The tool industry has been an exciting place in the last few years, thanks to all the technological innovation that is making technicians more efficient. Technological advancements in scan tools, reprogrammers, hand tools, battery testers, inspection lights, TPMS tools, A/C equipment and even tire balancers have captured a lot of attention.
But distributors must recognize that just as technology is changing automotive tools, there is just as much change taking place in the way that a mobile must manage their business. We’re talking about business management software, cashless payment systems, social media, product demonstration videos and more. Innovation has taken hold in all these areas and it is every bit as important to a distributor’s success as the tools they sell.
Where to begin? Let’s start with an area that most distributors point to as their biggest challenge: time management. Business management software has made huge strides in making distributors more efficient in recent years, and upgrades keep coming.
Several years ago, management software primarily helped with accounting and inventory management. Since then, software engineers have come up with reports specifically designed for the mobile distributor.
More powerful software
Alex Adams, who operates a Snap-on route in Madrid, IA, says the management reports that have come out in just the last two years have made him more efficient. He gets detailed reports on purchases, collections and receivables. He says the reports help him understand on any given day how closely he is meeting his financial goals. He has come to realize that having accurate numbers to measure his performance by is one of the most useful tools for operating a route successfully.
Point-of-sale management software also continues to evolve, Adams notes. Some point-of-sale systems allow a distributor to open a second order ticket on their laptop screen while finishing up the first ticket. This not only saves time handing transactions; it improves customer service.
Changes in hardware are also important, especially as they deliver more efficient ways to manage cashless sales. This is critical as more customers pay with credit and debit cards. Distributors can now get mobile hotspot devices from cellular service providers that make credit and debit transactions easier and faster. A mobile hotspot device allows a distributor to do a cashless transaction anywhere, without a dedicated phone line.
John Leonardelli, a Mac Tools distributor in New Berlin, WI, recently switched from a swipe card reader to mobile card processing. He says he no longer wastes time walking around searching for a WiFi connection while servicing customers.
Leonardelli also saves time using scheduled credit and debit payments. There are fees involved with cashless payments, he notes. But scheduled payments save him the time of handling each individual transaction (and printing and delivering the receipt) and they also improve his cash flow.
Show videos anywhere!
Speaking of hardware, tablets are creating new marketing opportunities. Distributors no longer need a video monitor to present an instructional tool video to customers. Tablets allow distributors to show videos to customers wherever they are.
Marc Seidman, a Cornwell Tools dealer in Atco, NJ, can access tool catalogs and show product demonstrations on his iPad while visiting customers in the shop. He anxiously awaits the day when all of his customer information will be accessible on the tablet. “Time management is everything in this business,” he says.
Distributors with iPads can download the Tool Chest iPad app which allows users to search for detailed product information in an interactive format at VehicleServicePros.com/ 10835042.
And don’t forget about social media, one of the most powerful marketing tools ever invented.
Tom Seagraves, a distributor in Columbia, MO, posts his Mac Tools flyers on his Facebook page, along with comments about the deals. He posts special deals of his own that are only available to Facebook followers. He posts YouTube videos on Facebook of himself presenting special deals. He even flatters his customers by putting their photos on Facebook with recently-purchased tools.
Then there are things to make the truck itself more exciting for customers.
LED lighting enhances tool displays. These lights are smaller than fluorescent lights, they take up less space on the truck, they require less amperage, they’re environmentally friendly, they’re safer, they’re more versatile and they last longer.
Craig Herndon, a Matco Tools distributor in New Iberia, LA, began switching to LED lights this year and finds they create a better environment on the truck. “It just gives a better atmosphere and you don’t have the problem of the lights flickering and going out on you.”
Yes, technology is all the rage in our business nowadays.
