Phone Cos. Walk Tightrope with White Pages Kill Request

Verizon and other land line phone companies are appealing to state regulators to approve their request to cease production of white pages residential directories. Sighting a severe decline in use, fewer than 10% of directories are ever used according to a Verizon spokesman; the company would stop production immediately. Interestingly enough however they are committed to continue producing the yellow pages. And according to the Yellow Pages Association more than 50% of Americans use the yellow page printed directory each month. So which is it? Do we use these books at a rate of 50% or 10%? A Chicago Tribune article on the topic stated phone companies argued that consumers now check out the internet rather than flipping through the guide to find a residential phone number. But you would think this behavior shift would also transfer to looking up local companies too, no? Of course it does.

First we need to understand white page directories fall on the expense side of Verizon’s business while the yp’s are on the fatty revenue side. Then the picture becomes clearer. If you also consider it is unlikely phone company employees are going to lie to state and federal regulators then it stands to reason the usage number that is probably more correct is the 10%.

So if offline directory usage is at 10% and you are, say a towing company serving a 30 mile radius how many of those customers are finding you? It is time to get serious about your local advertising plan for your tow company. You cannot afford to give your competition a 90% head start and then expect to compete.

I often hear cash calls are down but I really think cash calls are about the same and the tow companies that get the calls are not the same ones getting these calls 10 years ago.

Its time, their dead, lets move forward. Get a plan for your tow company to advertise online. Online marketing is much more versatile and impactful than its aging offline grandfather and should cost less than what you are paying in yellow page ads now.

Chicago Tribune Article
NJ.com Article

Employee Loyalty As A Company Endorsement

It is fair to say many tow companies just do not have the resources to promote themselves with non traditional message channels. Be it through press releases, interview inquiries or even social media channels like Facebook or LinkedIn. It often requires skills not inherent to our industry or a substantial time commitment from an employee to figure it all out.

I found a great example of a tow company sending our a press release about their 30th anniversary of business with a message wrapped around employee loyalty. It is a fantastic way to promote an important company milestone without looking self-promoting. North Shore Towing in Chicago's Northern suburbs issued a press release through prweb.com (a completely free service which allows you to submit info that they will them disseminate via their proprietary network of news and search contacts) messaging the fact that their very first hire is still with the company. The release goes on to highlight a few employees and their overall family atmosphere and commitment to providing quality services.

A TowProgram tip of the cap to the folks at North Shore Towing. Any time we can get a positive message into the public discussion about members of of the towing community towing as a whole benefits. Selecting a towing provider should not be fear based. Consumers should have access to information helping them choose a provider who is professional, reliable and an active within the community.

Another Study Pointing to How Critical Web Ads Are For Local Businesses

Its repeats like a broken record - The Yellow Pages Are Dead. And through I have made this statement several times speaking to tow professionals it nevertheless remains true. Its just a slow, painful and for some in the tow industry, an expensive death.

I was speaking to an old friend not too long ago who works for an online local business directory and asked him why the yellow pages are still printed and he said it because small businesses are still buying ads. Usage has all but dried up according to the recent 15miles Fourth Annual comScore Local Search Usage Study. This ongoing study tracks many usage measurements but the most important to the tow industry is the fact that fully 70% of households solely use the internet for local business searches. And, interestingly enough, 45% say they do not have a specific company in mind when the start the search. Talk about an opportunity to build your business!

There were may more statistics to come out of the survey that talked about the increase in mobile web access (searching for companies on your smartphone) which really plays an important role when someone is broken down on the side of the road. Where the once would call home and have someone look up the local tow company now they just search their location and tow and call the first company to come up. Or, they call 411 and the operator performs the same search. Either way, its important for tow companies to have a meaningful presence online.

One final interesting tidbit was that 81% believe it's important for local businesses to respond to questions and complaints on social sites. So they are saying if you get a poor review on a site they want to hear your side of the story too. So don't shy away from responding to comments but maybe you should wait until after lunch when the shop is calm and all is well.

