Dancing on Eggshells - the Mike Welch blog

Auld Lang Tyre

2012-01-06T15:51:00.003Z

Happy New Year, Prosit Neujahr, Bonne Annee, Feliz Año Nuevo and Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

That’s it - another year done and dusted. It only seems like yesterday that Charlie Sheen was winning, the News of the World was crumbling and we were getting the bunting out to celebrate the Royal Wedding.

It’s no wonder that 2011 flew past when I think about what a massive twelve months we’ve had at Blackcircles.com.

Whilst we’ve heard and read a tonne of stories about economies and currencies struggling, I’m pleased to say that that 2011 was an exciting year for us – kicking off with the launch of Tesco Tyres and finishing with our debut advert on Sky TV.

It was also a great year for investments within the company. We have continued to ensure that Blackcircles.com employs the top candidates in each section of the business – not just in terms of their skills and experience, but also their drive, vision and desire to create a service that provides motorists with top value for money.

When you mix that together with the continuing growth of our fitting network – where you will find some of the best mechanics in the country – we can safely say that 2011 was the best year yet and 2012 looks like it is going to be even better!

Although the end of a year is a time to reflect on what has been achieved and what lessons you can learn from your mistakes, it’s also a good time to look forward and prepare.

We don’t want to give away too much information at this early stage, but, some of our main aims will be to invest in creating even more value for our customers when shopping with Blackcircles.com.

Since founding the company, making sure our customers are happy has always been one of our top priorities and we are positive that the developments in the pipeline will further enrich their experience.

As we roll these changes out I will be listening, with interest, to your thoughts and feedback. With our customers’ help, which has always been invaluable in the past, I am certain that 2012 will surpass 2011 – as long as the Mayans were wrong.

All that is left now is to raise a glass and wish you a Happy New Year.

I hope to see you all throughout 2012.

Vive L'EU!

2011-11-18T15:35:00.004Z

You would be forgiven for thinking that, until recently, the EU and ‘saving money’ were about as estranged as Sepp Blatter and ‘sensible football statement’ or Ricky Gervais and ‘Golden Globes 2012’.

While Blatter continues to do more jinking that Ronaldo’s feet in his quest for something sensible to say, we have seen Ricky handed the hosting of the Golden Globes again. An unlikely event when his poking fun at big Hollywood stars last time seemed to have all but killed off chances of a reprise.

Well if Ricky’s new Golden Globes gig shocked you, I’m about to knock your socks off with the news that new EU legislation coming into force today could save you money on motoring maintenance.

Honest. It’s true. There is a general misconception that having a car serviced away from a main dealer or using non-car –maker parts will invalidate its warranty. Like most urban myths this is not the case as long as any replacement part is either the original component, or a part of matching quality. Gripped with a desire to help motorists save money, the EU people decided to enshrine this in law.

According to my sources the EU people got crazy one lunchtime at Delirium Café in Brussels and returned to the office with joy in their hearts and goodwill to all men. The result is that main dealers are quaking. Thanks to the change in law, motorists can choose where to take their new or used car for a service AND can also specify that cheaper equivalent quality part should be used.

At Blackcircles.com we have long known about the benefits of using independent garages and have been successfully saving our customers lots of money on their car servicing. However, it’s nice to see the EU throwing their support behind this cause and doing what they can to help motorists.

So when you read all those EU stories don’t think too badly of them. Just remember that wonderful day at Delirium Café…and hope they go back soon!

On Monday Blackcircles.com is going to have some very exciting news to share with you. Check out our site at 9am to see what it is - believe me, it’s cool, very cool!

Have a good weekend

Mike

Girl v Jeremy Clarkson

2011-07-12T14:24:00.002+01:00

Change is a good thing.

Top Gear has the Stig and Blackcircles.com has the lightning quick Carol Brown. That’s right, we have our very own tame racing driver and she is flying high.

A former champ in the Legends series, Carol’s talent was recognised by The Sun at the weekend (Golden Brown) with a write up about her success since returning to the Legends. Two wins and second place this season means she is at the top of the standings in a quality field that includes former champs Ross Marshall and Colin Atkinson.

Blackcircles.com has been supporting Carol this season so we are delighted to see her in first place. What adds extra significance is that she is beating the guys in a sport where female drivers are about as rare as Jeremy Clarkson turning to his wife and saying, “Nicely driven Frances.”

The significance of this was brought home to me when I read an article in The Telegraph about cars built for women. Not so long ago the belief that women could not drive led to cars fitted with simplified gear change, electric windows to save women breaking fingernails, an umbrella and a vanity case mounted under the dashboard. Amazingly, in 1957 the government actually issued a warning film about women drivers.

If this stereotypical thinking had been applied to male drivers I can only presume we would have ended up with cars fitted with a remote control for everything, an in car toilet with complimentary newspaper and sport on every radio station apart from one…for the hard rock.

In the UK we have thankfully come a long way from these times although the struggle continues in other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, where women are banned from driving. Bonkers but true.

It’s great to see Carol leading from the front and breaking down barriers and we look forward to seeing her go from strength to strength. To break down a few more barriers, and after a very short discussion in the office, we reckon that our tame racing driver would make short work of Jeremy Clarkson. And so we’re calling him out. Do you want to see a Clarkson takedown?

Fight the good fight.

Mike

Let’s demonstrate on David Cameron’s lawn. Who’s in?

2011-06-22T11:19:00.007+01:00

Who do we blame? The UK government! What do we want? Cheap fuel prices! Who do we blame…

You get the picture. Just under half of drivers blame the UK government for the high cost of fuel. Not surprising news in itself but it comes as part of a new survey that shows two-thirds of motorists are cutting back on driving due to rising fuel prices.

If this means more people walk round the corner to Tesco’s (Yip, guilty) then some good will have come out of it. But that’s a bit like saying nuclear war will kill off two-thirds of the world’s population meaning smaller queues at Greggs. Weighing up the pros and cons, it’s not worth it, not matter how good their oval bites are.

We need our cars almost as much as we need to eat. If things continue at this rate it won’t be long before fuel protests become a popular thing to do at the weekend. And how long before David Cameron wakes to a small but enthusiastic group of protestors on his lawn. Seriously Camo, you don’t need this headache - you’re a busy man that needs his sleep.

I tried to find a picture of Camo’s lawn but the closest I could find was the PM standing on Obama’s lawn. Not what I was after but it gives a nice link to the question of ‘What happens next?’

In America, Google – clearly inspired by Boris Johnson (see a couple of blog posts ago) – have started installing 71 electric vehicle-charging stations at its Mountain View campus with plans for 250 more. The significance, we’re at a tipping point.

Tipping points can be hard to see.

The Interior Minister asks Hosni Mubarak to write a "Farewell Letter" to the Egyptian people. Mubarak replies: "Why? Where are they going?"

Pretty good joke but one that underlines that Mubarak just never saw it coming. This is not a political blog so I’m not talking about helping Camo pack his bags. Every movement has its tipping point and high fuel prices combined with the WCW team of Google and Johnson makes me feel we have reached a significant moment in the future of motoring.

All the best,

Mike

Stressed? Wrestle a Highland cow

2011-06-13T17:27:00.004+01:00

Here is a scary fact for you. In Japan last year, there were over ten thousand reported deaths as a result of overworked and stressed executives. Ten thousand!

You look to corporate America and there is a similar picture. Over 60% of individuals in what are considered executive positions reported feelings of high stress and anxiety on a regular basis. The result – higher health related illnesses and greater levels of absenteeism. I came across a list of signs that you might be in deep water but I’m being kind on you because just looking at it stressed me out.

I came across these nuggets while reading a business mag during some down time on the stunning Isle of Skye. I was preparing to tackle two Munros with some business colleagues and as we set off the next day the group’s high spirits couldn’t quite dispel my reflections that statistically speaking it might not be advisable to be taking the majority of this group to some place high let alone someplace without ready access to psychological support.

Morbid reflections aside, I was struck by the change in everyone, including myself, over the course of the day. The challenges and sights over the course of our ten-hour walk had a transformative effect and even if the thoughts of work were not quite left at the bottom of the mountain they were certainly relegated to the bottom of the rucksacks.

When you are going at 100 miles an hour all the time it can be difficult to take your foot off the gas. Thing is, if you keep going like that, at some point you are going to hit a brick wall with unknown consequences. Avoid the crash and make the time to give yourself a change of scene. You never know what you might see.

If you’re not ready to take off to the hills just yet then one of my executive team ‘helpfully’ flagged up the following - Why Successful People Leave Work Early.

Rumours that the team are all getting laminated copies are greatly exaggerated!

Take time to chill,

Mike

Bumbling into a green future

2011-06-07T09:33:00.007+01:00

“We are working with a mighty coalition of motor manufacturers and private sector partners as well as London's boroughs to ensure we create world-class support for electric motoring.”

Sounds impressive, right?

These were the recent words of London Mayor Boris Johnson, a politician with a Cruyff like ability to occasionally wrong foot the public and opponents alike. While there is ample evidence to support his reputation as a “professional bumbler, hurrumpher and fop”, I have to give him his due for putting his neck on the block and throwing his money behind what I think is a winning horse.

