How do you keep a multi-generational tire and automotive service business positioned for lasting growth? This was the opportunity Ryan Sullivan, Owner and President of Sullivan’s Tire Pros & Auto Service in Seaside, CA considered when he returned to the family business from a successful career in the technology industry. The answer: use the latest online chat technology to deliver the customer-centered experience that has kept Sullivan’s Tire Pros & Auto Service thriving for 70 years.
Locally-owned and operated since 1950, Sullivan’s Tire Pros & Auto Service takes pride in delivering a customer experience that provides friendly, knowledgeable, and hassle-free tire and auto repair services. Sullivan’s Tire Pros & Auto Service have been a local business leader in the Monterey Peninsula for well over a half-century. One reason for their lasting success is a dedication to provide each and every customer valuable service with integrity. Ryan’s vision is to deliver a service-oriented experience for today’s consumer while growing service revenue.
Leading Change in the Tire and Automotive Service Industry
Ryan Sullivan brings a unique skill set to the tire and automotive service business. A native of the Bay Area, he grew up in the family business and then launched his career in the technology industry. When Ryan’s father retired in 2012, Ryan returned to his family’s business. His technology expertise has combined with automotive industry know-how to transform the customer service experience for Sullivan’s Tire Pros & Auto Service, and for Tire Pros dealers nationwide. In fact, Ryan’s technology and leadership skills placed him on the Tire Pros Mission-Based Council (MBC) for Technology, a special group providing a technology playbook for dealers to successfully grow their business.
Turning a Website into a Customer-Engagement Platform
Ryan’s research on customer experience technologies for Tire Pros led him to Openbay Otis, the advanced online chat platform. “My role in the Tire Pros Technology MBC has me spending time discovering new technologies to equip Tire Pros dealers for growth. I became interested in what Openbay had to offer,” he explains. “I wanted to transform Sullivan’s Tire Pros growth by translating each transaction into a more service-oriented experience. Openbay Otis helps us do this.”
Ryan installed Otis on his business website and quickly realized an elevated online customer experience. “Before Otis, our digital experience was limited to our website,” Ryan expands. “Otis gives us the opportunity for an intelligent customer interaction that our website alone can’t offer today. The Otis chat platform turns our website into a more interactive customer-engagement platform by engaging our website visitors in conversations. Plus, Otis lets a customer take an action like schedule an appointment or get an answer to a question automatically, at any time of the day – something today’s customers are looking for. In short, Otis educates our website visitors about the services they need, and ultimately, creates a sale through a satisfying experience.”
Finally, for Ryan, Otis’ benefits extend beyond the website. “Otis helps our team be better prepared for an in-person experience by understanding a customer’s needs before they arrive for service. It really opens up the connections between our team and the customer.”
Building Long-term Relationships with Today’s Customers
Ryan sees the value Otis’ online chat technology brings to the customer service experience. “Sullivan’s Tire Pros & Auto Service is in business to build long-term relationships by listening to and understanding our customer’s needs,” says Ryan. “Otis is the next generation of how a customer wants to interact with our business.”
His advice for a tire or automotive service business considering Otis? “Make the time to get comfortable with technology, and see what it can do for your business. It will give you an opportunity to engage your customers in new ways and close more sales.”
Learn more about the benefits of online chat platforms and Openbay Otis here. To find out how Otis can help your tire and automotive service business grow, contact Openbay today.