Tow Program Releases The Black Book of Towing

The Black Book of Towing & DVD Set is now available to help towing and recovery companies increase their profits.


Here is the official Press Release that was sent out to the industry publications on Friday.
Black Book of Towing & DVD Set author, Dennis Wencel, said, “When I first got into towing, few were willing to answer the questions I had about how to make my business more profitable. So after I sold my company, I decided to pour all the valuable secrets I learned over the years into a book and DVD set to help more independent tow companies thrive. After all, one of the greatest aspects of our industry is that it is filled with small, independent and family-owned businesses, and I want to help keep it that way.

Built by towers for towers, the set details the path to increased profits by walking towing and recovery company owners and managers through simple, easy and effective steps to tackle the biggest business-side challenges facing tow companies today. -Kick-starting their online advertising plan so internet searchers know they exist
-Easily computing costs and revenue per call so they know how much they make on each call
-Adding automation methods to help the business run more efficiently
-Better managing employee relations through creative compensation techniques
-Preparing the business for the most profitable sale

“Our industry has all sorts of training resources for the recovery skills side of towing,” Wencel said, “It’s time we had access to proven ideas and tactics for the business side too, because both sides have to work to be successful in today’s competitive environment.”
Wencel will be a speaker at the 2010 Professional Towing & Recovery Operators of Illinois Tow Show in Lisle, IL August 15 and 16. To learn more about the Black Book of Towing & DVD Set, call Tow Program at 888-834-1123 or visit www.towprogram.com. Images and details are available at www.towprogram.com/blackbookimages.html

About The Black Book of Towing & DVD Set The Black Book of Towing & DVD Set was created by Dennis Wencel shortly after he sold his towing and recovery business. Focused on helping independent towing and recovery companies thrive, The Black Book of Towing and DVD Set purchase also includes a 30-day money back guarantee and lifetime access to the Online Toolbox, a database of forms, sample contracts and other useful documents for the busy towing and recovery company.

About Tow Program Tow Program is the company Dennis Wencel started to promote and distribute The Black Book of Towing & DVD Set. The company also provides Online Advertising Plans and on-site consulting services to the Towing and Recovery Industry. For more information, visit www.towprogram.com/OnlineAdvertising.html.

About Dennis Wencel Dennis Wencel created The Black Book of Towing & DVD Set after selling his own towing and recovery company in 2010. Prior to his time in towing, Wencel worked for a decade in advertising and marketing. He lives with his wife, Jan, in Naperville, Il.

Western State Tow Show

We had a great time in Reno and met all sorts of good folks. The classes were well attended and we have some very good discussion on online advertising for a tow company.
Thanks to all who attended and to the staff from CTTA for putting on a great show.

The seminars: Online Advertising For Your Tow Company and Building an Online Presence for Your Tow Company were such a success we ended up running out of books so we have extended the show special on the web site.
You can find the deal on the hidden page here.

See you all next year.

Online Advertising for Towers

Tow News from Tow Program

AZ Governor vetoes tow truck bill: says it need to be "More thoroughly thought out
AZ Central.com
Ed Ableser, D-Tempe, that would have made it illegal for tow truck companies to remove a vehicle on private property without permission from the property ...

Towing service owner charged with agreeing to pick up trash in lot for right to tow
Gainesville Sun
By Karen Voyles The owner of a Gainesville towing service has been charged with violating the state law regulating the services that a tow operator can ...

Aiken Standard

Suspect faces 50 charges of perjury, practicing law without license
Aiken Standard
Officials said the statute is designed to help towing services recoup the loss they incur by towing and housing a vehicle. Law enforcement officers who find ...

Western States Tow Show Seminars

TowProgram to Present at The Western States Tow Show
Sponsored by the California Tow Truck Association.