On a recent visit to London I snapped this picture of a car getting juiced up. It’s a curious pic but the significance of what is happening is seismic. It shows that a re-design of our cities is coming, the greening of our streets is accelerating and how one man is brilliantly bumbling the creation of a UK-wide charge point network.

The ‘juice point’ is one of 150 new charge points operating under Source London, the capital’s largest charging network. By 2013 the network will total at least 1,300 charge points – that’s more than the number of petrol stations currently in London. Cracking news! Just think, no more getting tempted by chocolate every time you buy petrol.

If I were BP or one of the other forecourt operators I would be going an odd colour of grey round about now. Think about it. On one hand petrol is hitting such a crazy high that people are considering whether they can afford to run a car. On the other, I can lay down £100 quid and charge up as many times as I want. That’s somewhere in the region of paying £1 each year for unlimited music and movie downloads. The petrol boys should be installing charging points in their stations as quick as they can or they may wake up one day and find that local council’s and new private operators have stolen their market.

Could we one day look back and remember that it was a professional bumbler that led the beginning of the end for the petrol profiteers? Quite a thought.

All the best,

Mike

I want a shower in my car

2011-05-31T10:37:00.004+01:00

They are smart cookies at Ford.

I was reading about a new car seat they have invented that uses electrode-sensing technology to monitor the driver’s heart rate. The high tech seat was developed jointly between Ford and Rheinisch-Westfalische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University.

I was pretty impressed with Ford’s new seat before I Googled this mouthful of a University but I hold it in even higher esteem since I learned that one out of every five board members at German corporations is an alumnus of RWTH Aachen. With that kind of pedigree we must be talking one uber smart chair.

Hailing as it does from RWTH Aachen, it will come as no surprise that the seat has the potential to diagnose conditions drivers were previously unaware they had. It could also warn you of an imminent heart attack allowing you to stop the car while the on-board telephony alerts the emergency services. Pretty nifty stuff and you know what, the technology is not even the really smart bit.

I’ll grant the techie bit is impressive but the bit I like is the total focus on keeping the paying customer alive. If I have a heart attack while driving the chances are if the former doesn’t get me the crash will. If Ford keep this thinking going then the next best thing to visiting a Doctor will be going for a drive around the block.

I mean, just think about what else the boffins must be working on. A gear stick that takes a blood sample to test your cholesterol level and broadcasts it to your favourite greasy spoon; the juice maker that is built into the dashboard to deliver one of your five a-day and my favourite, the auto pilot that would enable me to use the in-car exercise bike followed by the in-car shower.

As I know only too well from Blackcircles.com, some of the best ideas come from customers. So now is our chance to give Ford some ideas for in-car tech.

All the best,

Mike

WE deserved it

2011-05-19T09:06:00.003+01:00

When you are in the same room as James Naughtie, of Radio Four’s Today Programme, you get a feeling that something either very bad, or very good, is going to happen.

Luckily for me it was very good. What I should say is that WE completely deserved it.

The Scottish Business Achievement Awards Trust lunch is the annual event that recognises stand out Scottish corporate leadership in the categories of The Scottish Business Achievement Award, The Young Achievers Award and International Award. If you want to get a measure for the quality of the awards you need only look at past winners who include my old mentor Sir Tom Farmer.

The wit and gravitas of James Naughtie set a great tone for the evening where the only cut and thrust were the bad dance moves being performed by the best and brightest of Scotland’s business community. I heard one onlooker joke that the scene as a night made for YouTube and super injunctions.

I have been fortunate to attend a few award ceremonies over the years and have been delighted to pick up a gong or two along the way. The feeling of hearing your name called out must be similar to winning the Champions League – you’re up against top class opposition and you can’t quite believe it is you lifting the cup. Like every time before I got the same feeling again when I picked up The Young Achiever Award this year and it was a real Roy of the Rovers moment to pull it off against the top class opposition of Dougal Sharp and Robert Morrison. The thing is, there is not a pitch big enough to hold all the people who are responsible for me winning the award.

Over the past year I have received brilliant dedication from the Blackcircles.com staff, massively supportive manufacturers and suppliers, a Shankly like performance from our shareholders and patience and hard work from our garages. Then there are the real stars of the team, the ones who stick the ball in the net for us every single day – our customers. Winning on the night is a great feeling but getting the backing of this team every day is even better.

Like I said, I was lucky to pick up the award, but WE completely deserved it.

All the best,

Mike

Just leave the cars out of it

2011-05-13T17:48:00.003+01:00

“That’s an outstanding idea.” When it comes to motoring there have been lots of these – electric windows. Great idea. Ford’s plans to let cars talk to each other through WiFi and warn about potential accidents. I take my hat off to them. Closing streets on a Sunday to let children play in them. Monumentally RUBBISH!

I was shaking my head in amazement this week when I read that Public Health Minister, Anne Milton MP proposed that a solution to solving growing levels of obesity among children was to close certain streets on Sundays to that kids could play in them. Apparently they do it in Colombia. Apparently, according to Anne, it’s an outstanding idea. If men are from Mars and women are from Venus then Anne Milton MP must be from planet Snickers because that is the nuttiest thing I have heard in a while.

I still have the scars from many a skinned knee to show for my time playing in the street but my abiding memory of playing in the street was getting told to clear off to the park which, apart from being a far nicer place to run around, had the added advantage of not wrecking your football.

Banning cars from roads has no role to play in solving childhood obesity unless, of course, it’s letting cars ferry families to where they can enjoy leisure pursuits.

Anne Milton did concede that the idea may not work in all areas of the UK. Not in all areas???!!! Where exactly does she think this would work? There is no doubt that childhood obesity is a problem and the figures speak for themselves – two thirds of children will be obese by 2050 if current trends continue. Coming up with a slightly barmy idea trivialises the problem and is akin to blowing off your big toe while attempting to shoot the pheasant.

Good ideas are needed to solve problems and Anne would be better to focus on opening up green areas, investing in leisure centres and getting businesses involved in supporting sport and leisure. Just leave the cars out of it.

All the best

Mike

How do we sell more Tyres?

2011-05-04T18:42:00.004+01:00

Hello everyone.

Every time I boot this blogger up it makes me feel like I am getting ready to go on stage at the Birkenhead working mens club to do a bit of stand up - not that I am likening you guys to Birkenhead working men, and not that there is anything wrong with Birkenhead working men! anyway......................
Business is good and sales are up, however we need to do more. Our planning is underway and I am as usual hogging the strategy bit. I am pretty sure that nearly all of my best Blackcircles.com marketing and sales ideas have been either 'borrowed' or 'learnt' from customer feedback; perhaps as much as 80% of what we do is because we listen - a) because we care and b) because we realise we have limited brain power and budgets and customer feedback is educated by experience and it is free!

So. I wanted to use this new inter-web-blog platform to reach out to customers, friends and colleagues and ask 2 very simple questions;

1) In your opinion what do we need to do to reach a wider audience and sell more tyres?

2) What do you think the future should hold for Blackcircles.com?

You know my email by now, mikew@blackcircles.co.uk. All feedback and thoughts are welcome and I promise to buy you a beer, wine, coffee (or all 3) if I see you to say thank you - deals on tyres & servicing are a given!

All the best

Mike

I got clamped!

2011-04-30T10:01:00.003+01:00

Ok, ok, you got me...

Tyre boss forgets to put new tax disc on his car and gets fined. At that I can pretty much hold my hands up and say, fine, fair cop! However, thats only part of the process it now appears. After I have recieved my 60 pound fine from the Police foot patrol my details are passed to NSL, who based on their website have been put in place to, and I quote;

“Our priority is to make the city centre a safe place for all...."

NSL then spend the rest of the following day tracking my car down to apply one of yellow clamps to my drivers side boot. Another 160 quid and a letter to say if I dont contact them within 24 hours they will tow me away. Ok, I know it still isnt showing the disc but the tax is paid for and on its way, according to the DVLA.

Anyway, so I call them up as instructed and there is no answer at 9, 1 hour later and 35 calls on still no answer. So I call their national number and they tell me they can take my cash and although I will go onto the 'de-clamp' list I should still keep an eye on my car as they may still lift it - how and why? Well basically because they havent got very good systems of communication!?! But............if I do get lifted then I can apply for a refund of the further impounding fee...

Come on guys, surely with all this cash in fines kicking about you can afford to communicate with each other better? Or would that defeat the object of confusion and flood of domino effect fines?

My fault I guess, BUT, this is not a public service, and it is certainly not keeping me or anyone around me safe or safer, at least thats how it looks from here?

Blogging it!

2011-04-27T13:58:00.005+01:00

Hello, Hola, Bonjour, Hallo, Guten Tag, Ciao, Ni hao...........

So this is my first proper blog post, so welcome one and all!

The idea is that I can update you, our customers and prospective customers about what we are doing, why we are doing it and take some feedback about what we should be doing if we arent already. As always you can reach me directly by emailing, mike@blackcircles.com. I get loads of emails but promise I do read them all, and will try and share as much feedback as possible through this blog.

One of the big achievements so far this year has been our unveiling of the Blackcircles.com branded retail network. A bit of a hidden gem in our strategy this one, but I expect by the end of the year it will be far from hidden and that you will be hard pushed not to find a Blackcircles.com branded outlet near you. If you spot one of our stores take a phone-cam pic and send it over to me so I can expand the library of shots we have.

