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Frank Frattale is the Director of Sales at Trimax Tire-Maxon International. With a rich history in the automotive industry, Frank has honed his skills in management, account management, sales, strategic planning, and business development. He is an accomplished sales professional, having previously worked for Fury Tires, NAMA Tires Inc., and NEXEN TIRE.
In this episode…
How do you build long-term partnerships or relationships with customers? Treat them the way you’d like to be treated.
According to Trimax Tire-Maxon International’s Frank Frattale, that starts with respect and complete transparency. Many distributors tend to shy away from telling the truth for fear of losing a customer. Still, Frank says customers respect and appreciate honesty and will stay loyal — even after receiving bad news — if they know you’re being transparent with them.
On this episode of Gain Traction, Frank joins Neal Maier and Matt Peters to discuss treating customers in a way that encourages them to partner with you in good times and bad. Frank talks about the importance of transparency and the benefits that can come from it. He discusses his thirty-year auto and tire industry journey and shares valuable advice crucial to his success.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- Frank Frattale talks about his entry into the auto industry
- Why Frank transitioned from selling wheels to selling tires
- Which brands does Trimax Tire-Maxon International import and distribute?
- How the recent industry struggle with production and shipping affected Frank’s approach to working with customers
- Why complete transparency is an effective method of communication in the tire business
- Frank reveals the best advice he’s ever received
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Frank Frattale on LinkedIn
- Trimax Tire-Maxon International
- Parnelli Jones
- Neal Maier on LinkedIn
- Matt Peters on LinkedIn
- Tread Partners
Transcript
Mike:
Hey folks, Mike here. I want to invite you, before we get started today, to join us in Durham, North Carolina, September 28th through the 30th at the ASTE Show. That’s the Automotive Service and Technology Expo. You can find out more about it at asteshow.com. That’s A-S-T-E-S-H-O-W.com. Look for me there, Mike with the Gain Traction podcast. Hope to see you there.
Announcer:
Welcome to the Gain Traction podcast, where we feature top automotive entrepreneurs and experts and share their inspiring stories. Now, let’s get started with the show.
Neal:
Hi, this is Neal Maier. I’m joined with Matt Peters today and we’re host of Gain Traction, where we talk with top business leaders about their journeys in the automotive industry. Had some great fortune to interview lots of guests and today’s is sure to be dynamic. Before we jump in with today’s guest, this episode’s brought to you by Tread Partners. At Tread Partners, we provide digital marketing for multi-location tire dealers, auto repair shops, and the automotive aftermarket. By using our strategy, branding, and marketing services, we help shops sell more tires. So, what are you waiting for? Reach out to us, www.treadpartners.com. So, today Matt and I are joined by Frank Frattale, sales director for Trimax Tire. Frank, welcome to Gain Traction.
Frank:
Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Neal:
Well, Frank, we’ve gotten to know each other over the past year or two, and I’ve gotten a little peek into your history in the tire business, but let me ask you a really tough question. How’d you get started in tires?
Frank:
Over 30 years ago. So, it’s actually, I’ll make it short, but one of my neighbors used to be in the wheel tire distribution. And I was a newlywed and he heard me talk to my wife in Spanish one day and he approached me and he said, “Hey, nice to meet you. My name is such-and-such.” Anyway, he said, “I work for a wheel manufacturer,” back in the day when we had US wheel manufacturers, “and we’re looking for somebody bilingual in sales. Would you be interested?” And it was like a God-sent gift because I’ve always loved cars. I raced bikes in my youth. And I was a computer science major and I was working for Motorola at the time, but I was bored to death in an office, wearing in a white coat. Part of the airbag sensors department, if you can believe it.
Neal:
No kidding.
Frank:
Doing it for South Florida’s Police Department. Anyway, I was like, “Yeah, this sounds interesting.” And lo and behold, I went and looked at the warehouse. I remember being so excited about it that I didn’t even ask about the pay. All I told them was, “Yes, I’m fully bilingual, fully, and I can help you do export,” because in that time they wanted to open an export department. Well, the such company was called Progressive Wheels, and just so you get to know, back in the day there was only three wheel manufacturers. It was American Racing, Progressive Wheels, and American Eagle. And that’s how I started in the wheel business.
But then a few years later, as I became the regional manager for the branch in Fort Lauderdale, we struck a deal with Parnelli Jones. For those of you that might be, Parnelli Jones used to be old, well, one of the first NASCAR drivers. Retired then in the late ’80s, early ’90s. And we struck a deal with Goodyear Cooper, well, Goodyear, sorry, to put his name on the tires, and that’s how I got introduced to tires. And never looked back. It’s been quite a ride from those early beginnings.
Neal:
No kidding. Probably the second time I went to SEMA, and this had to be maybe it was definitely early 2000s, maybe late ’90s, and I was sitting in a casino bar and this guy comes in, sits down next to me, and asks if I’m there with SEMA and starts to tell a bunch of stories about racing. And it was 10 minutes in before I realized it was Parnelli Jones.
