Meet the Merrillville Manager!

Jayme has been with Levin Tire & Service Center since April of 2009. He started at the Southlake store before being promoted to manager at the Broadway location in Merrillville. He grew up helping his Dad work on cars and worked for a few years part time in a small gas station back home in Campbellsburg, IN. doing tires and oil changes.

Would it Kill People to be Nice?

It amazes me that in this day and age that there are still crappy customer service agents out there! I find it hard to believe that there aren't nice people out there who need a job and would love to get paid to talk to people.

A couple months ago my daughter had been to the doctor because she had a cough she couldn't shake and they sent her in for a chest x-ray. My insurance didn't cover a whole whopping $32 of it. When the accounts receivable department called to tell me about it, I asked them to send me out a bill so that I could pay for it. Mind you, it took six weeks from the appointment date to bring this to my attention to start with. That being said, I didn't get the bill until about 2 days ago finally.

I called this afternoon to pay the balance and encounted a lady who clearly HATES her job. When I didn't have an account number to spare her the trouble of changing her client search field she made sure to ask for my phone number with a long drawn out sigh, as if this little click had just required her to sprint a 10 mile marathon without being able to stop for water along the way. (Sorry lady, all I wrote down this morning was the number to pay it, shame on me).  She went straight into getting my debit information without even so much as a "I'll be glad to take care of that for you today" or a "Thank you for taking care of this." I knew roughly what I owed, but wanted to verify the charge amount for my records. Again, I offended this woman by wanting to know what I was being charged and not having the bill directly in front of me so that I didn't have to take up her precious time with a silly question like, "What will the final charge be?"

I admit that I'm most likely the worst customer ever, because here at Levin Tire it's my job to teach people like her to be nice to people! I'm also the customer who writes a letter to complain. In my personal/professional opinion, I'd much rather have the opportunity to correct the situation than have our customers go elsewhere because of one bad apple.

I concluded my phone call and ran really quick to get some lunch. The woman behind the counter was probably in her mid to late 40's. My guess... She had not planned on growing up to serve cheeseburgers and french fries, but I'm glad to say that she did greet me kindly, ask how I was doing, and tell me to enjoy my weekend. Please tell me why the woman who makes more money can't be as kind as the lady who handed me my grilled chicken sandwich?

Customer service is essential in today's world and we pride ourselves on having some of the friendliest and geniune employees around. Thank goodness that lady from the doctor's office does not work for our organization or we'd be having a serious sit down right about now.

~Laura Stephenson

Quality Assurance Coordiantor

Replacing Your Fuel Filter

Picture from: Melton

You would never like to drink a glass of mud, right? Well, your car feels the same way. It needs a steady supply of clean fuel in order to run well and deliver good fuel economy. The fuel filter's job is to clean dirt and rust out of the fuel before it gets to your engine. A clogged fuel filter can actually choke off the engine so that it won't start or run. Some fuel filters have a bypass valve that allows fuel to go around the clogged filter so your car will still run. But, then the contaminated fuel can plug your fuel injectors and allow damaging particles into your engine.

A car with a partially clogged fuel filter might run well around town, but sputter and strain on the highway because it's starving for gas. There are two things that affect how often you need to replace the filter. They are: where you drive and the gas you buy. If you drive a lot on dirt or gravel roads in rural , your fuel filterwill have a harder time keeping the fuel clean.

And, we hate to say it, but buying the cheapest gas from cut-rate area stations sometimes means dirtier fuel that'll clog the filter sooner. Major brands tend to be cleaner and certainly have higher levels of detergent additives.

Of course, your manufacturer recommends intervals for changing the fuel filter. But, it's a little more complicated than that. Some manufacturers stopped listing recommended intervals for fuel filter replacement or have very long intervals like every five years or eighty thousand miles. So you may need to look to other sources for recommendations. Cars older than six or seven years are especially at risk because they have had time for dirt and rust to build up in the fuel tank. A clean fuel filter keeps the gas flowing. Even a partially clogged filter puts added strain on the fuel pump. That can shorten its life and result in a costly repair.

