation of the online facility, and Heuver says this boost occurred through the introduction of what it calls a bonus shop. The introduction of this online incentive scheme, which offers a savings system for gifts, resulted in a faster acceleration in digital traffic than anticipated – the wholesaler says it resulted in a doubling in the number of online orders it received in 2011. Heuver states that its move into digitising orders, including the introduction of a mobile website, clearly meets a need.
German-based tyre website Tyre24 recently launched Tyre24.fr SARL at the Pneu Expo 2012 Lyon (France) between 7 and 9 February 2012. Exhibiting from a 40 square metre stand, the French branch of the B2BPlattform which has been online since 2010, launched the latest offering into what is new territory for the company.
Alba Diagnostics has announced the launch of the firm’s new website. Designed for ease of use, this site allows the visitor to navigate freely around the complete Alba range. Some of the site’s new features include: a dedicated distributor area, giving access to online ordering, technical information, YouTube videos, special offers and promotions.
Michelin is running a competition through its Facebook page to find motorsport fans’ favourite British racing circuits. Respondents have the chance to win VIP tickets to Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) events held at their nominated circuits, where the Michelin supplied Formula Renault UK and Renault Clio Cup will take place.
A new tyre website claims to marry up the dual intentions of supporting local independent garages with ensuring consumers get the best deal possible, In essence TyreQuote.com aims to fill a perceived gap in the market that is currently dominated by dealerships that can afford to run nationalised advertising campaigns, local garages are increasingly finding themselves under threat.
If you have no objections to having your driving behaviour constantly monitored, then prepare to be rewarded with a potentially lower insurance premium. Satnav company Tomtom has entered the insurance market through a partnership with insurance broker Motaquote and is providing the technology behind a new insurance product, Fair Play Insurance, which bases premiums on driving behaviour.
At a recent dealer event, Hankook Tire America unveiled plans to launch an associate dealer programme during 2012. US-based industry publication Tire Review reports company officials as saying the as-yet unnamed programme will be formally introduced on 1 April. While details are still being finalised, the programme will apparently feature a tiered volume- and product-based bonus reward system. Participating dealers will receive start-up and POS kits. Hankook shares that distributors will be eligible for cash rewards based on sales volume and sales of key premium tyres.
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