Dennis Wencel from TowProgram will be presenting two seminars at the Western States Tow Show. The seminars will focus on how small tow companies can make the most of their online presence.

Internet Exposure for Your Tow Company Thursday June 3rd at 12pm

Understand the first steps to starting your online business profile. Learn the tricks to building a powerful online presence for your company on a shoestring budget. And find out why you need to move all of your advertising spending to the Internet.

Internet Advertising for Towers Saturday June 5th at 9am

This introduction to Keyword Search Advertising will teach you the basics to get the biggest bang out of your Internet advertising buck. Learn how to create impactful ads, apply the right keywords and use geo-mapping to only serve ads in your area. You can have your company advertising online within 24 hours.

Off the heals of great success at the Houston Tow Show, we are looking forward to a great time in Reno! See you in June!

Towing News from Tow Program

Tow truck drivers rally, mourn one of their own
ReporterNews.com
An on-duty tow truck operator driver is killed, on average, every six days — more than 60 each year — according to Jess Horton of the Southwest Towing ...

No Fee Increases for CT Towers
Hartford Courant
By ERIC GERSHON The Hartford Courant The state's tow truck companies won't be getting any of a slew of state-regulated fee increases they sought last ...

Tow Franchise Idea Dropped In Exchange For Other Changes
The Dispatch
By Bryan Russo, Staff Writer OCEAN CITY — Members of the towing industry rallied against the proposed franchise for police tows last week, and it appears ...

Nice Article on CT Operator Liking his job
The Hour
For the better part of 16 years, Gawricki has worked as a tow truck operator for Connecticut Towing and Recovery, located on Church Street. ...

Tow Program is skills training for the business side of towing. To learn more go to http://www.towprogram.com.

Tow Program Guide Table of Contents

A customer gave me a great idea today. She suggested I post the Table of Contents on the site. She said she was amazed at just how much more was in the Guide than she expected.

So, thanks for the idea Katy and here is the Table of Contents Page from the Tow Program Guide. Obviously all of these topics are covered within the program.

Guide Table of Contents

Section 1

How This Program Will Help You

How the Program is Designed
Getting the Program to Work

Profit Analysis
Defining Success
Defining Goals

Understanding Revenue
Traditional Revenue Streams
Towing and Recovery
Call Source
Your Company Data
Calculating Annual Calls Performed
Revenue per Call
Scalability by Call Source

Revenue by Source
Defining Capacity
Non-Traditional Revenue Lines

Section 2

Expense Management
Expense Control Preparation
Summing Annual Expenses
Your Company Data
Fixed Costs
Variable Costs
Calculating Annual Calls Performed
Calculating Cost per Call
Comparing Cost per Call to Revenue per Call
Calculating Profit Margin
How Low Can You Go?
Don’t Cut Yourself Out
Accounting for Intangible Costs
Calculating Your Magic Number
Keeping the Magic Number Magic
Extending Expense Management
Equipment Acquisition
Truck Purchasing Best Practices
Tow Equipment and Supplies
Utilities
Insurance
Incident Reports
Sample Incident Report
Managing Shrinkage
Fuel Consumption

Section 3

Branding & Marketing
Defining Brand
The Naming Dilemma
A Name is Just a Name, is Just a Name?
Critical Naming Considerations
To Change or Not to Change
The Brand Brainstorm
Professionalism in Towing
Describing the Business
The Power of the Tagline
The Marketing Plan- Putting Your Brand to Work
Touch Points
Online Advertising
Maintain the Campaign
Marketing Budgeting
Extending the Brand
Audience
Tactic
Details
Efficiency
Press Releases

Section 4

Winning New Business
Matching Assets to Work Source
Cash Calls
Private-Property Towing
Training Your Customer
Sample Tenant/Resident Notice Letter
Private-Property Contract
Account Calls
Working to Earn the Business
Motor Club Calls
Auction Calls
Municipal/Police Calls
Being the Go-To Company