Frank:
No way. You met the guy, huh?
Neal:
Yeah, yeah.
Frank:
Wow.
Neal:
Long, long time ago.
Frank:
Yep, yep. He was a hell of a guy. We got the pleasure of meeting him. Learned a lot. We share a lot of things in common. Racing in our blood. But never looked back. As long as I’ve been doing it, it goes back to the cliche saying that if you’re ever going to do something in life, do something that you love, because it never feels like a job. Well, for me, this is the dream job, if you want to call it. You get to meet a lot of people around the nation, different backgrounds, different locations. It’s never the same thing. And that’s part of, I guess, the thrill of doing this job.
Neal:
Well, along the way, how’d you make the leap from wheels to tires?
Frank:
So, with the Progressive shutdown, because that’s when we started seeing in the early ’90s a lot of companies transitioning to China, bringing product from overseas because it was cheaper, at that time in the States the EPA was cracking down on a lot of different industries, especially the wheel industries and tire industry for the restrictions that they had put on. So, it became very expensive to produce wheels in the United States. When they shut down I was approached by one of my competitors that knew that we were closing and he offered me a job, a manager in Florida, and started my second, I guess, stage of my career with them in south Florida. And they were still involved with wheels of course, but they had retail stores as well in Jacksonville, but there were already distributors for certain brands of tires. So, now I’m still tied to the tires because early on the aftermarket business is driven by the wheels. The bigger the wheels, then the tire manufacturers struggled to try to keep up to fill those gaps.
So, I was indirectly tied to tires no matter what. At first, I didn’t like it because I was new to it and human nature is anything new, you’re kind of skeptical about it. I was out of my comfort zone. But later I realized there was just more tires to go with wheels, that it was a very important part of the automotive industry as a replacement part. So, when I was there, I learned everything that I could at the beginning with tires. I still was in my early twenties, newlywed, so I was still two kids, so I was trying to learn and put the energy in it. When I was there I was offered a job at ITCO, nowadays American Tire, and that was my best school when it came to tires. Wheels, not everybody can sell wheels. There’s a lot of intricate parts that go there, especially nowadays with all the offsets and crazy sizes and all that. But tires become crazy too with all the sizes and all that.
But I could say that transition from ITCO to ATD was one of my best years in the tire industry because I learned everything from the ground up as far as how the tires are made. That was my first introduction to dealing with manufacturer’s rep, driving with them. And as a very ambitious young man, I’ve always tried to keep an open mind like, “Okay, this is where I’m at now. Where am I going next?” That’s why I kept a very good relationship with all the manufacturers who were there. After ATD, my first manufacturing job came, and that was with Nexen Tire. Very good company. To this day, the quality they produce. Global. They’ve been around for over 70 years.
So, that was my next step in the manufacturing process. Then learned from manufacturing to distributor, points of sales. It’s a different approach being a distributor to retailer, now from manufacturer to distributor. So, I thought that I reached the pinnacle of my career. And in 2018 I started getting, not bored, but, “Okay, what’s next?” Then I was at SEMA. Every time I go to SEMA, I try to meet new people in the industry. To learn. Mostly to learn. It’s always been my attitude. You can never get too comfy. It’s always about learning. And that’s when I was, by chance or destiny, whatever you want to call it, I met a few people from overseas that were in the manufacturing. But true manufacture, factories. And at the time they were looking for people to develop the North American market, and that’s when I made the jump to not where I am, Trimax, but my first experience dealing with overseas factories and bringing the product, developing a brand, accounts development and distribution as a whole. And that’s been my journey so far. Just step by step.
Neal:
I guess-
Frank:
Where it’s going to lead from there, I don’t know, because I think I’ve gotten to… And again, it’s a learning experience dealing with manufacturers, productions. Now I’m part of launching new sizes. It’s a whole different animal now. Listening to consumers, to customers, their needs, bringing it to the factory production. It’s very interesting. I love it. Again, it’s part of the job and again, it’s never a boring day.
Neal:
Oh, no question.
Frank:
Yeah.
Neal:
Right now I feel like you have the opportunity to see almost every end of the cycle with the tire, right?
Frank:
Right.
Neal:
Everything from with your customers, the sales side on through to the end user, but also taking that feedback all the way back to the plant, back to the manufacturer.
Frank:
Correct. It’s, again, our goal then with Trimax, which is our latest… Trimax was an opportunity that came about through a friend that works with us and he had done the same thing as me. He’s had the same journey as I’ve had. In fact, all four of us that are the US-based team have had the same experience. We’ve been at every level and stage of this industry, and that’s what sets us apart. We wanted to do something different and the approach that Trimax wanted from the beginning, they wanted to have a staff, a US-based staff, that knows the market, has the relationships with the distributors, the retailers, the consumers to put an American face, if you want to call it, rather than the stigma, “Oh, it’s just another Chinese brand.”
