Bridgestone’s e-CENTRE concept to reflect an evolution in the future of Tyre Retail
• Bridgestone unveils new ‘e-CENTRE’ assessment which aims to improve the customer experience at Tyre Retailers.
• Bridgestone ‘e-CENTRE’ assessment to start in the UK with further roll out in other European markets expected in the future.
• Bridgestone-CENTRE Pioneer depots look to support garages to implement improvements including solar panel installations and EV servicing.
Bridgestone has given a unique glimpse into the future of mobility, after unveiling its Bridgestone ‘e-CENTRE’ garage concept to reflect a significant evolution in the future of tyre retail.
Bridgestone partnered with Ernst & Young to identify future Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) requirements for tyre retailers. Using these requirements as a guide Bridgestone evolved this to an assessment which includes 85 different criteria. Retailers will be assessed on these standards, to enable them to achieve Bridgestone e-CENTRE status.
Bridgestone will actively support partner retailers in implementing identified improvements and will offer their guidance and expertise to enhance the driver experience. Four UK garages have become the first to sign up as pilot depots and have undergone an extensive assessment process featuring 85 questions, as they work to achieve Bridgestone ‘e-CENTRE status’ or ‘e-CENTRE Pioneer Status’ which Bridgestone intends to be the benchmark in retail & ESG excellence.
Bridgestone plans to assess hundreds of tyre retailers across Europe, over the next couple of years with the intention of accrediting 150 as e-CENTRES in a £1 million investment.
It is envisaged that Bridgestone e-CENTRE Pioneer depots will represent a massive departure from a conventional garage aesthetically, but importantly, they will also adhere to a number of best practices including solar panel installations, staff training on premium product performance & road safety initiatives and even hyper-local donation campaigns to support their local communities.
Bridgestone’s Head of Marketing UK and Ireland, and e-CENTRES project lead Andy Mathias said that the e-CENTRE concept embodies the company’s holistic approach to business around future mobility.
“We developed the Bridgestone e-CENTRE concept on the back of an extensive study with Ernst & Young and additionally conducted our own research with motorists, which revealed that over a third of motorists value a garage which has responsible recycling practices1.”
Bridgestone commissioned the research to gain a better understanding of motorists’ mindsets, which validated their outlook towards automotive retail and future mobility.
In this recent insight into purchasing trends in the UK automotive retail sector, Bridgestone can also reveal that almost a quarter (23%) would be more likely to visit a garage if it had proven sustainability credentials1, whether it be renewable energy sources or effective adoption of EV practices.
Andy Mathias adds: “Bridgestone e-CENTRE’s is a concept that we’re bringing to reality because it’s the right thing to do for the future. It embodies the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, which is our global corporate pledge that clearly defines the value we will deliver to society, our customers, and future generations through a set of eight focus areas*.”
“We want to ultimately improve the buying experience as motorists enter each Bridgestone e-CENTRE accredited store, with conventional desk and waiting area designs potentially replaced by a more contemporary customer space in line with a more consultative and educational approach”.
“This is one of the biggest projects we have undertaken in collaboration with our retail partners. We’re showing that we have the passion to make a tangible difference to the industry and society as a whole. A Bridgestone e-CENTRE will not only represent a better way of doing business, but it will represent giving customers a better experience in the future.”
*Bridgestone’s premium tyre portfolio and approach to sustainability is embodied in the Bridgestone E8 Commitment – a set of eight areas (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, Empowerment) that provide a compass to guide strategic priorities, decision making and actions throughout every area of the business.
ENDS
1. Bridgestone Commissioned Research carried out online by Research Without Barriers (January 2024) comprising 2,000 UK car owners. All research conducted adheres to the UK Market Research Society (MRS) code of conduct (2019). RWB is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and complies with the DPA (2018).
Media information: For more information about this press release, or if you have any more questions, please call Ben Smallman at Ben Smallman PR on +44 (0) 7833 463195 or email ben@bensmallmanpr.com. Alternatively, please contact Helen Roe at helen.roe@bridgestone.eu
About Bridgestone in Europe, the Middle East and Africa
Bridgestone in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (Bridgestone EMEA) is the regional Strategic Business Unit of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tyres and sustainable mobility solutions.
Headquartered in Zaventem (Belgium), Bridgestone EMEA employs more than 14,000 people and conducts business in 35 countries across the region.
Bridgestone offers a diverse portfolio of premium tyres, tyre technologies and advanced mobility solutions. The company’s vision is to provide social and customer value as a sustainable solutions company. The Bridgestone E8 Commitment is a broad, global corporate commitment that clearly defines the value the company is promising to deliver to society, our customers and future generations in eight focus areas; Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease and Empowerment. These provide a compass to guide strategic priorities, decision making and actions throughout every area of the business.
For more information about Bridgestone in EMEA, please visit our newsroom and www.bridgestone.comhttp://www.bridgestone-emia.com/http://press.bridgestone-emia.com/. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn.