Canadian Tire’s CEO

Stephen Wetmore is Canadian Tire’s current CEO. He has been CEO since 2009. He has led many different companies and been manager of industries also. He is considered responsible and trusted because of his history of experience. He has worked in different countries and been in charge of international operations as well. He has built brands and created changes in marketing. He has especially shown interest in working towards innovations and changes in customer service. He previously worked with Bell Aliant, Bell Canada, and Air Atlantic. He also has a history in healthcare and public accounting as well. Before becoming CEO of Canadian Tire Stephen served on the board of directors since 2003. He has helped Canadian Tire make changes as a company. He helped them succeed as a business and improve sales as a company. His skills and experience have helped him make decisions that benefit Canadian Tire and have helped them keeps their stores open across the country.

1. Do you believe Stephen Wetmore’s experience has helped him succeed as a CEO?

Canadian Tire’s Home and Garden Centre

Canadian Tire has a large variety of plants and décor items to make your outdoor living area appealing and enjoyable. They provide a many different types of plants and water fixtures to satisfy anyone’s needs. The different colors and types of plants are guaranteed to appeal to customers. They give many options to help decorate and improve your garden and outdoor living area. They sell many different styles of patio furniture, BBQ’s, children swings, sheds, lighting fixtures, and the list goes on. Canadian Tire provides a lot more options then Wal-Mart does when it comes to outdoor living products. Their selection is a lot better if you’re looking to make changes. They have multiple styles to suit their consumer’s wants and needs. The endless amount of products for different seasons and areas of the home is appealing to customers. The garden section is also organized by the type of plants and the size too. Making it easy for customers to find what they are looking for. Most customers have good reviews about the outdoor living products provided by Canadian Tire and are satisfied with the items in the store.

1. Have you or someone you know purchased outdoor living products from Canadian Tire before?

Canadian Tire “Fast Facts”

Canadian Tire has many interesting facts that surround its history. The way that it has built itself up from such a small business is an achievement to say the least. The first Canadian Tire was bought for only $1,800.00 in the 1920’s. In the mid-thirties they introduced the concept of having employees on roller skates to speed up business. The first gas station was established in 1958 and customers were introduced to the concept of “Canadian Tire Money”, which was redeemable for products within the stores. Canadian Tire has currently expanded as far as the Northwest Territories. At the height of distribution over nine million flyers were sent out each week to Canadians across the country. Every two out of three men read the flyer every week. The flyer is essential in Canadian Tire’s advertising. Most Canadians live close to a Canadian Tire and over three quarters of the population shop at the store every year. Currently over 4 million people have signed up to be members of Canadian Tire Financial services and are registered card members.

1. Do you believe Canadian Tire has successfully grown as a company?
2. In your opinion is Canadian Tire successfully advertising its products? For example, using a weekly flyer.

Canadian Tire’s Customer Service

Canadian Tire brands itself as a store that the everyday Canadian can go to for their multiple essentials. It prides itself on being a store specifically for the average Canadian citizen. They also promote, like every other store, positive customer service. It seems though that many customers who have been loyal shoppers and consumers of Canadian Tire’s products have been receiving unacceptable treatment and service at the stores. Many complain that those they speak to are disrespectful and disregard the specific needs that are being asked of them. If a customer is unhappy then a store should try its best to make the customer happy. The saying “The customer is always right.” is what should be promoted by every store that is trying to successfully sell their products. If the customers are not happy then the company will not get repeat business from the consumer due to the competition there is in almost every market. The consumer will simply take their business elsewhere where they feel they receive better service. My personal experience with customer service at Canadian Tire was also not satisfactory. I asked where a particular item was in the store and was not even spoken to. The employee simply pointed to the direction the item was. I believe Canadian Tire should think about ways to improve their customer service to give better assistance to customers.

1. Do you think Canadian Tire should consider improving its customer service?
2. Have you ever had an issue with customer service at Canadian Tire?

Canadian Tire: Are they capable of expanding?

Canadian Tire is currently one of Canadians most well known companies. They have provided a range of products to consumers for many years and have proven to be a reliable business. They offer prices that beat or are on par with the competitions and many people have trusted in the services that Canadian Tire has had to offer over the years. The problem now is that Canadian Tire seems to be a thing of the past. They provide the same products as many of their competitors and have branded themselves specifically as a Canadian company. Their name has restricted them from expanding into countries other then Canada. This has limited their ability to become a larger corporation as well as a multinational one as well. When considering started a business one may want to consider keeping their name as diverse as possible. This was one thing that was clearly not considered by the founders of the Canadian Tire corporation. Another issue with Canadian tire is they have not considered expanding their target market and consumers. Many believe that Canadian Tire has not adjusted itself to the multicultural society of Canada and that this has affected their business. Canada has grown into a country with a variety of different cultures in society and by limiting the target market the company is limiting its sales. Canadian Tire would benefit from expanding itself to meet the needs of changing society. Doing this will allow them to increase revenue and improve customer services and in the end become a more successful company.

