ATD ServiceBAY Expands to Include Training, Insurance, and Enhanced ATD Online Benefits for Dealers

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- American Tire Distributors (ATD) today announced a major expansion of its ATD ServiceBAY benefits package with the launch of ResourceBAY. ResourceBAY is a multi-faceted program that will provide ATD dealers with online training, access to comprehensive insurance coverage, rebates on CARQUEST product purchases, and a valuable enhancement to the ATDOnline Rewards loyalty program.

ATD's ResourceBAY was built in partnership with CARQUEST. ATD and CARQUEST have offered a co-marketing program to dealers for many years; however, this enhanced program offers many more benefits to enrolled tire and automotive service dealerships.

"American Tire Distributors explained their ATD ServiceBAY strategy to us over one year ago, even before it hit the marketplace," said Todd Sanders, CARQUEST's VP of Major Accounts. "We knew from the start that ATD's strategic marketing approach would enable us to build a stronger benefit program to support and reward our mutual customers."

Since the launch in early 2006, ATD has continued to add new elements to ATD ServiceBAY. "ResourceBAY is a powerful combination of benefits for our dealers," said Rich Cormier, Marketing Manager of ATD ServiceBAY. "Flexible training, nationwide insurance benefits, and increased profitability are at the top of our dealers' lists of needs. ResourceBAY offers programs to directly address these needs."

CARQUEST Technical Institute (CTI) provides the training platform for ResourceBAY. CTI technical courses, branded as e-Learning, will benefit ATD dealers by keeping them up-to-date on servicing today's increasingly sophisticated automobiles. Dealers participate in the courses on-line, which provides a dealer with the flexibility to take the course when and where they want. ATD dealers will have two CTI technical e-Learning courses included in their ResourceBAY program.

ResourceBAY dealers will also receive two Technician Assessments and five ASE test preparation courses as part of the program. Technician Assessments are valuable to a dealer because they allow him to test a potential new hire or to monitor the knowledge of an existing technician. ASE Test Prep courses provide a great opportunity for a technician to get ready for an upcoming certification test. Both the Technician Assessments and ASE Test Prep are also taken on-line so the technician has the flexibility to use before or after work hours.

"Keeping myself and my technicians up-to-speed on the latest tire and service technology is an ongoing challenge because technology changes so rapidly," commented Larry Williams of University Tire in Charlottesville, Virginia, "Having training opportunities that are flexible to fit my busy schedule would be a huge asset."

ResourceBAY will also include a comprehensive, national insurance program through CAAIC. "Our dealers have been requesting help on the insurance front, especially over the last 24 months, as costs have continued to increase for the business owner," said ATD's Cormier. "ResourceBAY has the potential to help our dealers control costs, while maintaining a competitive benefits package for employees,"

CAAIC works with endorsed agencies across the United States to offer medical, dental, vision, worker's compensation, disability, building liability, and property coverage. CAAIC can also recommend options on group 401K plans.

In addition to the training and insurance components, dealers participating in ResourceBAY will earn valuable rebates on their CARQUEST product purchases. Howard Fleischmann, owner of Community Tire in Phoenix, Arizona said, "Based on my annual CARQUEST purchases, the enhanced rebate structure within ResourceBAY will result in thousands of additional dollars to my bottom line."

ATD ServiceBAY dealers will also have the exclusive opportunity to earn points in their ATDOnline Rewards program account by purchasing CARQUEST products through WebLINK. The ATDOnline Rewards program offers ATD dealers with a broad range of valuable and exciting products and vacations to select. This ResourceBAY enhancement will offer dealers the opportunity to build their point totals quicker and redeem more valuable items.

ATD will begin presenting and accepting dealer enrollments in ResourceBAY immediately. Over 8,000 dealers across the country are eligible to receive the benefits of ATD ServiceBAY, which now includes eight benefit bays with the addition of ResourceBAY. Other benefit bays offer road hazard and service warranties, funding for showroom upgrades, funding for business technology, private label credit card, ATDOnline Rewards, and much more.

American Tire Distributors is one of the nation's largest independent suppliers of tires to the replacement tire market, operating 74 distribution centers servicing 36 states. ATD focuses on helping tire and wheel retail dealers compete with larger retailers by offering the most complete, coast-to- coast selection of tires, wheels and related products and value-added services. ATD employs over 2,100 employees across its nationwide distribution center network, including 200 people in its Charlotte-area field support center, distribution center and regional hub.

CARQUEST is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and is committed to serving our customers through more than 3,400 locations throughout North America. CARQUEST is the premier supplier of replacement products, accessories, supplies and equipment for virtually all makes of domestic and foreign automobiles, as well as light and heavy-duty trucks, off-road equipment, buses, recreational vehicles and agricultural equipment. Additionally, CARQUEST distributes and sell tools, equipment, chemicals, paint and accessories.

CARQUEST is built upon operational excellence using metric-driven service levels and world-class products and marketing programs to provide value and solutions for our customers.

For more information, please visit CARQUEST.com