Looking forward to conversing with you all in the months to come, very best, Mike

Coming soon...

2011-04-26T10:51:00.002+01:00

I'm going to be launching my new blog soon, so please watch this space.

Mike

Blackcircles.com eyes voitures

2008-04-17T11:52:00.003+01:00

Finanical Times article 15th April 08 Blackcircles.com, an online tyre retailer based in Peebles, has expanded into France.

The company, which was established in 2001 by Mike Welch, then a 22-year-old entrepreneur, now has 25 staff and annual sales of £10m.

Through either its website or call centre, customers can choose the type of tyres they want and have them fitted at their local independent garage. The group also offers mobile tyre-fitting services.

Mr Welch, managing director, said the decision to move into France was already bearing fruit. "It's still early days, but the market over there is extremely lucrative and we're already seeing strong sales growth," he said.

The move comes just as Blackcircles.com is about to re-capitalise the business with an additional £500,000 investment from its private shareholder group. With the extra funding in place, the company forecasts that it will treble in size over the next three years.

The chairman of Blackcircles.com is Graeme Bissett, former group finance director of Kwik-Fit.

Michael Welch : Brands and China

2008-04-03T09:14:00.008+01:00

Well it’s been a good start to the year for us. We have recruited some great new team members and invested a lot of time in products and price. Added to that we have recently brought about some changes to our overall service proposition, investing in our store standards and practices – a fresh new format is coming which we are all very excited about, details to follow.

Generally customers are telling us that they are happy with what we are doing for them, but with a few exceptions as to be expected, all of which we are working hard to develop into our model – like same day tyre fittings, again details to follow shortly.

The market is interesting at the moment. The established manufacturer brands had a year of under performance last year, with the growth coming in the lesser known far eastern brands. This is partly due to availability – the fact that these new brands produce more plentifully than the established players but also because they are lower priced products and therefore have been well positioned to take market share from the big brands when customers have had to tighten their belts. The million dollar question is: are these brands equal in quality to the big brands?

It would be irresponsible to speak anecdotally on this subject – technically, and based on customer rating data, I would say that some of the new brands are not too far off in terms of quality and performance, some are way below, but are developing fast. It is the responsibility of the retailer to stock and promote those products that befit the customer expectations, however to a certain extent you get what you pay for, so my advice would be buying value rather than cheap is usually a good steer to ensure you don’t buy a pup – and consider the credentials of your retailer.

I recently took a trip out to China to check out the manufacturing facilities and brands. It makes for interesting viewing and certainly answered a lot of my questions. Far East product development has been largely driven by production, ‘how many can we make, how quickly and for how little’. This is a pull market, when the western retailers ask that same set of questions of the manufacturers on a daily basis what can be expected of the manufacturers (oh and we want quality and performance for the same price!), supply and demand. It seems that very quickly these manufacturers have seen the deficit in the price only approach and have begun significant investments in research and development thus investing in their brands.

So with lean infrastructures, plentiful supply, brands and the quality and price balance in order does this mean danger for the big brands – maybe, time will tell, or rather customers will.

Companies Increase Compulsory Tyre Safety Checks

2008-02-29T16:00:00.001Z

Research carried out by one of the UK’s largest tyre distributors has revealed that companies are increasingly subjecting their car fleets to compulsory tyre safety checks in response to concerns about the number of unsafe work vehicles on the UK’s roads.

The research, reported via the website of the National Tyre Distributors Association, was based on hundreds of thousands of tyre checks carried out over a two year period and suggests the around a quarter of inspected vehicles require immediate attention, usually due to the vehicle’s being fitted with tyres on which the tread depth is illegal.

A key reason for the increased demand for tyre checks is the potential impact of the corporate manslaughter act, which comes into force in April.

Tyre Safety Campaign for Motorcyclists

2008-02-26T17:16:00.004Z

Tyre safety organisation Tyresafe has announced that it is mounting a tyre safety campaign throughout March to highlight the dangers of defective or badly worn tyres on motorcycles and scooters. The campaign, the first of its kind, is being supported by BikeSafe, the UK police force’s road safety campaign, which will be holding a bike safety show at the police training centre in Hendon, North London, during the last week of March. The key focus area of the TyreSafe campaign will be the crucial issues of tread depth and tyre pressures in relation to road safety and the prevention of accidents. The timing of the campaign is not accidental: With the arrival of Spring, many bikers will be looking to get back on their motorcycles, and the fact that many bikes will have been stored away for the winter poses a number of potential dangers for riders, says TyreSafe. Tyres may become under-inflated and will be subject to “dry rotting” or "cracking,” particularly if the bike has not been in covered storage, and has been exposed to cool temperatures. Only two very small contact patches connect the rider with the road which means that maintaining tyres in good condition and using the correct levels of tyre pressure is critical to safety. Under-inflated tyres can cause the build-up of excessive heat which can lead to tyre failure, whilst over-inflation makes tyres more susceptible to cuts and punctures on high impact. Incorrect inflation can equally cause the bike to become unstable, affecting handling and cornering, but can also lead to an increase in fuel consumption and emissions, and a reduction in the life of the rubber. As part of the campaign TyreSafe has issued a list of handy tips for motorcyclists to make sure they keep themselves safe on the road during the Spring. - keep to manufacturer recommended tyre pressures and check your tyres at least once a week when they are cold - Bikes over 50cc should keep tread depth to a minimum of 1mm - Replace old or damaged valve stems - Don’t mix tyres from different manufacturers. Tyres should also be of the same pattern. - Replace cracked or bent rims without delay

Win a set of Toyo Tyres

2008-02-19T16:01:00.002Z

We've teamed up with Toyo to offer one lucky person the chance to win a set of performance Toyo tyres.

For the chance to win just click here and answer the following question:

What is the minimum legal tyre tread depth in the UK?

Don't take too long finding out the answer - the closing date for the competition is the 28th February 08!

Phone Problem Resolved

2008-02-11T16:27:00.000Z

The phone lines are back up and running.

The issues reported earlier today were as a result of our current call centre expansion and have now been rectified.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused

Phone Problems

2008-02-11T09:14:00.000Z

Apologies to those of you trying to contact us at Blackcircles.com.

We are currently experiencing a technical problem with our phone system and are unable to receive incoming or make outgoing calls.

Engineers are currently investigating this issue and we hope to have the call centre back up and running again very soon.

In the meantime, should you need to contact a member of the team please e-mail: info@blackcircles.com

Thank you for your understanding in this matter

Autosport and Pistonheads Show, Birmingham NEC, 11 - 13 Jan 2008

2008-01-31T16:29:00.001Z

3 intrepid employees (Marc, Aaron and Paul) set off for the Autosport and PistonHeads Show, Birmingham NEC on Thursday 10th Jan, after nearly 6 hours of driving, we finally made our destination. The stand was assembled in a couple of hours and if I do not say so myself it looked rather resplendent in amongst the other stands.

Friday was the first day of the show, trader’s day; we thought this would be a bit slow as most people visiting were not going to be our target market however we were proved wrong and had a fair bit of interest generated, especially with independent garages looking to join up with the Blackcircles.com revolution.

Saturday was the first day of the public show and much to our amazement there was some 40,000 people expected to march through the exhibition centres doors on that day alone. The interest in Blackcircles.com was quite amazing, with scores of people coming to the stand with stories of how good their tyre fitting experiences were. This was a great day and very beneficial because it gave the public a chance to meet representatives of the company and the three of us the opportunity to talk to new customers about the benefits of buying tyres online. By the end of the day the three of us were physically drained.

With much regret we entered into our last day of the show, the atmosphere was more relaxed and friendlier. A steady flow of people visited the stand throughout the day and this kept us ticking over nicely, more stories of great fitting experiences and just general pats on the back all round for the concept of Blackcircles.com.

To summarize, a very beneficial few days spent mingling with the public and enhancing Blackcircles.com in the public eye.

We're offering the opportunity for visitors to the show the chance to win a set of Toyo performance tyres. Just Click Here for more details.

Blackcircles.com launches on the Isle of Man

2008-01-31T15:24:00.001Z

Blackcircles.com is proud to unveil its first tyre fitting centre on the Isle of Man, Island Exhausts; this is situated in Douglas, the capital of the island. Karl Bennett is the proprietor of the business and is excited about the prospect of working in conjunction with Blackcircles.com.

Island Exhausts can fit run-flat tyres and fit up to a 30 inch maximum rim diameter as well as changing motorbike tyres. Island Exhausts also have, a clean and warm reception area to wait in whilst tyres are being fitted.

Blackcircles.com endorses tyre tests by Autocar Magazine

2008-01-28T10:00:00.001Z

Blackcircles.com has again demonstrated its commitment to giving customers expert tyre advice with the announcement of a new partnership with Autocar Magazine to offer video reviews of the leading brands.

Available exclusively to Blackcircles.com, the online video reviews will enable motorists to see tests of the leading tyre brands including Continental, Goodyear, Michelin, Bridgestone and Pirelli.

The deal with Autocar Magazine puts the leading tyre brands through a series of impartial tests covering wet and dry braking and wet and dry handling.

