Matco Tools distributor Dean Ulsh focuses on the two key areas that help most outstanding distributors succeed: he shows up to shops when he says he will, and he makes sure to provide exceptional service to his customers. This also means having the right product on the truck, getting special orders delivered in a timely manner and always honoring customer warranties.
A distributor now for more than five years, Ulsh began his professional career as a dealership mechanic for 17 years before moving on as a car auctioneer from 2003 to 2009.
“As an auctioneer, I needed a microphone and a suit. A lot less overhead compared to today,” says Ulsh, about his previous job, compared to running his mobile tool business. “Everything was going along pretty good until the 2008 auto crash hit. Gradually auto dealers were going out of business.”
Vehicle manufacturers cut back on leasing, which led to a decrease in volume at the auctions. When they didn’t have the volumes of cars, they shut down lanes. “I had to do something, I wasn’t going to wait around.”
Ulsh decided to start his own tool route. He remembers working with different distributors during his days as a mechanic, and his family was already invested because his cousin, Glenn, had taken on a Matco Tools route three years earlier.
Servicing the rural and small town areas northwest of Allentown, Pa., Ulsh’s route covers from Lehighton to Hazelton. Each morning, he makes a 30-60 minute drive to one of the towns he services. “Once I’m there, I work that area and go home. Fridays I’m more local.”
Ulsh’s primary stops include mostly independent automotive and truck repair shops, larger freight companies, some dealerships, a handful of motorcycle shops and a large firetruck manufacturing facility.
Staying informed about the tools
Ulsh uses his connections with two of the freight stops to also have his larger items, such as toolboxes, delivered to that location.
Ulsh says he sells his fair share of boxes, but doesn’t look at toolbox sales as the primary part of his business.
“I always look at a box sale as a bonus. You still have to have a good TP (timed-payment accounts) business,” says Ulsh.
“Sometimes in a trade-in I don’t mind putting it on the truck account. It all depends on their credit,” says Ulsh. If a customer has poor credit due to things outside of his or her control, he tries to work together to help with the financing himself. “Sometimes you have to take a chance if it’s a good customer.”
As for educating himself on new tools, Ulsh says “I learn more by using stuff than trying to memorize.”
“Or sometimes you get feedback from other distributors on what could be selling at a certain time.”
Ulsh distributes flyers every other week to his customers, and he will occasionally tote and promote, particularly at stops where he knows customers need to be on the clock and won’t have time to head to the truck.
For shops that he generally has customers coming out to the truck, he’ll still occasionally show off tools in the shop. “If there’s something new and exciting I want to take in to show them, I’ll take it in.”
To ensure he’s got enough product when the flyers first circulate, Ulsh will place a larger order for items he thinks will sell more right away when he receives the flyer.
In Pennsylvania, motorists also are responsible for completing annual state inspections on their vehicles. This gives Ulsh the opportunity to sell additional products such as brake measuring tools, ball joint tools, headlight aimers and more.
While Ulsh does sell a number of boxes, and other items out of the flyer, he says he doesn’t put an emphasis on selling any one tool category.
“I don’t focus on anything, just what they want to buy,” says Ulsh. “My focus is the customer, and what I think they want and need.”
Customers as equals
Because Ulsh sees his customers as equals, he treats them that way with his approach to each shop. He explains that he’ll do a lot of “tire kicking” with customers, where they will browse or discuss a tool they’re looking for, but may not actually purchase that day. Ulsh finds these conversations invaluable, not only for building a lasting relationship with his customer, but also by keeping track of what a customer may purchase in the future.
Ulsh meets the classification of a “tech’s distributor” in that he likes to joke around with his customers, as if they were in the next bay. “I think if you go in there all serious and everything – all business, business, business – then you’ve got to be business. Then it’s not that fun.”
Previously a technician himself, Ulsh finds he can relate to these customers because he sees himself on the same level and likes to have fun with his job. Ulsh says he works with many blue collar workers that are just trying to make a living.
He also looks at himself as someone who stops by the shop to help break up his customers’ day.
“I always joke around with them -- whatever it takes. And if they’re mad at something, it’s easy to turn them around too.”
When asked what Ulsh likes most about being a distributor, he says it’s working with people.
“It’s a lot easier to ask for something when you’re on their good side,” says Ulsh. “You go in there with an attitude, they’ll pick right up on it.”
He runs about 75 percent of his payments automatically, by having a credit card on file for his customers, and will generally run those payments on Fridays. While Ulsh pays for the transaction fees on the credit card payments, he doesn’t pass those along to the customer, with the belief that this system helps him avoid “passing over dollars to pick up pennies.”
