Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. announced it has launched an enhanced online tire business training program for its direct and indirect wholesale and retail dealers.
This new program, eCooper University Training Rewards, offers Cooper-brand customers several online courses in selling skills, product knowledge, the Cooper brand and business management knowledge. Participants who complete the training classes will earn points that translate to various levels of certification from Cooper, as well as rewards to incentivize their teams to learn more as they build their business with Cooper.
"Our distribution partners, whether wholesalers or retailers, are key to our success,” said Phil Caris, vice president of Sales for Cooper Tire North America.
“We want them to be as knowledgeable about how to sell tires and run their businesses as they are about our products and our brand. We believe that when they are successful, we are successful.”
Several of the business-based learning modules are built on topics addressed in Cooper's former CAMP program, and have been brought up to date for today's e-learning environment.
It also builds on the success of the eCooper University eCertification program, which is being replaced by the new program. Built on the idea of a university curriculum, the program offers certification levels comprised of several complementary classes.
The Basic Training Certification, for example, is designed to serve as an entry-level training for people moving into the industry as sales representatives and countermen.
Current classes include:
Sales 101: Salesmanship Product 101: Tire Fundamentals Produt 102: The Cooper Lineup Brand 101: Wirking wih Cooper Tire Business 101: The Tire Industry
Future certification levels include Sales Specialist, designed to help tire sales professionals address specific markets within the industry, and Sales Leader, focused on helping tire sales professionals achieve the highest levels of expertise within the industry in tire sales and product knowledge.
In addition, Cooper will launch Tire Business Leader, designed for managers and principals of tire dealers and distributors and is focused on providing business training for successfully managing a tire business with courses that may include marketing, financial management and human resources.
Currently, the Basic Training Level is available along with 10 product-specific courses, with the additional certification classes being made available over the next 12 to 18 months.