Section 5

Maximizing Assets
Utilizing Your Asset Pool
Process Management
Employee Management
Minority Partnerships & Profit Sharing
Defining Roles
Work Balance & Distribution
Management Training
Professional Networks
State Towing Associations
Accountability Partnerships

Section 6

Automating Processes
What Do You Do?
Preventative Maintenance Schedule
Automated Toll Passes
Bulk Fuel
Phone Credit Card Processing
Truck Replacement Filter List
Bid Document File
Scan Frequently Used Documents
Phone Log
Billing Inserts

Section 7

Employee Relations
What Makes a Good Employee
Trial/Probation Period
DOT Medical Exam
Setting Expectations
Employee Training
Employee Manual
Sample Employee Manual
Standard Operating Procedures Manual
Sample Standard Operating Procedure Manual
Operator Process Automation
The Safety Award Fund
Weekly Operator Log
Trust, but Verify
GPS Truck tracking

Section 8

Freeing Up Your Time

The Exit Strategy
Piece of mind and the end game.
Independent Valuations
Calculating Sale Price
Materials for Potential Buyers
To Broker or Not to Broker
Presenting Your Business
Business Profile
Summary and Overview
Operations
The Sale Rollercoaster

TowProgram Live DVD Exercises Series

Towing News from Tow Program

Interesting article on student who's car was towed from private property, got mad at tow company, started an anti-tow company facebook page, then got sued by tow company. Let's see how this one plays out. And more here. And here.

York pastor complains about towed cars on Easter
York Daily Record
Rooney said five or six cars were towed from Friday through Sunday of Easter weekend. To make matters worse, the lot is close to an exit for people with ...

AG Investigating Communication Between Watkins, Constables and Tow Company
Dallas Observer (blog)
Dowdy Ferry -- the towing company exposed in July 2009 by The Dallas Morning News as having a close relationship with Constables Jaime Cortes and Derick ...

Man pulls gun in tow truck dispute
NBC2 News
NORTH FORT MYERS: A man was arrested Wednesday after pulling a gun on a tow truck driver, according to deputies. Tow truck driver Donald Rider, 49, ...

Open-bid contract for municipal towing can be tough. Read here how a tow company lost their 8-year contract to a lower bidder.

Spanky Macher says goodbye to towing business
WDBJ7.com
Spanky Macher says he's had enough of the towing business, and Friday he gave away free lunch in what he called a celebration of retirement. ...


Tow Program is an educational product to help towing companies make big decisions better. To learn more go to www.towprogram.com

Tow Program to Present Seminar at Houston Tow Show

Dennis Wencel from TowProgram will be presenting a seminar at the Houston Tow Show to help tow companies get their businesses listed online.

Called Internet Exposure for your Tow Company, the seminar will explain the steps you should take to start your online business profile. He will reveal the tricks to building a powerful online presence for your company on a shoestring budget. And will tell you why you should begin moving all of your advertising spending to the internet.

The seminar will occur on Saturday morning at 8am in room 360B.

To register for all of the seminars at the Houston Tow Show follow this link.

To learn more about the Tow Program Guide follow this link.

About Tow Program
Tow Program is custom designed to help busy towing and recovery companies become more profitable. This easy-to-follow step by step plan explains how to put to use proven management, marketing and asset utilization ideas to increase your profits without increasing your workload.

About the Tow Show

One of the brightest stars in the towing and recovery galaxy is Tow Expo Int’l, the trade exposition and conference to be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center April 29, 30 and May 1, 2010 in Houston, Texas. The show joins more than 3,000 tow bosses for face-to-face business discussions with many of the leading suppliers of tow trucks and other products and services for the professional tower.

Towing News from Tow Program 4.9.10

Tow Company Owner Appears on Pawn Shop Show to Sell Shelby Cobra body
Top Speed (blog)
Imagine yourself waking up one day, going to work in a towing company, and find yourself driving off with an authentic Shelby Cobra body, and you even get ...

