The Metropolitan Magazine

There is an overwhelming, almost compulsive, tendency among business owners to attribute their company’s success to its superior customer service when compared with their competition. The problem is, it’s not possible for everyone in an industry to be “the best” at customer service (or any other aspect of business for that matter).
But sometimes that claim is true. And if reputation means anything, it is certainly true in the case of Delaware Tire Center, Inc.
“The roofing industry is really hard on tires, and down time is something we can’t afford — especially due to things like vehicle repair and maintenance,” said Sean Fahey, support operations manager of the Salisbury-based Peninsula Roofing Company, Inc. “DTC does a great job keeping our fleet of 30 vehicles on the road so that our clients aren’t left waiting for us to put roofs over their heads.”
But the estimable roofing company in its third generation of family operation isn’t the only local business that has come to depend on Delaware Tire Centers to keep it rolling.

“DTC does a great job keeping our fleet of 30 vehicles on the road so that our clients aren’t left waiting for us…"

— Sean Fahey

“Our relationship with Delaware Tire Center began about 18 years ago,” offered Gene Heflin, owner of Chesapeake Exterminators. “We were looking for a service business to do repairs and provide tires for our company and personal vehicles. After meeting [with them] and discussing what our needs would be, we quickly set up an account, and our relationship continues to this day.
“It is very important to a service company like ours to keep the vehicles on the road at all times,” continued Heflin, whose company was established in 1988. “DTC has always provided very quick and reliable service. Anything from tire repair to engine rebuilding, (General Manager) Jim Walling and his team have always been there for us. We recommend them to anyone and everyone.”
There are many reasons that DTC has earned such a sterling reputation for performance and customer service, but it all begins and ends with the staff.

“It is very important to a service company like ours to keep the vehicles on the road at all times."

— Gene Heflin

“All our people are highly trained and have become like a family with both the management and the customers,” praised Bonnie Deysher, whose father, James Baxter Sr., founded Delaware Tire Center back in 1968. “In fact, I believe the majority of them have been with us about a decade, if not longer.”
The image of long-term family network is not an exaggeration. Not only have people like Walling and salesman Johnny Jones (who Deysher says seems to have “come with the building”) been with the company since day one, Walling’s grandson and Jones’ son also work at DTC.
The outcome of all that experience and microscopic attention to every aspect of their customers’ needs is a customer base that overwhelmingly comprises long-term (even multigenerational) customers, repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. That’s why the DTC “family” is one that keeps growing by leaps and bounds.
“Probably 80 percent of our customers have either been here before or have been referred to us by someone who has,” offered Deysher, whose own immediate family includes son Ryan, 15, and daughter Keira, 5, whom the Deyshers adopted from China (and who was sleeping blissfully in her car seat not 12 inches over my shoulder while her mom was being interviewed). “But believe me, we’ve worked very hard over the years to achieve that kind of track record.”

“The clinic [Women's Car Care Clinic] was informative and losts of fun! I highly recommend attending one."

— Shana Smith

A necessary part of accommodating that ever-expanding DTC family of happy customers meant expanding the business itself, which is why in recent years they’ve built a 4,000-square-foot warehouse that houses only tires (in addition to the space they currently rent on Eastern Shore Drive to handle any product overflow), added four brand-new service bays and installed a bright 800-square-foot showroom/customer-waiting area (including one for just the kids) with TVs, refreshments and magazines, as well as clean and roomy restrooms.
“My first visit to Delaware Tire Center was last fall for a Women’s Car Care Clinic,” said Shana Smith of Salisbury. “The clinic was informative and lots of fun! I highly recommend attending one. I was very impressed with the friendliness and knowledge of the sales staff. Delaware Tire now handles all of my vehicles’ needs.”
Deysher reports that not only will the fully catered Car Care Clinic be repeated this year — on June 10th at 6 p.m. and again in the fall — but it will also be permanently established as a twice-annual event with a more general orientation that will include key service and maintenance tips to extend the longevity of any kind of vehicle operated by any kind of driver. “We care a great deal about this community,” said Deysher over what sounded like a muffled snore from Keira, who seemed more content to dream about zoo animals than discuss business, “and anything within our power that can improve the quality of life and especially safety here is something of paramount interest to us.”
In addition to tire sales and installation, Delaware Tire Center does alignments and brakes, services and repairs air-conditioning systems and transmissions, performs tune-ups and offers very competitive oil changes and lubes as compared with the national chains — all with optional “While-U-Wait” service. Go visit Delaware Tire Center soon and become part of the family.
Delaware Tire Center, 952 S. Salisbury Blvd., Salisbury, Md., 410-742-2171; Newark, Del., 302-368-2531; Dover, Del., 302-674-0234, www.delawaretire.com

Written By: Nick Brandi