Motorists are able to access the exclusive video reviews by visiting www.blackcircles.com/tyres

Mike Welch, Managing Director of Blackcircles.com, said: “Autocar is the world’s original car magazine and we are delighted to be partnering with them to bring our customers a series of impartial tests that will help them make the right choice and the safe choice for their motoring needs.

“Blackcircles.com has always been about giving customers a high quality experience that enables them to purchase their choice of tyre easily and at low cost.

“The introduction of online video tyre tests, in partnership with Autocar Magazine, is another demonstration of our commitment to enhancing this experience. If after viewing the tests a customer still has questions then we have a great team of experts who are already providing answers and offering advice to hundreds of motorists every day.”

Mike added: “Customers will be to access the video reviews in the confidence that we are a non-biased retailer which we see as one of our greatest strengths.”

Notes to editors

Blackcircles.com was launched in 2001 as a revolutionary new way of buying tyres. Through either the company website or call centre service, customers can choose the type of tyres they want and have them fitted at their local independent garage at a time which is convenient to them. The group now offers extensive mobile tyre fitting services making the process even more convenient for the customer.

Blackcircles.com is a nationwide tyre retailer that can save customers an average of 40% on their normal purchase of tyres.

Managing Director Mike Welch left school aged 16 to become a tyre fitter in Liverpool. He went on to launch his first tyre business while still in his teens before being head hunted by Kwik-Fit as New Business and e-Commerce Development Manager. He left Kwik-Fit in 2001 to launch Blackcircles.com.

The Chairman of Blackcircles.com is Graeme Bissett, former Group Finance Director of Kwik-Fit.

Press Release: Call centre opening as Blackcircles responds to new trends

2008-01-16T09:00:00.001Z

Innovative online tyre retailer Blackcircles.com is aiming to attract thousands of new customers in 2008 with the launch of its Price Smash initiative that will see it open an expert call centre operation.

The move follows a review of internet trends over the last year where customers are being seen to compare prices online but still desire to speak with someone for expert tyre advice.

This has led the tyre firm to recruiting new staff and investing in a state-of-the-art telecoms system, along with re-training for existing staff, that will transform its Peebles headquarters.

Mike Welch, Managing Director of Blackcircles.com, said: “One of the themes we have picked up from customers is that the internet does not talk back to you and we aim to change that.

“Our research has shown that people feel there is a general lack of access to expert advice within the tyre industry. By offering an expert call centre operation we believe we can win more business by making the experience of purchasing tyres far more interactive.

“As well as giving customers immediate expert advice, our staff will be able to check current market prices across the web and do far more deals. Our aim is to ensure customers are coming to Blackcircles.com in the confidence that they are getting the best possible service and price.”

Mike also believes there is an opportunity to better connect with significant numbers of drivers through the new expert call centre operation.

While ordering online has become second nature for many, Mike believes that for the foreseeable future there will still remain a demand for more traditional purchase methods.

“A significant number of drivers are used to going to garages and talking directly to service assistants,” he said. “While they are prepared to use technology to equip them with information, they still want to ask someone for advice and to make the final deal.”

The introduction of the new call centre comes as Blackcircles.com further enhances its senior management team with the appointment of Mary Lewis as Head of Operations.

Having worked in both the public and private sectors, Mary has over 15 years experience of operations management in a wide range of sectors including retail, the Scottish Government, local government and the pharmaceutical sector.

Mary said: “I am looking forward to enhancing our call centre operations and will be overseeing the training of staff to ensure we are delivering the standard of customer service for which Blackcircles.com has become renowned.”

Launched by Mike Welch in 2001, Blackcircles.com has experienced year on year growth with turnover topping £8 million in 2007. Selling to around 100,000 customers, the company generates 30 – 40% referred business every month.

From Stephen Newlin, Head of Customer Services...

2007-10-14T11:23:00.000+01:00

I know buying tyres is a necessity and not really a pleasure for most of us, and one of our main goals of Blackcircles is to make your transaction as painless as possible. Nowadays the choice of tyres available to you is mind-boggling, and as a customer it can be a daunting prospect, and it's important that you can get impartial, honest advice. We're here to talk you through this decision - it's our passion to help you choose a product that will deliver what you need it to, we have the technical knowledge (and if we don't we can find out who does!) and the time to discuss it with you. From ordering through to having your tyres delivered or fitted, we're here to make sure it's a purchase that you are delighted with, and might even look forward to next time!!!

We deal with a huge range of customers as more and more people find that due to the changing market on tyres - the web is an amazing source of information, compared to the days of just taking what the local garage has on the shelf (which may not always be the best option for you). Dealing with such a variety makes our job so much fun - big and small cars, specialist vehicles (we love it when you send us pictures of your cars so we can see our tyres in action), and here in the office everyone has their own personal favorites - it's a treat for me when I have a customer with a Ford Capri (my dream car!). Working with and encouraging feedback and customer input has helped us really understand what you need - we really do listen and value your feedback.

We're here to help, so contact us whenever you need us, even if it's once a year.

Tyre Industry Issues Advice on Tyre Inflation

2007-10-14T11:19:00.000+01:00

The importance of maintaining the correct tyre pressures is a subject, which has come in for considerable attention by the tyre industry over the course of the summer. Research carried out by the RAC a couple of years ago showed that as many 6% of all fatal motorway accidents are caused as a result of blowouts caused by under-inflated tyres so it is high time that the dangers of incorrect tyre pressures are highlighted in this way.

Among the foremost campaigners for more attention to tyre pressures is Michelin who have spent the summer continuing their “Fill up with Air” campaign with awareness-raising roadshows throughout the UK.

The roadshows, carried out during July and August enabled motorists to have their tyres checked and pressures adjusted at nine different UK locations including Eurotunnel, Ashford, Banbury, London, Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, Stafford, Edinburgh and Oxford.

Michelin’s ‘Fill Up With Air’ roadshow has, in fact, been running in Europe for a number of years and has already gone some way towards ascertaining the degree to which the general public’s lack of attention to this issue is putting lives at risk. Indeed, statistics taken from roadshows conducted by Michelin in the UK during 2006 show that up to 82% of cars on the road are running on under-inflated tyres, with 63% so low that the vehicles are in danger of crashing.

Having the correct tyre pressures is essential for driving safety. Running tyres that are under-inflated lowers the speed at which the car will aquaplane on a wet surface. Low pressure also affects the car’s handling as well as causing increased heat build-up within the tyre, which in turn can lead to premature tyre failure.

In addition to the fact that under-inflated tyres are dangerous, under-inflation causes rapid shoulder wear, thereby significantly reducing your tyres’ product life and increasing your overall tyre costs.

Under inflated tyres also result in increased fuel costs as they create more resistance when your car is moving. Michelin point out that driving on tyres 20% under inflated – as little as 6psi below the recommended pressure – you’ll get 26% fewer miles out of your tyres. Having the correct pressure means that over 70,000 miles of motoring you could save the cost of two tyres, only having to buy six rather than eight.

Another organisation, which has recently issued guidance on inflation pressures is the tyre safety organisation, TyreSafe, who have urged caravaners this summer to check the tyres on both the caravan and the towing car before every journey. This, says TyreSafe, is particularly important in the case of caravans, whose use is often highly seasonal. Prlonged inactivity, points out TyreSafe, can result in degradation or cracking of the sidewall. With regard to tyre inflation, research has shown that tyre pressures of both the towing vehicle and caravan are often overlooked by caravaners, and with under or over inflation severely affecting the behaviour and stability of the combination, the results can be lethal. Readers wishing to find out more about the safety of caravan tyres can view the latest Caravan Tyres and Your Safety leaflet by logging on to www.tyresafe.org

Premium Tyres v Budget Tyres: Do You Get What You Pay For?

2007-10-14T11:17:00.000+01:00

When it comes to choosing tyres, the general public is faced with a veritable plethora of brands to choose from. In addition to the established premium brands like Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear, Bridgetsone, Continental etc there are a number of less known mid range brands, numerous second-line brands owned by the major manufacturers, private brands and literally dozens of budget brands coming from all corners of the earth. That being the case, it’s not surprising to find that the price of tyres varies hugely.

But why is this so? They’re all black and round after all. We thought it would be useful to give some insight into the different brands available on the market and why some cost more than others.

So do you get what you pay for when you choose which brand of tyre to buy?

By and large, yes. When you pay top dollar for one of the premium brands, it is not just the recognisable name you are paying for. You are paying for the millions of pounds worth of R&D and state-of-the-art technology that goes into the latest models of the top brands. It is usually only the top manufacturers that can afford the investment in truly innovative technology so it tends to be them that offer the latest in tyre development. The other brands on the market tend to be “me-too” products, following on with technology a couple of years behind. This is not to say that these products are no good. Simply that the latest models of the top brands offer the latest improvements in tyre technology and performance. By and large this is borne out by the results of the tyre tests carried out by the specialist motoring magazines, who test the tyres to their limits where the differences in performance become more apparent. In principle, then, if you do a lot of motorway driving, drive an up-market car or consider yourself a demanding driver, then it is usually worth spending the extra money on one of the top brands.