Tow Operator charged in alleged towing scam
Fredericksburg.com
Culpeper tow driver did not have authorization to remove car from shopping center lot, police said. The Culpeper emergency dispatch center became an ...

Philli next up for tighter PP towing rules
WHYY
Newly proposed legislation in Philadelphia City Council is designed to keep people from losing their cars to an unscrupulous tow truck driver under false ...

Interesting Story how Tow Company Name Backfires
Times and Transcript
A change in policy about how RCMP in District 11 call towing companies has at least one owner, Gary Tingley, wondering why the change was made. ...

Deputies: Tow company illegally selling cars for scrap
Tampa Tribune
Caldwell, the owner and operator of Danny's Hooking and Booking wrecker service in Lakeland, was towing cars and illegally selling them for scrap metal at ...

Tow Program is designed to help tow companies make better business decisions.
Learn more at www.towprogram.com

Towing News from Tow Program

Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Tow business licensing gets initial approval
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pittsburgh City Council today tentatively approved legislation requiring that tow truck operators that remove cars ...

Private Property Fees Just about Set in Chattanooga
The Chattanoogan
The proposal sets maximum fees allowed by towing companies. The board had heard through the police department of citizens being charged as much as $400 ...

Tow Operator Help End High-Speed Pursuit
News On 6
Matt McBride works for a drives a tow truck for a towing company, and said he knows first-hand how tragically high-speed chases can end. ...

Tow Program is the tool to help business make Big Decisions Better. Learn more at www.towprogram.com

Towing News From Tow Program

Chattanooga Towing Fee Cap Inches Closer
WRCB-TV
It wasn't stolen, it had been towed. He parked in Ichiban restaurant's parking lot after they closed. He says what was worse was the $250 bill from S&H ...
Baltimore Mayor Proposes Abolishing Over 900 Positions Including Towing
WBAL Radio
Vehicle towing and impounding is also privatized under the mayor's plan. The Board of Estimates is also expected to consider pay raises for top city ...

Lousiana PP Towers Getting A Raise
Daily Comet
Jimmy's Towing and Recovery employees Jesse Dies (left) and Christian Authement hook up an unclaimed vehicle in their yard Thursday to tow to a junkyard. ...

Delaware state police honor towing company, trooper
The News Journal
The towing company he operates, which his father started as a blacksmith shop in Viola in 1915 before beginning to repair vehicles in 1919, is the towing ...

Towing News from Tow Program

KYW1060.com

Not all Pa. Lawmakers buy Ins. Industry Tow Bill as "Consumer" Legislation
KYW1060.com
by KYW's Tony Romeo The state House has passed and sent to the Senate a bill that would establish standards for tow truck operators in Pennsylvania. ...


LOOK WHO'S TALKING: Positive Interview of Brian “Hawk” Hawkins, owner of Hawk's Towing & Recovery
The Trentonian
You do more than just tow ... your trucks are customized, and you enter them in shows and contests ... It's a hobby. Everyone has a hobby, ...

Two Tons of Marijuana are Seized
Laredo Sun
Reports indicate that Cabello's Tow company received a call about picking up a Peterbilt dump truck on the outskirts of Zapata, Texas. ...

Tow Program is skills training for the business side of towing. For more information go to www.towprogram.com.

Towing News from Tow Program

Passed Out Driver Wakes up in Tow Yard
The News Herald
PANAMA CITY BEACH — A woman who fell asleep in the back of her Jeep woke up in a tow yard Sunday and had to use bolt cutters to get out, she told sheriff's ...

KOMO News

WA. Governor signs bill outlawing predatory towing
KOMO News
Once the law takes effect in 90 days, it will ban towing companies' practice of offering special incentives to get more business. OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Gov. ...

