Goodyear Chooses Maryland-based Donald B. Rice Tire Co. as October Dealer of the Month

AKRON, Ohio, Nov. 5, 2009 - The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company recently named Frederick, Md.-based Donald B. Rice Tire Company as its Commercial Tire Dealer of the Month for October.

Rice Tire was chosen for providing customers outstanding service, while helping them to choose from among the Goodyear, Dunlop and Kelly tire brands. The honor also recognizes Rice Tire for helping customers make full use of Goodyear services, such as fleetHQ and TVTRACK and G-TRACS automated retread tracking system.

Rice Tire also helps it customers achieve more miles to removal and a reduction in tire costs through tire retreading. Rice Tire uses the pre-cure method at its retreading plant in Winchester, Va.

“It’s a gratifying feeling to be chosen as commercial tire dealer of the month,” said Chris Chase, president of Rice. “The last 18 months have been a difficult time to be a commercial tire dealer, but we’ve survived just fine by concentrating on the customers’ needs.

“By conducting fleet surveys with our customers we look to see what type of tires work best for their operations and ask lots of questions,” he added. “Every fleet is different and every fleet owner has a slightly different expectation of tires and tire vendors.”

While courteous and timely service is important to Rice Tire’s customers, quick response to their needs is the key, he said.

“Time is money in most any business, but particularly so in trucking,” Chase said. “Whether we are doing shop work for a customer or replacing a tire on the road, the quicker we get the job done, the more money we can save the customer.”

Goodyear’s roadside emergency service, fleetHQ, has been an important recent addition to Rice Tire’s efforts to improve customer service. Before the fleetHQ Solution Center began handling its after-hour calls, they were being answered by a local answering service that also works for doctors and lawyers. Rolling after-hour calls to the emergency roadside tire assistance call center available through fleetHQ resulted in improved call response for its customers, Chase said.

“Because the fleetHQ representatives get the right information, our drivers are able to respond to more calls each week because they have the right tires when they respond,”he said.

Rice Tire was founded by Donald B. Rice, Sr., in Frederick, Md., in 1929. As a one-man shop, he earned a reputation for honesty and good service. The company became a Goodyear dealer in 1972. The company has grown to nine commercial truck tire service locations and a retread plant, besides its corporate headquarters in Frederick.

“Quick response to our customers’ needs, as well as innovative and quality products through the Goodyear, Dunlop and Kelly lines, have been crucial to our company’s success,” Chase said. “Our relationship with the folks at Goodyear Commercial Tire has also been instrumental.”

Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems offers products and services to the trucking industry, including a full range of original equipment and replacement tires and retreads. In addition, the company offers FleetHQ business solutions to fleets of all sizes. This includes the 24/7 fleetHQ Solution Center, national programs, tire management tools, on-line information access and business problem-solving for tomorrow’s trucking fleets. For more information on Goodyear’s commercial tire capabilities, go to the Goodyear’s commercial tire Web site.