Jil McIntosh
jil@ca.inter.net

17 April 2009

Pirelli: A Leader in National Training for Consumer Knowledge

Knowledgeable Professionals Help Consumers Make Informed Purchases

Pirelli’s slogan is well-known: Power is nothing without control. But knowledge is also essential, for dealers and customers alike, and that’s the basis for the company’s new National Dealer Training Program.

The goal is to assist industry professionals, including retailers, wholesalers, and new car dealer service personnel, to better understand tire technology. By knowing what goes into a premium tire versus a commodity tire, they can help consumers make performanceand safety-based choices, rather than on price alone.

This is especially important as more new vehicles launch with technically advanced UHP tires, such as the Chevrolet Camaro with Pirelli’s latest P Zero products.

A flexible format

The program includes two experts who will train groups or individuals nationwide on current and upcoming technology. Jean-Francois Veilleux is a new trainer for Pirelli, while instructor and eastern Quebec Territory Manager Yves Day has been in the industry for 20 years, and is TIA-certified. While they teach, they’ll also learn what dealers require, and evolve the training to meet that need. The format is flexible and adapted to suit individual dealer requests, providing the best experience and the most knowledge to, in turn, be passed to the consumer.

“The program is important for consumers, because the people behind the counter will be more knowledgeable,” Veilleux says. “They’ll be even better at guiding consumers toward the tires they need.” Veilleux adds that dealers must understand evolving peripheral technologies such as pressure monitoring systems and nitrogen fill. “We will keep professionals on top of trends and innovations so they can, in turn, help educate their customers,” he says.

Knowledge from racing

Veilleux was a racecar driver and senior instructor at Jim Russell Racing School in Mont Tremblant; his experience is an important part of his tire knowledge.

“Understanding what a tire does is what you do when you’re racing,” he says. “You make the tires work for you, and whoever does it best usually ends up winning. It gives you a really good knowledge of tires. So what I do is product training, teaching dealers about the product line and what every tire does, to be sure they give the right product to the right customer, as well as technical training as to how tires are built. It deepens their knowledge of tire technology— the technology that Pirelli brings to the marketplace and why the tires perform so well. People don’t realize that Pirelli is the fifth-largest tire manufacturer in the world.”

Like Veilleux, Day also stresses that solid technology knowledge is essential for everyone. “The customer is only able to see that it’s round and black, and what the price is,” he says. “When our dealers know a lot more than that, they can sell the best product and the best model for the customer.

“At the beginning of my career, I acquired my knowledge in Milan at the head office, at the factories and in the quality department. During my training sessions, I am able to show dealers all the steps involved in tire production. With this approach, they better understand the way we build tires, and better understand our technology.” Day also notes that with the new Quebec winter tire law, it’s essential that dealers understand the product so they can steer new customers to the right Pirelli product for their winter needs.

Understanding tire innovation

“Pirelli has been building tires since 1874,” says Anthony Paulozza, Marketing Director for Pirelli Tire, “and has consistently lead tire innovations throughout the years. As the role of the tire professional evolves, this pool of knowledge allows us to help our dealers to fully understand modern tires, and be current with what tire innovation can provide for consumers.”

The new program builds on last year’s introduction of Pirelli’s online training and certification website, at www.pirellicanadatraining. com. For more information on Pirelli’s National Dealer Training Program, or to request a training session, contact customerservice.canada@pirelli.com or your local Pirelli Territory Manager.