Pennsylvania General Assembly Nears on Tow Legislation
KDKA
AP, RESPONSIBLE TOW TRUCKS: The House voted 139-52 to approve a bill that would set standards for tow truck owners and operators in Pennsylvania. ...

Tow Program is training for the business side of towing. To learn more go to http://www.towprogram.com

Towing News by Tow Program 3.15.10

PA Bill Calls For Towing Industry Reform
State lawmakers are trying to help drivers avoid being blind-sided by excessive towing fees. This week the House is considering a bill that regulates towing companies.
WFMZ.com - Berks Regional News - http://www.wfmz.com/berksnews/

Lake City, SC Fee Increase Approved
South Carolina Now
Council voted unanimously Tuesday in its initial vote on the changes, which call for an increase from $75 to $125 for the towing of wrecked, disabled, ...

Police Chief Backs Strick Legistlation for Towers in PA
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Councilman Doug Shields is chairing a meeting on local and state efforts to reign in predatory fees and other abusive towing practices. ...

Van towed with body inside
UPI.com
NEW YORK, March 12 (UPI) -- A New York funeral director said a minivan outside the business was still carrying a corpse when it was towed for being parked ...

Tow Program is an informational tool to help towing companies make business decisions better. Find out more a http://www.towprogram.com

Towing News from Tow Program

Police or driver, who should call a tow company?
Altoona Mirror
By William Kibler, bkibler@altoonamirror.com At a recent City Council meeting, driver Tracy Barr of Giordano's Towing in Altoona complained of a policy ...

Rich kids buy cars, drive around Australia on vacation, then dump car at airport instead of selling it when they leave the country
Herald Sun
MORE than $600000 in parking fees and towing costs is owed on the dozens of cars that have been dumped at Sydney Airport. But payment is unlikely to be made ...

City Council to vote on "admistrative fee" collected by tow company and paid to City
URBANA – A fee to cover the costs created for Urbana staff in processing towed cars will be considered by council members next week. Meeting M...

Tow Program is an instructional tool designed by towers to help towers make big business decisions better. To learn more go to www.towprogram.com.

Tow News from Tow Program

Non-consent Legislation Talks in Chattanooga
The Chattanoogan
by Dana Wilbourn Numerous wrecker companies on Thursday addressed the Chattanooga Beer and Wrecker Board about a proposed fee cap for towing a vehicle from ...

Pittsburgh official slams towing outfits
Tribune Review
By Adam Brandolph Marie Hower won't soon forget the $225 she paid after her car was towed from a Rite Aid parking lot near her South Side home. ...

State fines tow company over repossession license violation
State fines company over repossession license Key West Citizen - Thursday, March 4, 2010 6 comments The state agency that oversees tow truck licensing ...

Tow truck driver loses leg helping motorist
Contra Costa Times
By GREG WELTER-Staff Writer MARYSVILLE — A tow truck driver suffered major injuries, including a severed right leg, when he was hit by a car Wednesday as he ...

Tow Program is an informational tool developed by towers to help towers make better business decisions. Find more information at www.towprogram.com

Towing News from Tow Program

Dallas County Choosing New Towers
Dallas Morning News (blog)
Dallas County is finishing up its evaluation of dozens of towing proposals for all five constable precincts and hopes to have signed contracts by the end of ...

Towing Illegally Parked Police Cars, Wow!
WXYZ
The illegal parking means patrol cars are getting towed – and that's costing us a lot of cash. Here's Action News Investigator Heather Catallo with the ...

Repo Operator shot in CT
New Haven Register
A man with York Towing of New Haven who was sent to repossess a vehicle at 4 Reichelt Terrace was shot at about 1 pm, according to police spokesman Lt. ...

Tow Program is an Informational tool to help towing companies make big business decisions better. Learn more at www.towprogram.com

Towing News from Tow Program 3.3.10

Tow Company Owner, wife & son shot dead in home near Chicago
Chicago Sun-Times
The owner of a west suburban auto repair and towing shop, his wife and one of their sons were shot to death inside their house in Darien early today in what ...

