TireHub Hubber Spotlight: A Tire is Not Just A Tire

Interview with Taylor Shami, TLC Leader, 142 Albany, New York

At TireHub, our mission is to distribute the highest quality products possible to our customers so they can put their customers on tires they’ll love. Without our TLC Leaders, like Taylor Shami, we wouldn’t be able to achieve this. Taylor is our TLC Leader in Albany, New York who goes the extra mile to get the job done. Since Taylor was young, she had a passion for working on cars with her brother which has led her to the tire industry where she has 21 years of experience.

In Taylor’s interview she mentioned one of her favorite parts about working at TireHub is that employees (Hubbers) are invited to participate in committees such as the Women’s Leadership Group and the Safety Committee. Read below for Taylor’s experiences with TireHub.

Give us a little info about yourself.

I’m Taylor Shami, TLC Leader in 142 Albany, New York, located in our Northeast region.

How long have you been a Hubber?

I’ve worked for TireHub for 2.5 years. Before that, I spent 5.5 years with Bridgestone and Tire Wholesale Warehouse (TWW). Way back in 2012, I was recruited by the Jacksonville, Florida location under TWW. In 2015, I moved to Nashville to work at Bridgestone’s headquarters. In 2017, I took an outside sales position in Hartford, CT. In 2018, I had the opportunity to help the Albany, NY branch succeed into the operational success it is now.

How long have you been in the tire industry?

21 years. Started working in shops at 15 years old changing oil and tires before I went to tech school for Automotive.

How would you describe life as a Hubber?

There is absolutely never a dull day. Running a TLC always has you on the go, whether it’s a project that needs finishing, a customer that needs help, or loading/unloading trucks. We roll up our sleeves as a team and get the work done. Without a strong crew that can work together as one, life as a Hubber wouldn’t be as it is today. Rewarding hard work that has an impact not only on our customers, but on our Hubbers as well.

What’s something you wish people knew about tires / the industry / etc.?

A tire is not just a tire, it’s a highly engineered and integral piece of driving performance. Application is the key to any sought-after driving experience. We in the tire business never want to see a misapplication leading to the end user being unhappy with their purchase. I am thrilled to work for a company with a knowledgeable sales staff that know how to ask the right questions to make sure the customer will love the tires they drive on.

Do you have a favorite customer interaction?

My favorite interaction with a customer is when they come in for a will call, look into our warehouse and see how nice and organized it is. We usually get the comment “I’ve been coming here for 20 years (formerly a COWD location) and the warehouse looks great, plus you guys always have my tires ready before I get here.” Makes me proud of my staff and all the hard work we put into Albany to make it functional and organized.

How is TireHub different?

Being a fairly new company, we are still trying to figure out how to do things in the most efficient and cost-effective way. I love the fact that TireHub invites their employees to participate in committees, like the Women’s Leadership Group or Safety Committee, that take advice and input from the field. I have never worked for a company that actually values the input from their employees as much as TireHub has.

Describe your approach to providing exceptional customer service.

I’ve previously worked retail and I remember my days of being on the other side of the phone. We all just want to be treated fairly and respectfully. With that in mind, I try to instill into our Hubbers that when a delivery may not go as planned or when speaking to a customer about tires and service, try to see the other side of the situation before reacting.

What would you deem your greatest success since starting with TireHub?

Creating a work environment for employees that is positive, inviting and rewarding. Boosting the moral amongst our team during a pandemic has been a challenge that no book or mentor could have prepared you for. To still see Hubbers having your back and showing up every day is a success to me.