Michael Hart owns and runs the Bob Jane T-Marts store in Nerang on Queensland’s Gold Coast. Having started his career working with his father at another Bob Jane franchise, Michael took over the Nerang store three years ago and also stepped up to become the Chairperson of MTA Queensland’s Tyre and Undercar Division, focusing on the opportunities, trends and issues affecting the sector. Motor Trader caught up with Michael to talk business, tyres, and more.

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What products and services do you offer at Bob Jane T-Marts Nerang?

MH: We offer a huge range of tyres and alloy/steel wheels. We also sell batteries, offer balancing and alignment services, and puncture repairs.

How long have you been in the tyre business, how did you get your start, and what has been the journey for you to become the owner of Bob Jane T-Marts Nerang?

MH: I’ve been involved in the tyre industry in some capacity since I could walk! My family has had Bob Jane T-Marts since the early 1980’s and I would spend a lot of time in our store at Southport when I was growing up. School holidays were spent fixing punctures and picking stock for the tyre fitters and I started full time in sales in early 2000. From there, and as I became more experienced, I became second-in-command at Bob Jane Mermaid Beach.

In 2005, my dad Neil Hart and I took over the struggling Bob Jane Beenleigh, with dad as franchisee and me as manager. We took an underperforming store and turned it around into the juggernaut it is today.

I was manager there until 2019, when a golden opportunity to purchase Bob Jane Nerang arose. I grabbed the bull by the horns and, for the first time in my life, became a business owner/franchisee.

The on-the-job training and customer service-focused attitude to running a business I have learned from Dad is the foundation to my success in business and in life. I’m truly lucky to have such an amazing mentor to learn from over my journey so far.

What is the benefit of working with Bob Jane and being part of that organisation as a franchisee?

MH: Bob Jane T-Marts are like one big family! We have each other’s backs and when the times get tough, we get together and support each other. We have a fantastic group of experienced franchisees who all work towards a common goal. Add to that, there’s a National Support office with support staff in every state and territory in Australia.

We are independent so there is no underlying agenda or product pushing, and we still have a ‘Jane’ driving us into the future with Rodney Jane, Bob Jane’s son, the CEO and proudly continuing his father’s legacy leading Australia’s number one tyre retailer.

You are Chair of MTA Queensland’s Tyre and Undercar Division (TUDQ). Can you tell us about the issues, concerns, trends, and opportunities that business owners in the sector are currently facing?

MH: The sector is like a duck swimming on a pond – from the top it looks calm and graceful but underneath its legs are kicking like crazy. On the surface, the industry is in good shape, but more experienced operators know it’s smoke and mirrors. The cost of new stock – for example new tyres, exhaust systems, suspension components and consumables like engine oil – has skyrocketed over the last 12 months or so. This has driven the increase in sales, so if you’re looking at sales increase on a PNL, you’re giving everyone a big pat on the back. But the cost of operating a business has also skyrocketed. End-of-life tyre disposal has tripled in the last couple of years with no long-term solution on the horizon; insurance/work cover premiums continue to increase; and wages and other costs like electricity are all on the up.

At the end of the day, the end user pays for the increases, but with interest rates increasing there is a lot of pain being felt in the back pocket of the average Australian.

Luckily, the supply problems we experience during Covid-19 lockdowns have been mostly rectified, though are not solved completely, while recruiting and retaining quality staff continues to be a major issue in the sector. This could explain the increase in mobile tyre services, which have no bricks and mortar costs and only one staff member and a van as overheads.

Tyre manufacturers are now producing tyres specifically for electrified vehicles. Are electrified vehicles making any impact on the tyre sector in Australia yet?

MH: There is no doubt EV/hybrid vehicles are the future of the motor industry, and many tyre manufacturers, such as Michelin, are leading the way with specific EV tyres. They offer less straight-line rolling resistance, so a vehicle can travel further on a charge, while also decreasing road noise (there is no engine noise) at the same time.

We stock a lot of tyres for the Tesla range, as well as Camry and Corolla EV’s, and I would 100 per cent recommend a specific EV tyre to be fitted onto an EV/Hybrid Vehicle. You would be crazy not to.

With a steady increase in EVs on our roads, the average tyre shop/workshop will have to adapt to the new and future technology they use, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). This is a big issue as the average tyre shop hasn’t had ADAS training but a lot of the driver aids – such as lane assist, and radar cruise control – are standard on new vehicles. Some wheel alignment machines, like the Hunter HawkEye, can reset the steering angle sensors when the vehicle is aligned, and some scan tools can also perform this process. However, without the appropriate training, you can cause more damage than good. Moving forward, all shops that change tyres and wheel-align vehicles will have to have some form of tech training to address these issues.

These vehicles will require a specific skill set to work on/service them and the MTA Institute is working like crazy behind the scenes to ensure we have appropriate industry training available.

How do you market your business? What is the most effective way you have found to get your message out to the public?

MH: At Bob Jane T-Marts we have a designated marketing department that handles all national and local marketing. This includes, but is not limited to, TV, radio, motor racing (our pedigree) and sporting teams. We also have a solid presence on social media. However, word of mouth is the best form of growing my business. Looking after every customer and giving them the best possible retail experience will always be our number one priority. Growth should happen organically if every customer’s expectation is met and, in most cases, exceeded.

How long have you been involved with MTA Queensland? What are the benefits of membership, and why did you decide to take on the role of Chair of the Association’s Tyre and Undercar Division?

MH: Bob Jane T-Marts in Queensland has always been a big supporter of MTA Queensland. It does offer many benefits for small, medium, and large motor industry businesses and the Beenleigh and Nerang stores were members before we became owners. HR issues can be a legal minefield, and MTA Queensland membership gives you full access to a fantastic team of workplace relations experts. There are lots of other benefits too, of course, such as free workplace safety audits and free EFTPOS fees and electricity price reviews.

I became Chair of the TUDQ approximately two years ago and have found the role to be very rewarding. I love engaging with members and the industry.

What does the future look like for the tyre industry and what plans do you have for Bob Jane Nerang?

MH: The future is exciting! No doubt there will be a lot of changes as vehicles become more advanced and automated, and it will be the businesses that embrace change and adapt that will succeed. The ones that stick their heads in the sand and pretend nothing is changing will fold.

The sky’s the limit, as is the future for Bob Jane T-Marts Nerang. I love my job, I love the industry and I’m so proud of my team. Together we will continue to offer excellent customer service and offer a massive range of products and services at the same time as embracing technology. I’m passionate about being a market leader and adopting new ideas and training. It’s always my goal to be in front of the market, not falling behind and chasing it.

What do you do with your spare time, if you have any?

MH: I love watching my teenage boys play sports! I’m an F45 member and a mountain bike rider, but my all-time favourite thing to do is sit in my spa with a cold beer!

Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (October 2022)

19 October 2022