Interesting Contract between Tower & Springfield, MA
MassLive.com
By MICHAEL McAULIFFE SPRINGFIELD - Following problems that led the city to fire a towing operator, an Indian Orchard company on Monday began towing ...

TheNewspaper.com

The Power of a Towing Lobby Shows in Washington State
TheNewspaper.com
The Towing and Recovery Association of Washington is one of the main lobbying organizations pushing for the adoption of the law. ...

Tow News from Tow Program

Good Samaritan helps stranded driver in storm
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Thanks to the good people at Ricci's Towing (it took 2 trucks) I was out and on my way within an hour. While I was waiting for the truck(s) to arrive, ...

Fla. Attorney Stole Car then Disbarred
Courthouse News Service
Bitterman then went to Diaz Towing and, posing as the friend's attorney, convinced the company to release the vehicle to her. ...

Video Bonus

Towing News by Tow Program 3.2.10

Man Pleads Guilty in Tow Operator Death
Press-Enterprise
Gerbing, who worked for Perris-based Smedley Towing, was kneeling on the shoulder of southbound I-215 while clearing an overturned vehicle shortly after ...

Pittsburgh See Big Push to Regulate Towing - Pittsburgh ...
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh City Council introduced legislation on Tuesday that might end up making some car drivers very happy.

Towing company back in business after doing noting wrong
Victorville Daily Press
BARSTOW • City Towing went on its first police rotation call Tuesday this week after being suspended for two months over bills the Barstow police chief ...

More Unwanted Bad Press for the Towing Industry
WSOC Charlotte
Huntersville police said they may propose a new law to regulate towing companies after a driver's car was towed nearly 40 miles away for parking in the ...

Las Vegas Review - Journal

NEVADAN AT WORK: Politics, business intertwined for towing yard boss
Las Vegas Review - Journal
I kept the tow company. For 30 years, I did (the auto auction) work every day. Right now, I feel like the Maytag guy. Nobody calls you. ...




Tow Program was developed to help towing companies make big decisions better. Learn more at http://www.towprogram.com

Towing News from Tow Program 2.25.10

Montana Remembers a Towing Legend
KECI-TV
Today, friends, family and peers honored a big name in the Montana tow truck industry. About 20 tow truck drivers from Butte, Great Falls, Missoula and ...

Mayor Owns Contracted Tow Company

Some Question ties Between Business, City

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Residents in one Central Florida city are questioning the city's contracted tow...

Nebraska Moves Toward Towing Regulations

By legislature5
“We have left it to the tow company to determine what is reasonable,” he said. “We need a measure for what is reasonable.” Lathrop said the state should regulate towing and storage fees because the state allows a lien for towing ...

Easton to considering setting towing fees
Allentown Morning Call
By Michael Duck OF THE MORNING CALL After learning some people are being charged as much as $275 to get their cars back after they're towed, ...

Central New Jersey Borough Looking for Towers
myCentralJersy.com
"We couldn't get a tow company to come to Watchung," said police Lt. Tim Wenzel, who with Joren researched the towing issue and proposed changes. ...

Pittsburgh Ordinance To Require Towing Companies To Register
KDKA
City Councilman Doug Shields is proposing a new ordinance to register towing companies and require drivers to be licensed. A Pittsburgh City Councilman ...

State police prevail in suit filed by wrecker company
Twin Falls Times-News
A claim of preferential towing in the A-1 lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice, though, meaning A-1 could re-file it. Stoker wrote in November court ...

TowProgram was developed to help towing companies make big decisions better. For more information go to www.towprogram.com

Starting a Tow Company, Part 1

Starting a towing company can be a challenging process. As excited as you may be to get the wheels rolling and the cash coming in, there are a few things you may want to consider before opening your doors.