As is often the case, spending a little money now on something as inexpensive as a fuel filter can save money down the road. At Levin Tire & Service Center in , we can check your fuel filter. It is better than fixing a burned out fuel pump or ruined fuel injectors.

Want to see the video? Click here!

Can *112 Save Your Life?

We recently saw a post with the following content come up on our Facebook news feed that caught our attention. The story goes as follows:

An UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on. Lauren's parents have always told her to never pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather to wait until they get to a gas station, etc.

Lauren had actually listened to her parents advice, and promptly called, 112 on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars where she was and there weren't, and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back up already on the way.

Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her. One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground. The man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.

I never knew about the 112 Cell Phone feature. I tried it on my AT&T phone & it said, "Dialing Emergency Number."

Especially for a woman alone in a car, you should not pull over for an unmarked car. Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going on to a safe place.

*Speaking to a service representative at Bell Mobility confirmed that 112 was a direct link to State trooper info. So, now it's your turn to let your friends know about "Dialing, 112"

You may want to send this to every Man, Woman & Youngster you know; it may well save a life.
 
At first we thought this would be a great bit of information to share with people in case they didn't know. However, after looking into a little bit further (we're big on checking our facts) we discovered that this is just another piece of chain mail with no actual value. THERE IS NO SINGLE EMERGENCY NUMER IN USE WORLDWIDE!

There have been several variations of this email. The main character has been both Lisa and Laura. There is even a variation that takes place in Australia. If you'd like to read more "versions" of this story click here.

Bottom line....

Is It Time To Inspect Your Brakes?

In a recent blog post, we reminded you about the importance of using new tires for winter driving. But a properly working brake system is just as important.

Your brakes not only stop your vehicle, they help you control it. If your brakes have been making a lot of noise or you've had to press harder on the pedal lately, it's time to have them examined by an A.S.E.-certified technician at Levin Tire.

Thoroughly checking the brakes involves inspecting the master cylinder, brake lines, brake hoses, brake lining and pads, and parking brake. It's also important to flush the brake fluid and replace it at least every two years.

Even if all the brake components are working, winter conditions could lead you into slippery situations, so check out AAA's free brochure, How to Go on Ice and Snow. You'll find tips on steering and braking through skidding, spinning and loss of control.

Easy Sunday Dinner Idea

Looking for a delicious, but simple Sunday dinner? This is a receipe we borrowed from Martha Stewart.

You can microwave everything in the same dish, including a whole head of garlic; once cooked, the cloves are soft enough to mash, and the taste is mild and sweet.
 

• Prep Time15 minutes
• Total Time30 minutes
• YieldServes 4

 

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 whole garlic head, (unpeeled)
• 1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1/2-inch chunks (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (6 ounces each)
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

 

Directions

1. In a 2-quart microwave-safe dish, toss onion with oil. Place garlic in the center. Cover; microwave on high 5 minutes. Stir bell pepper and tomato paste into onion.
2. Rub chicken with paprika and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; place on vegetables, with thickest part of breast facing edge of dish. Cover; cook on high until chicken is opaque throughout, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken.
3. Remove garlic; slice off top, and squeeze cloves into a small bowl. Add mayonnaise and lemon juice; mash with a spoon. Stir into vegetables; spoon onto plates, and serve chicken on top.

Top 10 Most Fuel Efficent Cars

It is impossible to drive down the street or stop at the pump and not notice the gas prices these days. If you're looking for a more fuel efficient vehicle here's the Top 10 List as of January 2013 according to ConsumerReport.org. 

