Fountain Tire Technicians Sharpen Photography Skills to Better Educate Customers

When it comes to car problems, drivers simply take a technician’s advice with little to no knowledge of the issue or root cause. This approach often leads to a lack of transparency, trust, and understanding. The technician is in a power position and the driver is not armed with information to make an informed decision. When this happens in a low interest category, it fosters mistrust and does not allow for brand loyalty to be built.

Fountain Tire, a leader in tire and automotive service in Canada, wants to change how drivers make decisions about repairs with the launch of their new complimentary Digital Vehicle Report. At Fountain Tire, they just don’t tell you what’s wrong with your car, they show you photographs of your actual car to explain, in great detail, what needs attention now, what doesn’t, and why.

"As a brand, we're always finding innovative ways to serve our customers; we are excited to bring this program to market as a testament to our brand promise. The Digital Vehicle Report is a demonstration of Fountain Tire's commitment to transparency, trust, and education. These attributes have always been central to our business. Now, we're reframing it for customers through a digital experience. But at the end of the day, the Digital Vehicle Report is just another proof point of our brand promise." said Denise Gohl-Eacrett, director brand and customer experience.

Fountain Tire technicians photograph and record video of all vehicle inspections. The visuals are combined in a simple, colour-coded report that clearly communicates the condition of each inspected part. Reports are emailed or sent via text message, which means drivers can see exactly what the technician sees. The reports play an important role in customer communication, education, and transparency in the vehicle repair process, allowing drivers to make informed decisions about recommended repairs.

Troy McGuinness, group creative director at FCB, added: “The old adage of doing something for 10,000 hours makes you an expert, comes to life in this spot. While Fountain Tire technicians are taking a lot of photos to show the health of the customer’s cars, they're also developing some fine photography skills. This led to the creative idea.”

The Digital Vehicle Reports are also helping Fountain Tire maintain strong connections with their customers during the pandemic, without them having to be in store. Contributing to customers’ safety both in the store and on the road reinforces the brand’s promise of 'We’re on this road together'. The national campaign runs until the end of the year in TV, digital, and social. FCB Canada handled strategy and creative development. Guru Communications handled media planning and buying.