1) What kind of company are you looking to build? Diversity in sources of business is important when running a towing company. The old adage “Don’t keep all of your eggs in one basket” holds true for the towing industry as well. Understanding the potential sources of business and how profitable they each are can be helpful in determining how successful you will be from the start. Police, motor club, auction, cash customers, account customers and private property accounts all have unique business demands and asset requirements. Be sure to consider just how each source will play a part in your business both now and in the future.

2) Buying trucks and paying for rent, employees and liability insurance will consume the lion’s share of your revenues. And it sure is expensive to be paying for these items when few calls are coming in. One great keystone of any towing company is providing service to the local police and fire departments. Check with their contacts to see how to get on the lists. If it isn’t possible to get onto the list for a few months it may make sense to wait. Municipal lists are a steady and profitable customer but don’t count on that revenue until you know you can get on the provider list. Every police department has a vehicle officer or contact in charge of the towing process. Get their name and make them your friend.

3) Build a brand, not just a company. With an overabundance of towing companies to choose from consumers often select companies at random to call for a quote. Make your business stand out by having a good name and strong marketing plan. Having these in place before you start spending on advertising will make that money work harder for you. And be careful when committing to long-term contracts like annual yellow page business directories and online advertising commitments. Ask what you can expect in return for your money and remember, much of this can be done yourself for little or no expense.

4) Start building your contacts now. Your company doesn’t have to be up and running to print business cards and go around introducing yourself to potential customers. Tell them you are launching in 3 months but wanted to understand what they look for in a good company. It will show your dedication to providing a good product as well as provide you with some insight on how to better compete with your future fellow industry professionals.

I ran a successful tow company for several years and know much of what you will need to do is not difficult work, its just hard work. Being committed to being the best and being professional will give you a huge boost over your competition. After selling my company I created TowProgram.com as a way to help new and existing towing companies become more profitable. The program is an educational tool that simply, easily and effectively tackles the biggest challenges tow companies face. It covers:
a. Cost-effectively building a strong brand to make your company stand out
b. Easily computing costs and revenue per call leading you to greater profits
c. Adding automation methods to help your business run more efficiently
d. Better managing employee relations
e. Preparing your business for a profitable sale

You can find more about the program and other helpful tow tips at www.towprogram.com

Towing News from Tow Program

Two Men Killed in Fire at Towing Company
Ohio state fire marshal is investigating the deaths of two men killed in an explosion in Adams County.

Editorial: Car seizure law invites abuses
Sacramento Bee
As a report in The Bee showed on Sunday, the sobriety stops have become cash cows for California police departments and towing firms – and they're fattening ...

Chattanooga City Council to Set Cap on Exorbitant Towing Rates ...
By Reneé LaSalle
Chattanooga has no fee structure in place to guard against high towing fees. Council members say that means businesses can take advantage of customers...

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Towing News from Tow Program

WWLP 22News

Tow Operator Threatened with Pitchfork
WWLP 22News
Police arrested two people after authorities said the men used pitchforks to stop a tow truck driver from towing their car. Police said the driver with Big ...


Towing companies, hardware stores among those seeing demand go up in bad weather
Palladium-Item
"It's been a busy February," said Marvin Pardo, owner of Pardo's Towing and Recovery in Richmond. "I've been doing this for 35 years and I'd say this is as ...

Batavia approves agreements with towing firms
Kane County Chronicle
By ERIC SCHELKOPF - eschelkopf@kcchronicle.com BATAVIA – The city starting in March will use three towing companies for its police authorized tows. ...

Bill Would Restrict Towing Of Handicapped Vehicles
NJ TODAY
TRENTON – Legislation to restrict the towing of handicapped vehicles and require 24-hour access to towed vehicles was released Thursday by the Assembly ...

Fort Myers cracks down on "predatory towing"
Winknews.com
By WINK News Fort Myers, Fla - A year after 29 cars were illegally towed in Fort Myers, the city cracks down on towing companies. ...