“Once I got used to doing that, I had them trained a little bit. It’s the older guys that are harder to train because they’re used to only paying you when they see you.”
Custom truck solutions
Ulsh drives an 18’ 2008 GMC Duramax, which he bought new when he started his business.
He worked with Summit BodyWorks to finalize the shelving, storage and design. The only change he would make now is adding an air ride seat, because his has worn out.
About the truck, Ulsh says, “I leased it for two years, and then bought it. Some guys will lease the whole term. I just couldn’t get over the fact that I would lease for the whole seven years.”
When Ulsh first had his truck built, he wanted to ensure the cab would stay quiet while he was on louder highways, especially with his longer drive in the morning and at night. For that he looked into a custom door design to separate the cab from the rest of the truck.
“This door keeps everything nice and quiet,” says Ulsh. “When I got this truck built, I told them I wanted a door in between. They didn’t have slider (doors).” Summit BodyWorks discussed options with Ulsh, and advised him they had a prototype of a door available. The door looks just like a house door, with a knob and lock. “I’d rather have a door like this. Which is nice too, because I can lock it.”
He’s also built his own wood-built storage solution to separate and hold boxes of disposable gloves, in order by size.
“Trucks don’t come with anything like that, so (gloves) are all over the place,” says Ulsh. He keeps them near his computer workstation, for easy access. “By putting them up there, people can see them.”
Giving back to the community
Ulsh’s business savvy is not the only reason why he’s being awarded the 2015 Mobile Distributor of the Year honor. It’s also because of how he interacts with and helps his community and fellow distributors.”
“One thing I try to do is have a good working relationship with my surrounding Matco distributors, as well as others,” says Ulsh.
Two years ago at the Matco Tools Tool Expo, Ulsh and other distributors from his district were discussing a pink tool cart on display at the show, being given away via raffle to support the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
“We were sitting at a bar and I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have one of those in pink, and we could chance them off for a local chapter?’” After discussing the opportunity with his district manager, Ernie Parent, the group moved forward with planning the raffle.
The plan, orchestrated by Ulsh, involved about 20 distributors within the district. All distributors in the district sold $3 raffle tickets. The fundraiser involved a pink toolbox giveaway, along with a number of other prize packages, given away at an annual NHRA race in nearby Reading, Pa. The proceeds of the raffle tickets went to the local Susan G. Komen Foundation Scranton, Pa., chapter.
The second year of the event, the district had been split into two separate areas. Ulsh worked with both districts to organize a giveaway at the race track again. The raffled box also featured signatures from the crew of Don Schumacher Racing (DSR).
For the second annual raffle, NHRA Matco-sponsored driver Antron Brown pulled the winning raffle ticket.
After paying for expenses, Ulsh and his fellow distributors have raised nearly $19,000 over the past two years.
For 2015, Ulsh plans to help with organizing the event again. This time, there seems to be more interest in having the community and other local organizations involved.
“Don Schumacher Racing wants to get more involved. It sounds like they’re going to supply the cart,” says Ulsh. Instead of pink, he says the group may do some kind of custom graphics.
A look to the future
Married to his wife Susan for 15 years, Ulsh has one daughter, Abby. Because Susan works a full-time job in commercial lending, Ulsh is solely responsible for his mobile tool business.
On top of buying and remodeling a new home within the last year, Ulsh says it can be difficult to fit everything in.
“Between this (the business) and once you’re home, the rat race really begins; doing the laundry, homework, etc.,” says Ulsh. “Weeks are pretty hectic. They go by pretty quick. You try to catch up on the weekends. Try to.”
That said, Ulsh says he wouldn’t go back now.
“I don’t regret this at all. You can’t have any regrets. Just have to take what you’re given and go with it.”
In 2014, Ulsh reached his sales goals ,placing him in the Top 200 Matco distributors for the last two years. He’s had growth every year since starting the business in 2009.
For 2015, Ulsh has set his sights on breaking last year’ sales mark again..
“Everybody runs their business a little different. If you go by the formula – what you’ve got to sell, what your terms are, where your margins have got to be – it’s all a basic formula, it’s just how close you can follow it.”
Ulsh says that for new guys starting out, he recommends keeping a positive attitude. “That’s half the battle when it comes to any sales position.”
Overall, he knows that all businesses will run a bit differently.
“Some people write a lot of paper, some people don’t write any paper and finance everything. There are different ways to make money in this business, you just have to keep your eye open for opportunity."
Top 5 Tools
- Matco Versapower Pro
- Matco MT2769 ½” pneumatic impact
- Matco MT2883 angle die grinder (“This kit has got me more people on the books than anything.”)
- Matco MT2215K HD air saw kit
- Matco Toolboxes and Carts