1. Do you think Canadian Tire would benefit from expansion?
2. Do you believe Canadian Tire could have changed its name to allow it to be seen as a more multinational corporation?

Canadian Tire and The Community

Canadian Tire is a business that involves itself within the community. The Jumpstart program is provided by Canadian Tire for children who are looking to get active. The program gives the children the ability to access services that promote exercise and healthy living. It provides the necessities to improve athleticism by covering the costs of equipment, registration, and transportation. One in three families are not able to afford extracurricular activities for their children. The Jumpstart program allows those who cannot afford these services with the ability to access them. By giving children a chance to interact and involve themselves with others in the community it supports positive self-esteem and involvement. St. James is the first and only place that the Jumpstart program has been offered and it has proven to be a success. Canadian Tire is the one of the only businesses in Canada that has services that are made accessible to individuals in the community free of charge and with no strings attached. They give their consumers everything they need within their stores and outside of them also. They have a variety of products, support, and partnerships within Canada which make them stand out from the competition. Canadian Tire gives consumers many essential and beneficial services that other stores do not provide. They market themselves differently and focus on not only the product but the customer as well. Canadian Tire has proven to be one of the most successful businesses in more ways than one. With government involvement and professional service they have become a front runner in the Canadian business world.

1. Do you believe that Canadian Tire should expand its involvement with the Jumpstart program?
2. Is it a good business strategy for Canadian Tire to become involved with programs in the community, such as Jumpstart?

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Commercial (Canadian Tire, 2009)

Canadian Tire Vs. Competitors

With over 488 stores across Canada, Canadian Tire is one of the country’s most shopped general merchandise retail stores. They offer goods and services that meet the consumer’s needs for what is essential in everyday living. The company also employs nearly 68,000 people under one of the country’s most trusted brands. Canadian Tire accounts for more than just retail services, they also provide financial services to their customers. Another service that is offered through Canadian Tire is Canadian Tire petroleum which is one of Canada’s largest gasoline retailers. Over the years of Canadian Tire’s existence, there have been many well established companies that have been competing with Canadian Tire in terms of retail and services that the company offers. With Canadian Tire’s main focus on automotive, home, sports, and leisure products. The company’s main competitors, including Wal-Mart and Sears, offer customers the same. Their biggest competitor being Wal-Mart. The company was founded in 1962 in Arkansas, and opened its first Canadian store in 1994. Wal-Mart mainly offers similar retail products such as home, automotive and leisure products as well as financial services, but the store also contains a grocery section which Canadian Tire does not offer. Another competitor for Canadian Tire is Sears Canada which was founded in 1893 in Chicago, and was expanded to Canada in 1952. Canadian Tire and Sears offer similar products. Sears focusing more on clothing, footwear, and beauty products rather than automotive products. To be able to compete successfully with its competitors and attract more business Canadian Tire may want to consider expanding into grocery and furthering its clothing line. By making these improvements Canadian Tire will be able to thrive amongst its biggest competitors.

1. Do you think Canadian Tire would benefit from expanding the different services it offers to customers or would this make it too alike other stores?

Canadian Tire Gas Money

In the huge competitive retail industry, Canadian Tire has been expanding its marketing advertising catalogue for many years. Canadian Tire’s gas money is also undergoing research and this research has brought Canadian Tire to future growth and success. Canadian Tire will continue to remuneration their dependable customers by replacing the paper money and converting these paper money points into credit cards or cell phones.  Nevertheless, a loyalty package will remain a key essential for this particular retail industry and it will continue to drive future success by competing using as much productivity and efficiency to become as successful as it can become.  Canadian Tire will continue to bring success into Canada and retailers itself because it has already established an amazing company that has brought one of the most future growths. With this new change being implied Canadian Tire will continue to attract more Canadians and with more customers being supported to this company due to the fact there will be reward points for free items. Who wouldn’t want to earn some extra points while you purchase items from your retailer Canadian Tire?

 Overall this new change will be a great success and will lead into future development and will defiantly attract new customers such as Canadians for a great opportunity to gather points, while you shop and eventually get free items.

Do any of the classmates agree with Canadian Tire gas money changing into the new point’s card system?  

Canadian Tire Revisited

A lot of help to the company's success is it's outstanding  communication. "Yes we all know that other companies have there own communication".Canadian Tire embellishes its communication, head office and retail personnel alike are always in check.There is never a missing link between the two so that customer satisfaction is at its highest at all times.Their head office is regularly putting pressure on the stores to keep renovating their location with new refreshed looks every couple of years, it keeps the consumers interested and allows a new customer experience every time they walk in a store. Both communication and customer satisfaction are what keeps Canadian Tire on top of its game in the Canadian market.