Sophie Lyden, known across the trade as ‘The Tyre Lady’, joins the On The Ramp podcast to explain how a safety-first approach at Westgate Tyres has driven massive business growth.
Westgate Tyres operates without an appointment system, managing 40 to 50 cars a day across three depots on one street. Lyden explains how keeping up to 1,000 tyres in stock allows them to meet immediate walk-in demand without the administrative burden of bookings.
Lyden outlines how routine Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) checks can boost workshop revenue, charging £25 for valve service kits. Educating motorists on safety, rather than pushing hard sales, naturally increases overall transaction values and builds trust.
Her tyre safety campaigns, which eventually led to an appearance on the BBC Breakfast red sofa, have directly benefited the garage. Westgate Tyres saw profits double over two years simply by prioritising road safety education in their marketing.
Looking to the future, Lyden advocates for raising the legal tread limit to 2mm and reveals plans for a ‘Tyre Lady Approved Auto Centres’ network to help other independent garages elevate their customer communication.