Coming in at #10 with 50 MPG highway and 28 MPG city is:

  

Honda Civic Hybrid

#9 is a sleak looking model that gets 47 MPG highway and 31 MPG city:

Lexus CT 200h Premium

 #8 beings the Toyota streak with 47MPG highway and 33 MPG city:

Toyota Prius V Three

 #7 is counting down while counting up with 48 MPG highway and 37 MPG city:

Toyota Prius C Two

#6 taking the top efficient spot for the Toyota line up with 55 MPG highway and 32 MPG city:

Toyota Prius Four

#5 has a funny name, but nothing funny about the mileage, 55 MPG highway and 34 MPG city:

Fisker Karma Ecosport

#4 is a new twist from a classic line with 76 MPG highway and 45 MPG city:

Chevrolet Volt

Now onto the top three for 2013 so far...

#3 based on its 118 MPG highway and 86 MPG city we think this car is as light as its name:

Nissan Leaf SL

#2 the ultimate fuel saver for the around town driver with 107 MPG highway and 108 MPG city:

Ford Focus Electric

And the #1 rated vehicle for its fuel efficiency landslide is:



Mitsubishi i SE



Nothing Like a Little Rubber to Fill Your Tummy

This wacky bird is part of the parrot family and can be found in parts of South Island and New Zealand. These guys are known for their mischievous nature and their odd craving for rubber!

Levin Tire Winfield Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Levin Tire of Winfield is celebrating its one year anniversary this month, having opened its doors in February of last year. The store has been remodeled and new shop equipment has been installed, and the Levin Tire Team has since been building relationships with the people of Winfield. The store has experienced steady growth over the year and now services up to 20 to 30 cars each day.

“Being a small business owner, I was excited to open a store in Winfield. It’s a great community and we’ve since enjoyed serving its residents,” said Barry Levin, the company’s president. The company is part of the Winfield Chamber and gives back to the community whenever possible.

Matt Norby was promoted to Store Manager of the Winfield store in January of this year, taking over for Chip LaRock.  “Chip was a great manager and I know I’ve got big shoes to fill. This is a remarkable community and I’m looking forward to getting to know the people of Winfield,” said Norby. 

LaRock has since taken over the store manager position at Levin Tire’s Highland location. “I was happy to pass the baton to Matt. He is great with people and I know the Winfield community will enjoy working with him,” noted LaRock.

Levin Tire was founded as a small, family-owned tire repair shop in 1918 and has since grown to seven full-service tire and auto repair shops across Lake and Porter Counties. Still family owned and operated, the company has been committed to maintaining its core values of honesty and integrity in a family friendly atmosphere.

As noted in the company’s current ad, during the week of February 18th the store will be celebrating its anniversary with special offers, as well as giving away treats and a free gift to its customers. There’s no appointment necessary for service.

Written By: Rachel Shropshire

Ron is in the Spotlight

Ron Redard is our manager at the Hammond location. Ron started in the tire business in 1972, which makes him one of the experts on tires and auto service over 40 years of experience! He also has a B.A. in Political Science / History from Ottawa University. Ron has been with Levin Tire since 1996 and is the second longest standing employee with the company (After Barry himself!) He has attended many training semenars and classes over the years related to the tire business.....Automotive Training Institute, Dale Carnegie Sales Training, etc. A little fun fact: "I love to travel around the country and the world....I have been to over 14 different countries in my lifetime and to almost all 50 states in the U.S.! Thanks!"

Say Hello To Dave!

Dave Goodman has been working for Levin Tire and Service Center since 2002. He started out just selling tires and worked his way up to being the manager for our Hobart location. If you're ever in need of service, stop by and say hello! He's waiting there to take care of you.

Shocking Sludge

This is what the inside of your engine can look like if you don't change your oil regularly! Lots of sludge... Think it might be time for one? Click here http://www.levintirecenter.com/coupons/ for money saving coupons!

Birthday Celebration

It's been a busy couple of weeks around here getting everything ready for Winfield's birthday. We've been in contact with the local Chamber of Commerce, talking to other business in our area, and planning special surprises for our beloved guests at our Winfield location. We're all excited for February 18th and getting the chance to give back to the people who have made it possible for us to build a home there.

Thank you to everyone in the NW Indiana community!

You all mean the world to us here at Levin Tire & Service Center!