But what about other brands? Firstly, it’s worth pointing out that there are a number of mid range brands from leading international manufacturers, whose technology is at an extremely high level, but whose brands are not as recognisable as the top names. These brands, generally priced below the top premium brands, but above the budget sector, often offer exceptional value for money. Examples of this are the two Japanese brands Toyo and Falken and the two leading Korean manufacturers Hankook and Kumho.

But what about budget brands. How do you distinguish and identify value for money here? The very cheapest tyres in the market tend, these days to emanate from China. However, they shouldn’t be confused with the many economy ranges of tyres that sit between the mid-range and true budget brands. These often offer good quality at an affordable price and are often a good choice for drivers doing relatively low mileage, mostly urban driving , for families’ second cars or for drivers on a budget. A number of Taiwanese brands such as Federal, Kenda and Maxxis fit into this category as well as a number of private brands such as the Interstate brand, which we market in the UK.

As far as bottom of the range Chinese budget tyres are concerned, the jury is out. There is little doubt that the Chinese are investing heavily in manufacturing plants and in technology, much of which is supplied by the leading western manufacturers. That said, tyre experts (including many of the wholesaler who import these products) tend to be of the opinion that the quality of these tyres can still vary considerably.

The press remains unconvinced too. A tyre test carried out earlier this year by the German magazine Autostrassenverkehr tested a number of the better known Chinese brands but found it difficult to offer favourable reviews to any of them.

That said, Chinese tyres are certainly cheap but opinion is divided on how long this will last for. On July 1, the Chinese government reduced tyre export subsidies on tyre exports from 13% to 5%, a move, which, combined with recent increases in shipping costs is expected to result in price increases in budget tyres.

On the other hand though, China is seeing big capacity increases in ultra-high performance tyres, which are currently not able to be absorbed by the Chinese domestic market so downward price pressure is likely to continue in this area.

Blackcircles.com makes the final of the RETAIL AWARDS 2007!!!

2007-08-25T08:58:00.001+01:00

On October the 7th we will be pitched up against Figleaves.com in the final of the Retail Awards recognising E-commerce & Customer Services. We are all very proud to have got this far and would like to extend our thanks to each of our garage partner franchisees, colleagues in the business and our customers, with their help we have been able to continue fine tuning our business to deliver fantastically high levels of customer service.

Blackcircles.com on SKY Sunrise with Eamonn Holmes

2007-08-25T08:52:00.000+01:00

Blackcircles.com founder Michael Welch was invited by SKY news to say a few words on the merits of qualifications and their relevance to the real world of work and enterprise. We hope to see Eamonn Holmes as a Blackcircles.com customer really soon!
See the debate on YOUTUBE: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=l-TcWg3B8h8

FT.com: From a classroom to the boardroom

2007-08-06T10:27:00.000+01:00

By Maija Palmer
Published: July 24 2007 18:13 Last updated: July 24 2007 18:13

The technology industry is famously a young sector. Among others, Google, the internet search company, Dell, the computer retailer, and Facebook, the social networking site, were founded by college kids in their dorms.
Maybe it is the combination of youthful energy and lack of commitments that explains it, but Calum Brannan, Adam Hildreth and Mike Welch are three members of a generation that has grown up with the internet and all have big ambitions for their young UK-based internet companies.
Even by the usual standards for this sector, Mr Brannan is young to have started his tech business.
He was 15 and just about to take his GCSEs when he started PPLParty.com, a social networking site, from his bedroom in Coventry. In fact, he was not even, strictly speaking, old enough to go in the clubs that his site was focused on.
“Social networking sites were becoming popular and my friends and I thought we could start one of our own. I was always the geeky one at school, so I put it together,” Mr Brannan says.
He did the programming and got friends to sign up. In spite of the dominance of sites such as MySpace, Mr Brannan felt there was an overlooked potential niche for a website focused on clubbing – sharing pictures from nights out and information about events.
He spent £200 earned from a part-time job at Pizza Hut on printing some flyers for the site which he distributed in the centre of Coventry. But that was the last marketing money he spent: the PPLParty site expanded through word of mouth and today has more than 332,000 members.
While this is tiny compared with sector leaders MySpace, Bebo and Facebook, it is a big enough audience to attract partnership deals from companies such as Yahoo and Hotxt, a text messaging company backed by Doug Richard, one of the first Dragons’ Den presenters and chairman of Library House, a venture capital data provider.
PPLParty.com makes enough from advertising revenues to employ three full-time staff as well as some developers on contract. Mr Brannan, now 18, has left school and works full-time on the business. He has yet to take a salary but has bought himself an iPod with some of the company profits.
He has also won some angel investment and is now looking for venture capital funding – £200,000 to £400,000 – to accelerate plans to find new ways for the site to work with clubs. This would include offering club listings by postcode, giving members tickets to jump queues, and running member-only club nights for PPLParty users.
Mr Brannan looks like a typical teenager in his short-sleeved shirt and skinny tie, but he is articulate and clearly unintimidated by presenting to investors.
His ability to get along with older mentors has been vital. He caught Mr Richard’s attention while negotiating a deal with Hotxt to give PPLParty users free text messaging services. Mr Richard encouraged him to seek investors and develop the business. Mr Brannan says: “It has been brilliant working with people who know the industry so well. I prefer doing things through contacts.”
Networking has also been an essential skill for another young tech entrepreneur, Mr Hildreth. He founded Dubit, a chat site for teens, when he was just 14, then left school at 16 to develop it into a fully fledged business, becoming the UK’s youngest managing director in the process.
The site developed into a youth marketing consultancy to help other businesses understand how to target a teen audience.
Mr Hildreth later sold his share in the business, pocketing an estimated £5m, and founded a new business, Crisp Thinking, which is about to bring out child protection technology for internet service providers. The Sunday Times rich list ranks Mr Hildreth as 28th in the 100 richest young people in the UK and in 2006 he was named the CBI’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Mr Hildreth, now 22, says assembling an experienced team – such as bringing in Andrew Burke, 46, a serial entrepreneur and former chief executive of BT’s entertainment division, to chair Crisp Thinking – has been hugely important. “I didn’t pretend I knew anything about business – I went to people asking for their expertise in that. But I did know a lot about the target market and got a lot of respect because of that.”
Both Mr Hildreth and Mr Brannan have benefited from being able to tap into the experience not just of mentors but also of a circle of friends their own age for market research. “I’m always bribing my friends with pizza to get them to come over and chat and get good ideas for the site from them,” Mr Brannan says.
Mr Hildreth says: “You don’t let your friends know you are using them, but you use them and listen to what they like and dislike.”
Younger entrepreneurs can often be greater risk-takers thanks to their lack of familial and financial obligations, says Don Slater, a reader in sociology at London School of Economics.
He is leading a research project into the changing face of entrepreneurship and says: “Many of them describe starting their businesses as a gap year, saying: ‘Let’s just give it a go.’ The stakes don’t seem quite so high.”
Mr Welch, another young tech entrepreneur, agrees: “It probably helps being young. I am probably more ambitious, and I have more of an appetite to immerse myself in it because I don’t have a family yet.”
Mr Welch started his internet business aged 15, selling tyres online. His company, Black Circles, employs 22 people and has more than £10m in turnover a year. Mr Welch is seeking investment money to expand outside the UK.
None of the three internet businessmen describe themselves as particularly technical. Even Mr Brannan, who did the initial coding for the PPLParty website, has since handed over to professional software developers.
However, having grown up with the internet, they all have a strong sense of how to use technology creatively, and are not afraid of it.
“I was rubbish at maths at school,” Mr Welch says. “But technology is only as difficult to learn as you make it.”
All three are adamant that their interest in setting up a business is not so much about the money, but the achievement of creating something. Mr Hildreth says: “If you set up a business just to make money you will fail. Stay focused on exactly what you are good at – don’t focus on the money side.”
Mr Welch says: “I discovered early on that money is not what it’s about. What I enjoy is the achievement, the challenge of really driving the business.”
Mr Slater says there is a marked difference between older and young entrepreneurs on this issue. “Older entrepreneurs tend to describe themselves in terms reminiscent of Thatcherite heroes – they are risk-takers and wheeler-dealers. The younger ones talk about wanting to create something and work with a fun, dynamic team.
“It’s not that they want to help society particularly, but they have different values,” he says.
And while they may play down the money, all three are extremely ambitious.
Mr Hildreth is aiming for very big deals with internet service providers, while Mr Welch says he wants to run a “substantial business, not just something small to medium-sized”.
Mr Brannan says simply: “It would be nice to be part of a big UK internet success story.”
■THE DAY AGE CAUGHT UP WITH THE PPLPARTY.COM ANIMAL
Youth can have some pitfalls. When teenager Calum Brannan’s website PPLParty.com began to take off he was featured in the local press, and his age – still a little way off his 18th birthday – was revealed. That meant he was recognised by the manager of the next local club he visited and promptly ejected for being under age.
Mr Brannan also says he has struggled with the paperwork required for a registered company, while Adam Hildreth of Crisp Thinking says managing people can be a challenge.
“Dealing with different personalities – motivating and managing people like shareholders, directors and members of staff is difficult,” he says.
But overall, they both see youth as an advantage.
Mr Hildreth says: “No one has ever told you how a business is meant to work so you are better at out-of-the-box thinking.
“I didn’t see investors as any different, I just went in there and said what I thought. I think if you really believe in the idea, that shines through.”