And I call it a stigma because it’s in the past with all the politics going on. That’s why I don’t discuss politics or religion. They have no place in our business. I got a product that’s good, profitable, here you go. What can we do? It’s by far one of the best decisions I’ve made. Challenging, yes. But then again, it allows you to grow more, meet more people, and the more people you meet in the industry, it’s the more things you get to know that you thought you knew, but you’re still learning.
Neal:
So, Trimax is distributing and importing what brands?
Frank:
So, we are the importer of record for brands such as Haida and MileKing, which are our main product, and then we have, under that flag, we have Kapsen, ANSU, and Farroad. But we also have the ability, which is… This is great. So, if you are a distributor, which we call a large distributor, and you want to have your own brand, we have the facilities for that. We can make your own brand. You can stick your brand and we can build it for you as long as you meet the production volumes. As a factory, we have those capabilities to build you your own brand. You can market it and brand it anywhere you want. We’ll make it for you.
Neal:
No kidding.
Frank:
That’s a huge advantage for us.
Neal:
Matt, maybe it’s time for you and I to start our tire brand.
Frank:
There you go. I like the name, Tread Partners.
Neal:
That’s right, that’s right. Well, it’s got to be just fascinating to have not only the, I guess, direct relationship, be directly connected back to the manufacturer, but also to be able to provide some influence and support for your customers. I know production and shipping all past couple of years have been nightmares. What’s that been like with you and what do you see coming?
Frank:
Well, like everybody else, we all had our ups and downs. Shipping was a nightmare. But I think what put us on the map, honestly, it was the fact that we, on our A movers, as we call it, we keep producing. So, we had ready-to-go inventory that allowed our customers during the pandemic and afterwards to continue ordering from us uninterrupted. Obviously the freight was a big… The prices were a big issue. You’re talking that, during the pandemic and after the pandemic, you were paying 20, $22,000 per container. One of the things that we made very clear to our customers that we were not going to make money on freight, that we were going to be very transparent. What did that meant? That meant that if we booked or we got a deal on certain spaces… Because that’s what cost the prices to go up. You couldn’t get space because of the huge demand that all of a sudden happened, the peak.
So, it was all about spacing and the freight companies took advantage of that. They may not like what I’m about to say, but that’s the truth. They took advantage of the situation. So, we have an office in LA and we have an office in China, logistics office. Their whole purpose was to book in advance based on the orders that we had, so therefore guaranteeing the best rate. Oftentimes when I gave a customer a price, by the time he received it they would see a credit on their account, on their invoice. And they were surprised like, “What is this?” I said, “Well, we got a better deal on freight, so we’re passing it on to you.” That blew them away. Because they were being raped, for lack of a better word, by certain distributors where they took advantage. Even if they got a deal, they still made money on the freight. And let’s face it, distributors are not stupid.
They’ve been around for a long time and they knew that was going on, but they couldn’t do anything about it. So, from the get-go, our motive was to be open with our customers, a partner. We’re going to be your partner, and as a partner we’re going to treat you like such, meaning that if we got a discount, we’re going to pass it on to you. And it could have been $800. I have instances where $4,000 were passed on to the customer. And as a matter of fact, that allowed our relationship to go forward in trust, us knowing, “Hey, these guys are doing this now. Maybe we should give them a chance.” Because at that time, they just needed us to fill the gap that they couldn’t get from other ones. But as time progressed and things started to stabilize a little bit more, we and a lot of those distributors and most of those distributors, we became part of their catalog because of the consistency and they were able to forecast and they knew they can count on us.
Matt:
Frank, my entire career in the industry going on 30 years has been built around treating people with the same respect that you would want for yourself.
Frank:
Exactly.
Matt:
And being a good partner and helping during times of need, like what we went through with the pandemic. And not taking advantage of the opportunity that was presented to them speaks volumes about the character of you, your guys, and your company. I think that’s really fantastic and I applaud you guys for that.
Frank:
Well, it’s like you said, Matt, being in this industry for such a long time, we’ve been there and done that. We treat our customers the way we want to be treated. We’re all consumers at the end of the day, if you look at it. When we leave our homes and we go to a retail store, we’re all consumers. We just want to be treated with respect, transparency. And the fact that a lot of distributors in the US and North America, and I see it every day where they’re just afraid to tell the truth.
They think they’re going to lose a customer. Just be transparent, whether it’s good or bad. I’m not saying we’re perfect. We’ve had issues with shipping, but we call them. “Hey, listen, we told you we’re going to be there this day. Well, guess what? It’s not going to happen.” Yeah, some may get mad, but at the end of the day, you’re being transparent. And that’s the whole goal of our operation is to let people know, “Listen, we’re here for you. We’re not just here to sell you tires and be done with it. We’re here for the long run. We’re here to grow with you and help you grow the brand.”
