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Actively adapting to the
market
The competitiveness of the mar-
ket has also pushed Speedy Wheels
to adopt a very active stance in re-
gards to their business. For example,
the company has developed its very
own software called Wheel Magician
which is essentially a searchable, in-
teractive database of wheels. The
web-based program is primarily used
by the company’s call centre where
operators can instantly search the da-
tabase and answer any queries from
customers and dealers while also be-
ing able to check things like stock lev-
els. Furthermore, every visitor on the
company’s website can use the pro-
gram for free.
On an interesting side note, the most
significant contributor to Wheel Magi-
cian is Geoff, the third employee to
join the company way back in 1965.
Originally brought on as a wheelwright,
Geoff progressed through the compa-
ny’s ranks to the position of Techni-
cal Manager. Today, 51 years later, he
works on the data program five days
per week. Keith Tonkin’s grandson is
also employed within the company as
the Product Manager, so the gener-
al atmosphere of a strong family unit
has certainly been preserved.
In general, the aftermarket wheel
industry in Australia has changed
dramatically over the years. Gregory
theorises that, because of the tech-
nical complexities of the modern mo-