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007

No longer such a thing as a Fast-Fit?

2007-07-28T10:13:00.000+01:00

I thought it might be handy for me to explain what has happened in the tyre industry over the last few years and how it has affected consumers and the choices you have when choosing who, what and when to get your tyres replaced.

In my first job at 15 as a tyre fitter (a few short years ago!) we stocked a couple of tyre sizes and brands and that covered I would say up to 90% of vehicle tyre fitments. So stocking and buying was quite easy, we just needed to make sure that we pitched our prices similar to that of the Fast-Fit's to win business locally. However, in recent years - 5 to 10 - the number of tyre size and brand iterations has changed beyond all expectation. We now have hundreds of tyre sizes and equally as many brands. What this means for the customer is you can no longer just 'drive in', a 'Fast-Fit' no longer exists. Our research tells us that the high street chains can now only cater for around 10% of vehicles because of the proliferation of sizes - and of that 10% the brand choice is limited to 2 or 3 at the most. So what does this mean for the consumer? Well ultimately it should mean that tyres become more expensive, on the basis that manufacturing volumes are no longer concentrated on 1 or 2 sizes, rather in smaller quantities across more variations. However the reality is that this is a competitive market so prices shouldn’t shift up, however I would expect to see retailers offering value added services that can be charged a little more for - for instance (and this isn’t a marketing pitch!), the Blackcircles.com team can now offer faster fittings at our Franchise outlets across the UK, that in itself may be worth paying a little bit more for, but ultimately we will let our customers decide. So I suppose the moral of the story is, there are many more sizes and brands, availability is less in the high street chains, and prices therefore may go up through those retail businesses - however through innovative retailing, logistics and buying, we are keeping prices down, improving service at our outlets and speeding availability up.

Any feedback, feel free to drop me an email: mikew@blackcircles.co.uk

Mike

Deliveries affected by flooding.

2007-07-25T10:22:00.000+01:00

Due to floods on many roads deliveries of tyres ordered for the following postcodes may be affected.
GL, WR, HR, OX, RG7, RG9, RG10, RG14, RG19, RG20, RG17, RG18, RG8, HP9, HP1O, HP11, HP13, HP15, HP15, HP12, HP27 & HP14.
Please do call on 0845 620 2000 if you need any further update.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Motorists warned to steer clear of unsafe used tyres traded on eBay

2007-07-20T10:43:00.000+01:00

eBay shoppers looking for a bargain are being warned to steer clear of second-hand tyres being sold on the site, after independent testing revealed that half of the used tyres listed on eBay are too dangerous for use and if fitted to a car could put lives at risk. The warning follows research by Continental Tyres who commissioned technical specialists, entyrety, to check the safety of the thousands of used tyres that are up for sale on eBay for as little as £5. Twenty used car tyres were purchased and tested to see how they performed in terms of legislation and safety. Alarmingly, one in five were over the recommended age limit for tyres, meaning that they could fail or ‘blow out’ on the road, a further 20 per cent contravened the ‘Sales of Goods Act’ by not having a legally-required ‘E’ marking and none of the tyres fully conformed with regulation which says that they should be marked as part worn. Even more shocking was that two of the tyres were well below the minimum tread depth and were even bald in places. One tyre was found to have an illegal and dangerous repair and another had been stuck back together with superglue.Worryingly, eBayers only seem to be concerned with saving cash and have not considered the safety risks. A survey, also commissioned by Continental Tyres, found that more than one in eight motorists have already bought, or would consider buying second-hand tyres from eBay – rising to one in three among 18-24 year olds.
Safety and quality spokesman from Continental Tyres, Roger Sanders, said: “The two key factors that will decide a tyre’s roadworthiness is how it has been driven and how it has been stored, neither of which can be determined when buying second-hand. It is nearly impossible to identify damage through a visual inspection, let alone just through photos shown on eBay. Buyers will not be able to tell if a tyre has already experienced damage through kerbing or other impacts. “Buying second-hand might seem a cheap option for people on a budget, but it is just not worth the risk. Age cracking, low tread depth and damage to side walls are all bad news for tyres and could lead to a blow out while on the roads, which can be a very dangerous situation for both the driver and other road users. With no way of monitoring the quality of tyres for sale on its site, people’s lives are potentially being put in jeopardy.”Alarmingly, one in five tyres were over 17 years old and several more showed age cracking and degradation. Continental says that while there is no global standard for the maximum age of tyres, most experts recommend removing tyres once they reach ten years old as at this age, the rubber could dry out which can cause the tyre to lose its shape or even worse, lead to a sudden and dangerous tyre failure or ‘blow out’.
A further one in five tyres were fast approaching the recommended limit at nine years old and several of these were winter tyres which are recommended only to be used for four seasons. Cracks and illegal repairs were also shown to be another serious safety risk. As well as one tyre boasting a superglue repair, another had an illegal repair on the tread edge which did not comply with British Standards guidelines and rendered it completely unfit for sale and unsafe for use on the road. Another had a visible crack in the rubber which, although legal, could force air to escape from the tyre when used. This means that it would be nearly impossible for the tyre to stay at the correct pressure, which is essential for safe driving. One of the test tyres had severe scoring and cuts on the shoulder which could indicate that it had been used on a car that was too small or that it had been involved in an accident, either of which would have a dramatic impact on the safety of the tyre. One in ten also had tyre tread depths that were below the legal minimum of 2mm for part-worn tyres, not only making them illegal, but highly unsafe and a potential death-trap. Once a tyre has been worn away to this extent, not only will they have radically increased stopping distances and loss of grip, but the internal cords could become exposed, again potentially leading to dangerous blow outs.Another point for concern is that 20 per cent of the tyres had no ‘E’ marking on the side. This immediately contravenes UK legislation, which requires all tyres to display this important marking under the ‘Sales of Goods Act’. None of the tyres tested were marked ‘part worn’ which is a legislative requirement for used tyres. According to Continental Tyres, the problem of second-hand tyre sales has been accelerated by the new EC Landfill Directive, which has banned the dumping of used tyres on landfill. As a result, fly-tipping has become a nationwide problem with around 13 million tyres illegally dumped in the UK every year, providing rich pickings for opportunistic eBayers.Roger Sanders says: “Illegal fly-tipping is a huge problem; it is not only a drain on finances for local authorities and landowners but supports criminal activity. Unfortunately, the worrying new trend in part-worn tyre trading on eBay is simply encouraging it as tyres can then be re-sold, making unscrupulous sellers rich through quick cash sales. We have written to eBay to urge them to review the way tyres are listed and sold on the site.”To raise awareness of this issue Continental Tyres has joined forces with road safety body, RoadSafe, who supports Continental’s campaign to get eBay to review sales of second hand tyres on its site. RoadSafe’s spokesperson, Michael Parish, says: “Tyres have a direct impact on handling, braking and acceleration, and problematic tyres can seriously affect driving safety, so it is vital that drivers know what they’re buying. Many wrongly believe that buying second-hand tyres is a cheap fix, but what may seem like a bargain at the time could cost a lot more in the long run. “The results of these tests clearly demonstrate the kind of tyres that you can get from the net today, and it is the general motorist who is at risk. While most people can spot poor tread depth and cracking on tyres, there is a lot of damage that is just not visible to the naked eye which is why we believe the practice of selling second-hand tyres on the internet – particularly on eBay – should be urgently reviewed.”

Wateraid Climb Makes for a Fantastic Day

2007-06-15T12:19:00.001+01:00

Incredible weather, stunning scenery and an intense walk made for a fantastic day on the hill for the five of us of last saturday. An early start from Peebles meant the climb into the valley started just after 8 am. Instantly getting the forest route wrong meant some good scrambling up and over the burn before emerging into the valley. A steep climb followed to gain the first hill with the rest of the day climbing further still over Stob Binian at 1165 metres and finally up to Ben More at 1174 metres before descending to finish the walk just after 5pm. Apparently not all munros were covered as the organisers of Wateraid had hoped for so looks like we will be back again next year.

Mechanic Torque Forum Live

2007-06-14T09:09:00.000+01:00

This week saw the launch of the new web forum for those of you with car troubles to speak directly with the mechanics and others who may have had similar car problems. Ran in association with Blackcircles.com, Mechanic-Torque is an open channel for users to converse directly with the network of independent garages throughout the UK. So if its a rattling from the gear box, a knocking exhaust or some general tyre advice you are seeking then here is your chance to get the answer online direct from the professionals. Its free to join and you can be assured the info you receive will be genuine advice about how to deal with you mechanical dilemmas.

30% of the part worn tyres unsafe!

2007-06-06T08:59:00.000+01:00

Findings of a recent survey has revealed that 30% of the part worn tyres on sale in the UK have serious defects which could compromise the safety of the tyre when fitted to a vehicle.

According to Lincolnshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service thousands of potentially dangerous second hand tyres being sold to unsuspecting motorists. Tyres examined were found to have unsafe repairs, damage to the bead area, with many examples showing the tyre that had been run in a deflated condition leading to structural damage.