Neal:
If all you ever do is report good news, the time you have to report bad news it shows through, right?
Frank:
Right.
Neal:
But if you can report the good and bad, then the biggest thing is how do you get through it, right?
Frank:
Correct.
Neal:
You just got to do whatever you can to help make it right and keep moving forward.
Frank:
It’s the key word, transparency. It’s what we tell in our sales conference calls. And that’s the good thing about having a seasoned staff is that we’re all grown men. We’re not going to tiptoe around the truth whether you like it or not. We’re going to let you know exactly what you need to know in order for you to make an educational response to it, where what decision, how am I going to react to it, or we’re going to get through it together. It hasn’t been easy for anybody. For anybody in the industry to say that the past couple of years have been perfect, I’ll walk away from that conversation.
Neal:
You know they were in a different industry.
Frank:
Correct. Yeah, exactly.
Neal:
Well, Frank, looking back through all the years in the wheel and the entire business, I’m sure you’ve received some advice that’s helped you along the way. Anything stick out in your mind that you lean back on?
Frank:
One I’ll never forget is as a young man in this industry, I was told by one of my best supervisors, one of my best bosses, he sat me down because I was struggling, and he said, “Be honest with yourself and be honest with your customers. That would always take you forward in any situation.” Looking back at it, I now understand what that means. And relationships is what opens the door, and the only thing you have to your name, no matter who you work for, you could be in Wall Street, you could be an account manager, you can be whatever you want to be in whatever industry, the only thing that takes you forward is your honesty, transparency, and the fact that you have a good relationship in your industry.
Never burn a bridge. It’s what it’s all about. Whether it’s good or bad, you always face it head on. People do business with people still in the age of technology that we have now. And I’ve proven it once, twice, three times in my career where I can walk into any place and I can actually whip my head up because I’ve helped this person, the people. And that’s the one thing that I’ve learned over and over. And I repeat it to my sales guys. It’s, “You can be here today. You might be here next. Who knows? But the only thing you can take with you is your integrity and your relationships.” And I’m sure you’re the same. Matt knows about this. You know about this. If you’ve done right in the past, you will do well. People trust you.
Neal:
That’s absolutely correct. This industry is huge, but it’s not that big.
Frank:
No, no. Everybody talks. And you’re not going to please everybody. That’s just the truth. That’s just life itself. But in the majority, if you’ve been truthful, if you’ve helped people in the past or they helped you, take a moment and look through that and see that. And that’s what I use always moving forward. I never think that I know everything. I’m still learning and every day is a new opportunity to learn new things.
Neal:
Yeah. Every time we think we’ve seen everything, it changes.
Frank:
Oh yeah, exactly.
Neal:
Well, Frank, if people want to learn more about Trimax Tire, where should they go?
Frank:
They could go on our newly designed website. Thank you, guys. I want to take the time to appreciate you for the work you did and the patience you had with us. It’s been great. I talked to all my peers about you guys, the great work that you’ve done. And that would be trimaxtire.com. Or you can reach me. I’m on LinkedIn also, and I’m not just there in name. I participate too with the industries [inaudible 00:22:39] and everything. That’s one way you can reach. There’s two ways you can reach us out. There’s the information there on the website or LinkedIn. Or if you have anybody, since you deal in the industry, refer them to us.
Neal:
That’s perfect.
Frank:
I’d be glad to help you out to grow your business. One of the things that I tell everybody is I’m not just here to sell you tires. One of the reasons that I signed on to Trimax Tires, I believe in the product that we have. The quality of the product speaks for itself. Number two is you can be profitable, and that’s very important in the tire industry nowadays. With everything, especially in the entire industry. Our products are very profitable and that’s one of the key things that I bring to the table with our products, quality and profitability.
Neal:
Well, having worked directly with you, your team, and Trimax, I can echo all of that, that you do exactly what you say you’ll do. And wish you all the success.
Frank:
Appreciate it. Thank you. It’s exciting to say the least. We’re still growing and we’re adding new things. I’m sure I’m going to come back to you guys, redo something on the web or add something to the website and like I said, it’s been a pleasure working with you guys. Like I said, I refer you guys to everybody because the experience has been great, especially with not the time. Sometimes I don’t have the time, but you guys did an excellent job. I really, really appreciate all you did for us. Thank you.
Neal:
Well, thank you. Well, Frank, we appreciate you joining us on Gain Traction today and look forward to great things from Trimax.
Frank:
Thank you. Glad to be a part of it. Keep it up. And like I said, it’s a great podcast. We need more podcasts like this, honestly.
Neal:
I agree. I agree. Thank you all.
Matt:
Thank you. Have a good one.
Announcer:
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Transcript
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