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 practices.”
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 credentials, 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.”
Source: Tyretradenews