Francis Gibson, Senior Trading Standards Officer at Lincolnshire County Council said, “It is clear from the findings of this exercise that serious problems exist that compromise the safety of part worn tyres sold to the general public. If the problems found in Lincolnshire are typical of the standard of part worn tyres being sold throughout the UK, then there is justifiable cause for concern”.

Phones Troubles Are Fixed!

2007-05-29T09:16:00.000+01:00

Todays a new day and thankfully the phones are now up and running.

So apologies to those of you wishing to have spoken with us yesterday but by all means do call us today.

Phone Problems

2007-05-28T12:07:00.000+01:00

Apologies to those of you trying to contact us at Blackcircles.com.
We are experiencing a technical problem meaning we can hear you but you cannot hear us.

Engineers are trying to solve the problem and will be able to take your calls again very soon.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Helping to fight for the elimination of Polio.

2007-05-28T11:06:00.001+01:00

The Rotary Club of Ripley and Send together with The Rotary Retro Automobile Fellowship have teamed up with Black Circles.com to enable Rotarians and their friends to enjoy a first rate highly competitive vehicle and motorcycle tyre supply opportunity.

And Blackcircles.com are proud of the affiliation with the Rotary Club as we offer their members a discount and the affiliate commission on these sales is donated to the Rotary International fund which goes towards helping their fight for the worldwide elimination of Polio.

Fleet Managers Warned "Check Your Drivers are Checking Their Tyres!"

2007-05-15T13:43:00.000+01:00

Fleet managers have been warned to check their drivers are checking their tyres regularly!
A recent study by Arval, a leading Fleet and Fuel Management company, tested 800 business drivers at petrol station forecourts across the UK found that 11% of drivers dont ever think about their tyres and 18% said they only checked them once a quarter.
This is backed up by a recent RAC study of 9,000 vehicles in a major fleet who found that 14.4% – almost 1,300 vehicles – would have failed an MoT because of illegal tread, damage, under-inflation or a puncture.
Worryingly this example came from a well-managed and maintained fleet, which had been audited monthly and the issue deepens when you imagine the level of the problem for those with poorly managed fleets.
But checking tyres is not just a safety precaution, there are financial reasons too. If tyres are not regularly checked then at best a company will take a hit on its fuel expenditure as low tyre pressures can reduce a car’s fuel economy by as much as 3%. But at worst it could lead to drivers being fined and banned or being involved in collisions.
And to avoid corporate risk employers must meet the stringent obligations now placed upon them so now is a good time for more businesses to assess their tyre management proceedures and consider placing the onus on the driver to keep their vehicle roadworthy and enforcing regular tyre checking throughout their fleet policies.

Team Blackcircles To Reach New Heights

2007-05-07T15:55:00.000+01:00

Its always up and up at Blackcircles so no surprise that a team of us will be scaling the dizzy heights of Ben More on June 9th.

Why? Well its to help raise funds for Wateraid Munro Challenge who have organised to put a team of people on every munro in Scotland and all the other hills above 3000ft throughout the UK on that day.

So seven of us will be climbing Ben More and taking in three other monros that day including Stobinian before descending to the Ben More Lodge for a well deserved pint or three.

Of course though the real aim of the day is to raise some money for the cause so if you are feeling particularly generous then please visit our our fundraising page where you will be able to make a secure online donation.

What The Blog Are You Doing!

2007-04-27T13:29:00.000+01:00

As with everything we do at Blackcircles getting feedback is priceless. So when we asked our technical guys for their thoughts on our Blog so far we were given a few pointers which ultimately we are hoping you as readers will help us on.

The gist of the feedback was to limit too much promotional stuff and focus on subjects like:
Discussions of the latest tyre technologies, Recycling tyres, Understanding tyre patterns, New features on the site etc.

So thanks for this. We will endeavour to look at a range of topics and of course, if there is a particular area you would like to see covered then do please let us know.

Expect to see the promotional stuff as well though. It proves we are always moving forwards.

200 Virgins Pleased With Blackcircles.

2007-04-26T11:00:00.001+01:00

Blackcircles.com has been offering a staff incentive scheme to a good number of businesses and it appears to be working well. So if you are responsible for your staff and would like to help save them a few pounds off their next tyre purchase why not follow on from the experience of the Virgin Group.
Geraldine Pack who is responsible for Virgin Tribe which offers fantastic savings for all Virgin employees said 'Black Circles have offered a discount to staff of the Virgin Group for nearly 2 years now. They've been a very reliable supplier and nearly 200 of our employees have taken advantage of this discount and given very positive feedback.'

So why not e-mail us or call on 0845 620 2000 to discuss the Staff Incentive Scheme for your employees.

Max Power Tyre Shop Now Live

2007-04-25T14:08:00.001+01:00

Blackcircles.com are pleased to announce the online partnership with Max Power is now live.

The partnership has been created to offer readers of this drivers magazine the opportunity to experience the best tyre buying and fitting service possible.
Aware that the tyre buying process is time consuming and frustrating, The Max team set out to find a partner who could provide their readers with the best customer experience available.

"To do this we searched high and low, and sampled the tyre buying and fitting at the best of the high street tyre fitting companies as well as some lesser known ones." a Max Power source said.
"Our readers set high standards and are looking for the best prices, the slickest buying process, the best range of tyres. From a good sample of tyre retailers, one stood-out from the crowd and that was Blackcircles.com. That's why they have become our tyre retailing partner."

Blackcircles.com Mountain Bike Team - Season Begins

2007-04-18T10:55:00.001+01:00

The weekend couldn’t have been any better than it turned out to be, the sun split the sky all weekend and there was a great atmosphere around the paddock, in anticipation of the first Scottish Downhill Series race of the year at Innerleithen, probably one of the best tracks in the country.

Paul Morgan and Jamie McSeveney were both riding under the sponsorship of their employer Blackcircles.com , talk about added pressure! Especially for Paul, this being only his second competitive race. Both riders took receipt of Blackcircles.com race tops just a few days before hand and wore them with pride throughout the weekend; "We received a few noticeable glances in our brilliant white tops so hopefully we’ve already covered that expense" Paul said. He finished the course on both race runs and clocked times of 4.42 and 4.30 respectively saying "I think the second timing was due to the copious amounts of energy drinks that I consumed". His final finish place was 50th out of 60 riders in the Masters class.

Jamie Mcseveney clocked decent times on his bomb down the hillside. His final timings were 3.59 and 3.57, placing him 33 in the Seniors but we are sure he could have timed faster if he had had a shave!

Jamie said " We would just like to say thanks very much to Michael for the sponsorship of the race tops. Even though we didn’t quite ride the part, we certainly looked it"

The next race event will be held at Dunkeld on 20th May.

Big Savings on Tyres for CSMA Members.

2007-04-16T12:18:00.000+01:00

The Blackcircles.com offer in April's edition of Motoring and Leisure for CSMA members is certainly proving popoular. We are being inundated with calls from CSMA members UK wide and from the response below it would seem buying tyres from Blackcircles.com is a winner.
And remember, as CSMA members you can receive the tyre discount on tyres bought via both the web or by calling us.

"I write to state how pleased I was that I took advantage of the tyre link up that CSMA have with BlackCircles.com.
I recently needed two new front tyres for my Renault Laguna, and this was after 33000 miles so was happy to replace them. I thought I'd give CSMA a go with this web type brand. Having never heard of Black Circles before I was apprehensive, but the person on the phone was very helpful. He talked me through the online process and so I was able to arrange for the tyres to be taken to a local tyre fitter and make an appointment to have them fitted.
I turned up on the specified date and was happy with the service of the fitting garage, one which I had not used before. They did grumble about Black Circle as they had paper work to fill in! don't we all now a days, anyway I thought I'd ask whether I would be better off coming direct to them next time. They said that they could not get the tyres at these prices! Verification that CSMA have the best interests of its members at heart.
So I believe that my initial nervousness was not founded. I'd encourage all readers to buy through Black Circle, not only did they give fantastic value for money but they were helpful and helped arrange everything for me. I reckon I've saved at least £50 per tyre, which for someone who knows nothing about tyres would have previously just paid!
A big thank you to CSMA, it's link-ups with companies is outstanding. Long may this continue." C Porteous - CSMA Member

Its easy to order tyres from Blackcircles.com

2007-04-09T10:19:00.000+01:00

For anyone who has never bought tyres on the internet before we aim to make the process as straightforward and painless as possible. Blackcircles.com has revolutionised the tyre retailing industry by putting the focus back where it belongs – with the customer. Many of our customers have commented on how satisfying it is to be able to book an appointment and then turn up at the garage on the specified date and time, and know that their tyres are in stock and will be fitted with minimum hassle.
You can buy your tyres online in a few easy steps or if you prefer over the telephone with one of our customer service executives, who are all trained in plain English tyre talk! All of our customer service team are tyre experts who will offer you impartial advice to help you select the best tyre brand to suit your driving requirements, and are on hand 6 days a week to answer your tyre questions. We also have a section on the website dedicated to tyre tests which will guide you to make an informed tyre choice.
When placing your order, you let us know which garage you want to visit from our network of over 900, and also specify the date and time for fitting – then sit back and let us organise everything. We book the job into the garage, dispatch the tyres and then send you a confirmation email with your order details and a map link of directions to the garage. So all you need to do is turn up for your appointment, quote your order number and the garage will fit the tyres for you – what could be simpler?

