This Veteran Believes in the Value of the Big O Tires Franchise
Eric Ramsower did his due diligence before investing in his first two Big O Tires franchise locations in January 2019. After serving in the military and a successful career as a business consultant, he wanted to use his skills to run his own business. A major criteria for Ramsower was that the franchise would be protected from e-Commerce. “Big O Tires is completely Amazon proof,” he says.
Looking at the competition, he saw that Big O Tires brought much more value to the customer. “Big O Tires does more than just replace tires. We also offer free inspections, a national warranty program and services and alignments—that’s a huge value for the customer. “I knew I could get behind that,” he says. “To top it all off, Sumitomo and Michelin are the parent company of TBC which owns the Big O Brand, so the supply chain is complete.”
Growth Mindset
Ramsower liked what he saw and purchased a third location in February 2020, a fourth in October 2020, and is breaking ground on a fifth in June 2021.
Partnering with long-time friend Eric Bott, the two men set their sights on serious growth. As owners of the Greater Maricopa County territory, they do business in the largest county in Arizona, with a population of more than four million. Their business territory encompasses all of Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale and surrounding areas.
Between the four locations, Ramsower and Bott manage 75 employees, including a general manager and four store managers. “Building these businesses has been incredibly rewarding,” Ramsower says. “I have worked more hours than I ever have in my life, but I also have become incredibly successful in the past two years.” Ramsower says that the corporate team laid out an amazing system to follow and has been incredibly supportive throughout the entire process.
Ramsower and Bott are currently building a corporate office for their operation and are poised for serious growth. “When we laid out a plan for our goals in building our company, we believed it would take 10 years to reach them. Entering year three, we have achieved 50 percent of the revenue goals, accelerating what we believed was possible with Big O Tires,” he says. The men negotiated the largest fleet contract in the company with Enterprise Rent-A-Car at Gateway Airport in Mesa, AZ. “We are excited about the possibilities,” Ramsower says.
Ramsower describes Big O’s service and products as best in class. “You don’t necessarily need an automotive background to run this business, but you should have business acumen, know your way around profit and loss statements and surround yourself with good people,” Ramsower says. As a veteran-owned business, Ramsower and Bott go out of their way to employ veterans. “We have been blessed to find good people to share in our success as we create good paying jobs with future career growth.”
What Ramsower appreciates most about the business is the service-based focus. “I can position my employees to concentrate on what’s best for the customer rather than just making a sale. It’s a great way to do business,” he says.
Why Big O Tires Franchise?
Franchisee support: Franchise owners receiveongoing support from the corporate team as well as from a large network of fellow franchisees.
Growth business: $40 billion industry
Consumer-centric focus:
The model is based on customer satisfaction and repeat business.
Vast customer base: B2B and B2C
History: Big O has a 58-year heritage and reputation.
Branding: Exclusive Big O branded tires and automotive accessories set the brand apart.
National warranty program: Tires and service are covered.
Technology: Franchisees benefit fromastate-of-the-art, high-traffic consumer website.
Marketing: The company provides award-winning, multi-channel
marketing for franchisees.
Supply chain: Anational tire
distribution network ensures a
complete supply chain.
Incentives: The franchise fee is waived for veterans and first
responders.