Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that include everything from adaptive cruise control to backup cameras, lane departure warnings and more are on the rise and not just in luxury vehicles.
“As we are in 2024, over 40% of all cars on the road have some version of ADAS on them,” says Stewart Peregrine, senior executive of ADAS sales at Autel. “And those on-road numbers are expected to continue to climb, presenting a prime avenue for tire dealers to expand service offerings to include repair and recalibration of ADAS in their service lines.”
Multiple benefits
According to Duane Watson, technical trainer at Bosch Mobility Aftermarket, the benefits of adding ADAS service to a tire dealer’s offerings can be two-fold.
“By implementing ADAS services, shop owners and technicians can simultaneously eliminate reliance on outside partnerships and grow their business," he says.
Ryan Gerber, ADAS product specialist at Hunter Engineering Co., echoes Watson’s sentiment.
“What it really comes down to is value for the customer and value for your business,” he says. “You’re servicing their vehicle correctly, as required, and helping to keep them safe. You’re also servicing your business by opening up a new revenue stream and increasing your profitability.”
Education is key
Once ADAS equipment has been purchased, marketing ADAS service may seem like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be, says Gerber. He suggests starting with the basics.
“First and foremost, if you haven’t already, learn about ADAS. This may seem obvious, but you need to know which cars have which systems and what needs to happen when any of the components are disturbed. Do your research. Use look-up guides and become familiar with the information.
“After that, the best advice would be to begin the marketing conversation with the customer now,” before their vehicles require calibration services.
“Ask them about the systems on their vehicle, point out their locations, explain what they provide and how they work and when and why the systems will need calibration.”
Gerber emphasizes that there’s no “right time” to start the discussion. “You can start these conversations when they’re in for any reason, such as an oil change or wiper blade replacement,” he says.
“Educating the customer will alert them to the value and safety (of) ADAS, which really can’t be overestimated. When the time does come for calibrations, the acceptance rate will be much greater than if they’d never heard of ADAS, which could well be the case otherwise.”
Education should be at the core of any ADAS conversation, says Peregrine, especially since many customers are not yet familiar with ADAS or are operating under a limited understanding of the technology’s capabilities.
“My advice to market and sell ADAS service is first to educate the local customer base on what ADAS is. These safety features found on vehicles today need to be aimed and calibrated to do their intended job on the road. Changes in ride height, tire size and common services like alignments and suspension work require ADAS calibrations.
“A campaign around bundled services would be a good way to sell” ADAS calibrations, according to Peregrine.
Vehicle owners aren’t the only customers to target once you have your ADAS equipment set up, says Bosch’s Watson. He suggests allocating a segment of your marketing to other tire dealers who are looking to outsource ADAS service.
“Depending on the repair job, these shops often outsource these services to other shops or dealerships or turn down the business altogether.”
Targeted marketing to these dealers can mean snagging a consistent stream of incremental ADAS work.
“One critical piece of advice I’d share is to understand your target audience and how they receive their information,” says Watson. “Once you understand who the audience is, you must determine which communication channels (to) best reach them.”
Then use clear, concise messaging to reach out, he advises. “Shop owners are most easily reached via trade magazines, social media networks, online forums and small business events.”
Parminder Singh, tech support at Texa USA, stresses the need to emphasize the value-add of ADAS services to customers — be it another tire dealership or a customer who is already patronizing a dealership.
“To effectively market and sell ADAS services as a tire dealer, it’s crucial to understand the unique value these systems bring to your customers and how to communicate the value of your business.
“Having in-house brochures to demonstrate your trusted calibration ability to customers - as well as mailer promotions to local businesses reminding them of your proximity versus higher-cost dealership calibration services - will help you expand your local repeat business.”
Tips to pitch ADAS
Choosing the right time to bring up additional services and costs to a customer can be tricky.
“The best way to sell ADAS services to customers is to inform them on the front end of the service,” says Autel’s Peregrine. “This should occur at the same time that other services from the same sale are being discussed."
Peregrine says Autel has “a wheel alignment filter on our website that will help shops understand what is required ... following (an) alignment. This makes the process a lot easier and prompts the start of a sales conversation that might go something like this: 'I see that you are scheduling an alignment today. Based on your car make and model, a steering angle relearn and ADAS calibration is required after the alignment. Can we go ahead and schedule this work to get you back on the road?’”
Singh from Texa USA agrees that alignments are the easiest and most common opportunity to bring ADAS services up organically.
“I would highlight the connection between wheels and driver assist system accuracy,” he says. “When a wheel alignment has been performed, the vehicle manufacturer specifications require ADAS calibration because the sensor field of visibility has been altered. The same principle applies when wheel size has been changed or the ride height has been changed, causing a sensor field of visibility adjustment.
"When wheel or suspension work has been completed, it is the installer’s responsibility to inform their customer of the required ADAS calibration to confirm their vehicle is safe to drive, as per the vehicle manufacturer’s specifications.”
Hunter's Gerber notes that minor tweaks to a vehicle can impact the ADAS enough to require calibration. In fact, he says that “anything that affects the angle of the cameras or radar even slightly triggers a calibration.
"One component of ADAS that’s often overlooked is resetting steering systems. A vast majority of vehicles have steering sensors that need calibrated after wheel alignment. These sensors feed input data to the ADAS systems for proper operation. This service is a great segue to having larger conversations regarding ADAS.”
Watson from Bosch suggests offering complimentary scans to check the status of a vehicle’s ADAS systems, with or without issues present. He also recommends that tire dealers “train staff in how to communicate the importance of recalibrations after a tire change, wheel alignment or other service.
“The best way to educate your customers about how (the) ADAS in their vehicle works is by pointing out the technologies they use every day and breaking down their most basic functions,” he says. “It’s helpful to let them know how these systems can be compromised ethrough debris from the road, damage to the exterior of the car or even general wear and tear.”
He also advises that dealers “offer clear pricing to increase transparency and trust between your technicians and customers.”
Marketing to other dealers
When marketing ADAS service capabilities to fellow tire dealerships, Watson suggests using online testimonials to help build initial credibility.
He also suggests “utilizing previous relationships with other shop owners” to establish new relationships, adding that this can be accomplished through in-person demonstrations, in-person meetings and other networking events.
He also recommends that tire dealerships “leverage (their) social media to share their shop’s ADAS capabilities to target audiences. A post in a local Facebook group of repair shop owners or gearheads is a great way to introduce your shop’s capabilities to an engaged audience.”
“Most customers have only a passing knowledge of ADAS, if that,” says Gerber, “which is why it’s so important to begin planting the seeds now and getting them acquainted with what’s coming down the road.
"Most calibrations that a tire shop will see will be fairly simple, but a few can be fairly expensive. The more time customers have to get used to this idea, the better.”
And it isn’t just customers who need education, according to Singh. “It’s best to first and foremost train your staff and have them educate each customer. Training service employees on how to discuss your trusted ADAS calibration ability with customers or local repairers in a way that is informative or educational will be key for multiple levels of return business.
"When they believe your business is growing in responsible, new directions, they will feel more confident to return for service in and out of the wheel well," he says.