Blackcircles.com makes the HITWISE top 10 for 2006...

2007-03-28T07:44:00.001+01:00

Over the last 5 years we have invested heavily in our brand and have delivered continued service improvements and year on year low prices in our unique fully fitted tyre offer for customers across the UK. We are delighted to have achieved recognition from Hitwise for our online performance in 2006, rubbing shoulders with brands such as Ebay and Halfords is a fantastic achievement. During 2007 we anticipate an updated and more user friendly version of Blackcircles.com will go live, and its with the help and feedback of our customers that we hope to achieve a more user friendly and market leading tyre retail website and as a virtue of that a top 5 position in 2007.

The Hitwise UK Online Awards celebrate the most successful websites in 50 selected industries, based on the market share of unique visits that website received throughout 2006. The Awards also include the most searched-for brands online.

As Hitwise reports on the anonymous online usage and search behaviour of more than 8 million UK internet users – the largest online sample of its kind - the awards programme recognises excellence in online performance through public popularity.

Blackcircles.com makes key appointments to drive UK expansion...

2007-02-13T07:54:00.001Z

Innovative tyre retailer Blackcircles.com has announced two new additions to its executive team as it prepares for another year of exciting growth.

Launched in 2001 by Managing Director Mike Welch (28), the online tyre retailer has set a new quality standard for the tyre industry and strong sales in 2006 has seen it create the two new posts of Commercial Director and Head of Finance.

Signalling its increased standing within the industry, Blackcircles has secured former Kwik-Fit Director David Jeanes who has over 20 years retail trading experience and will head up commercial functions at a time of rapid expansion for the business. Prior to joining Kwik-Fit he held senior procurement roles with Tesco, Safeway the Kingfisher Group.

Also joining Blackcircles is Kenny Baillie, who becomes Head of Finance and Business Performance. Baillie joins from Scottish Widows where he was Head of Management Reporting with his previous experience including Chartered Accountants Tenon and Scottish Amicable.

Blackcircles.com is continuing to gain momentum in the market and has now introduced a mobile tyre fitting service. This enhances the company’s renowned service that enables customers to buy online or through the Blackcircles.com call centre and have their tyres fitted at one of the company’s 900 fitting centres found across the UK.

Jeanes and Baillie will now play a key role in supporting Welch to pursue further growth in the UK through online sales and the company’s fast growing franchise network which has signed up over 100 local garages and continues to bring on more every month.

With Welch hungry for further success, the appointment of two such experienced industry professionals signals the company’s strong growth plans for the coming year.

Mike Welch, Managing Director of Blackcircles.com, said: “I believe we have made two exceptional appointments.

“In David we have someone that will help enhance the cutting edge developments that have been put in place across the Blackcircles.com’ supply chain. He will play a major role in further improving the commercial aspects of the business and helping to maintain our sales growth which we believe is the most rapid of any established business in the UK industry.

“Kenny is highly ambitious and a perfect fit for a fast moving innovative business and I am looking forward to working with him over the coming year.”

With the business showing no signs of slowing in its growth, Welch decided now was the right time for taking a major step forward in the development of the senior executive team.

“Retail excites me and everything we do at Blackcircles.com is about adding value for the customer but if we are to do this effectively it is important that we have people on board with retail experience of the highest calibre,” said Mike.

“A lot of businesses fail because the Managing Director resists the inevitable requirement to develop the skills of the management team by trying to control everything. That is not a trap Blackcircles.com will fall into and what we have done is bring in the right people with the right skills at the right time to help us realise our potential as a business.”

Another franchisee!

2007-02-13T07:47:00.001Z

We are happy to announce the breaking of the 900 garage mark. Pictured right is the 1st of our appointed franchise outlets, Village Motors. Village Motor Company MD David Hiles said the move to join Blackcircles is right for the company: “Joining Blackcircles is the right move for us, and will allow us to attract new customers and retain business in the face of increased competition from large national chains.”“Tyre sizes are far more varied than they were 10 years ago, and there are many more makes and models coming on to the market. The ability for Blackcircles to be able to deliver these new products in such a short space of time, and at a lower price to the customer, is beneficial to motorists in general.”Independent garages and dealerships that adopt the bolt-on franchise retain their existing identity but gain access to Blackcircles’ specialist systems.Mike Welch commented: “I am delighted to welcome the Village Motor Company as a Blackcircles franchise, especially as the dealership is so close to where I grew up and started my first tyre business. We have had a great deal of interest from garages and dealerships from throughout Merseyside that are interested in joining the new Blackcircles network.“I believe this is a direct response to the current status of the tyre retail marketplace which has left local outlets struggling or unable to compete against big tyre chains. Through the bolt-on franchise, we will assist the Village Motor Co. to enhance their business by attracting new customers, retaining business and delivering a superior service.”

Tyre Road Safety Warning from Blackcircles

2007-02-11T16:46:00.000Z

Motorists in Scotland are being urged to put road safety first as wintry weather continues to affect certain regions.

Changing road conditions mean drivers are facing snow, ice, fog and rain, along with increased chances of being in a road traffic accident and ensuring tyres are within the legal tread limit and suitable for winter weather, and allowing extra time for a journey could make a difference to driver and passenger safety.

Research shows cars show significantly increased stopping distances in wet weather when tyre tread depth falls below 3.5mm, and tyres with only 1mm of tread will take 60% longer to stop on a wet road.

Blackcircles.com Managing Director Mike Welch said: “We know that Scotland has one of the highest levels of defective and badly worn tyres in the UK.

“When you also consider that the number of accidents caused by wet road conditions increases in winter by more than 250%, it becomes clear exactly how important it is for drivers to regularly check that their tyres are fit for the road.

“It is essential that tyres are kept in a good condition all year round, but particularly during winter months when acceleration and braking can be adversely affected by road conditions.

“The legal minimum tyre tread depth is 1.6mm and suitable replacements must be used when the time comes to change tyres.”

The penalty for having a defective tyre could result in a £2,500 fine and three penalty points on the driver's licence as well as increasing the likelihood of having an accident in wet conditions.

Fitting Success For Business Fleets

2007-01-01T17:01:00.000Z

Managers of business vehicle fleets are to be put back in the driving seat with the announcement that Blackcircles.com is to revolutionise the way hundreds of businesses buy their tyres with the launch of its own Fleet service.

Using Black Circles Fleet, managers and small business owners will now be able to have tyres sent anywhere in the UK in as little as two hours and will be able to access the lowest prices and over 30 tyre brands.

The new service – www.blackcircles.com/fleet – will be available to vehicle fleets of all sizes.

Fleet significantly simplifies the purchase process by providing access through a web-based system. Businesses will have their own private area containing all their vehicle details and will transact using a unique PIN number.

It is an announcement that is likely to be warmly welcomed by fleet managers who will now be able to monitor price and brand more effectively, enabling them to have far greater control of budgets.

With the largest network of fitting stations of any UK tyre retailer, Blackcircles.com has fast established itself as the most convenient way for consumers and businesses to buy and have their tyres fitted.

Mike Welch, Managing Director or Blackcircles.com, said: “We have taken all the knowledge gained from our retail business, including all the feedback we have received from customers, and invested this in our Fleet service.

“For too long managers have had to contend with complicated systems and a lack of control. We plan to change this with a system that is far easier to use but a lot more effective.

“Through our unique tyre procurement process and ground breaking delivery mechanisms Black Circles Fleet offers forward looking business flexibility, immediacy and savings to their fleet tyre needs.”

Mike added: “Whether it's 5 or 5000 vehicles, one preferred supplier or a managed matrix of tyre outlets, Black Circles Fleet can be utilised as the primary resource for tyre supply or simply as a secure back up.”

For more info about the Blackcircles Fleet see www.blackcircles.com/fleet

Blackcircles urges eco-driving to tackle soaring petrol prices

2006-12-20T17:23:00.000Z

Online tyre retailer Blackcircles is urging motorists to become ‘eco-drivers’ in a bid to tackle soaring petrol prices.

With rising fuel costs and concern over climate change, there has never been a better time for motorists to think about minimising the impact of fossil fuels on the environment.

Blackcircles is advising motorists that the simplest measures can help cut fuel costs while reducing driving emissions and ensuring driver and passenger safety.

Keeping tyres inflated to the correct level has been shown to cut up to 10% of petrol costs while failing to ensure tyre pressures are at the correct levels will wear out tyres faster, use more petrol and create more emissions.

Blackcircles Managing Director Mike Welch said: “With crude oil prices rising and the cost of petrol at the pump following, it is essential that motorists do everything they can to improve fuel economy.

“Across the UK, drivers are wasting hundreds of millions of pounds on fuel, simply by failing to drive with their tyres at the right pressure. In addition, this reduces the life of the tyre by an estimated 15%.

“Driving with tyres that are three psi (pounds per square inch) below the correct pressure increases fuel economy by one per cent.

“Between increased greenhouse gas emissions and scrapping more tyres more often, it is inevitable that a substantial impact is being made on the environment.

“By becoming an eco-driver motorists can improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and be safer on the roads.”

For further tyre tips telephone 0845 620 2000 or visit www.blackcircles.com/general