Quality tyres should come with a quality retail experience. That’s the general idea behind a concierge service from Bridgestone

SINGAPORE — Meet Singapore’s first tyre concierge. Elphin Ong works for Bridgestone, and is making it her mission to offer the tyre giant’s customers a personalised experience.

Customers can contact her to set up an appointment for a new set of Bridgestones, and have her select a convenient retail location. It will be most likely be one of the brand’s comfier B-Select outlets, one of five on the island (see below).

Ms Ong then makes sure that the tyres are waiting for the customer at the appointed time, and shows up herself to see the transaction through.

For Bridgestone Concierge you can contact [email protected], or 6777-4181.

The concierge service is still a small one, she says, but all customers are welcome to try it out. Those looking for a specific Bridgestone model in a particular size stand to benefit most, because they run the most risk of turning up at a retailer and not finding what they want.

Along with Ms Ong, customers are met by Ken Lim, a Technical Service Engineer for Bridgestone.

Once the old tyres come off the customer’s car, Mr Lim (pictured below) gets to work, analysing the worn rubbers for telltale signs of trouble — wheel misalignment and chronic underinflation are common problems in local cars, he explains, and a close look at tread wear can reveal early suspension trouble.

On my car, he identified a tyre that had once suffered a bad puncture, and made a few guesses — mostly correct — about my cornering style.

Like the Bridgestone Concierge service, the consultation with Mr Lim costs nothing, at least at the cash register.

Instead, they are part of an effort by Bridgestone to differentiate its products from the slew of cheaper tyres from lesser-known brands in the market.

The strategy addresses a problem that tyre giants routinely face in Singapore. More than once, industry sources have expressed bewilderment to CarBuyer that drivers here will spend six figures on their cars, only to baulk at paying several hundred for quality tyres.

Perhaps a dedicated concierge will be able to change a few minds?

MORE: Check out Bridgestone’s Potenza RE003, a tyre for drivers who want something sporty

What is Bridgestone B-Select?
B-Select is a retail store concept/franchise that is unique to Australia, India, New Zealand, and Singapore of course. It aims to take the guesswork out of buying tyres by providing a welcoming environment for walk-in customers.

The result of extensive market research, it’s designed to be a world away from the generally untidy and unwelcome retail front of an old-school tyre store.

Instead, each B-Select store has a comfortable customer lounge (like the one pictured here) staffed by knowledgeable personnel, with transparent pricing for tyres, says Bridgestone. The workshops should have the latest equipment and offer nitrogen inflation.

Since launching the concept in May 2012, Bridgestone has opened five B-Select branches in Singapore, according to its website.