Introduced in March at the Mid-America Trucking Show, Yokohama Tire Corporation's (YTC) new SmartSolution Certified Dealer Program already has several hundred service providers as qualified members. And by the end of the year, the number is expected to be more than a thousand individual locations across the country, providing superior service to fleets, according to Rick Phillips, Yokohama's director of commercial sales.
"The SmartSolution Certified Dealer Program benefits large and small fleets as well as owner operators," said Phillips. "The way a manufacturer delivers its products to the market is as important as the product itself. We are very selective with who represents and distributes our product to the transportation industry and have spent years developing and building an intricate and capable network of the best service providers in the country. I feel we offer the best distribution network in the industry."
The certified dealer program is based on YTC's SmartSolution communications platform, which is aimed at dealers, fleet owners and truck operators. The platform is divided into a four-pillar value proposition: longevity, efficiency, availability and dependability. Phillips said the "availability" pillar is highlighted in the SmartSolution Certified Dealer Program.
"Yokohama tires are available for purchase at thousands of points of sale throughout the U.S., including truck stops, making us one of the most widely available brands," said Phillips. "And we pride ourselves on customer service, so if a customer encounters a problem while on the road, we have them covered with our YES (Yokohama Emergency Service) dedicated roadside assistance program available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year."
To become a SmartSolution Certified Dealer, participants are verified as having met 12 rigorous and pre-established criteria. "It's a way to be a member of an elite group of dealers who've met the highest standards in the industry and be part of a vast, nationwide fleet support system," said Phillips.
Dealers who qualify receive special designation in the Yokohama Website Dealer Locator, along with a SmartSolution Certified Provider plaque, counter mat and a window decal.
"Most of our dealer and truck stop partners already meet these criteria," said Phillips. "The SmartSolution Certified Dealer Program formally recognizes them and promotes their capabilities to the trucking community in offering outstanding service. When fleets bring their trucks to a SmartSolution Certified dealer, they can have the strongest confidence that they will be receiving the most effective and efficient solutions to their trucking needs.
"Tires make up the third largest operating expense for most fleets," continued Phillips. "So the faster Yokohama and its dealers can get the fleets' trucks on the road, the more profitable their business becomes and the more productive partner we have become to them."
For more on SmartSolution and the SmartSolution Certified Dealer Program, visit http://smartsolution.yokohamatire.com/.
