Key Highlights
- Ask experienced technicians for advice on which tools to prioritize, leveraging their knowledge to make informed purchasing decisions.
- Offer 'try before you buy' opportunities to allow technicians to demo new tools, gaining honest feedback and fostering trust.
- Recognize that seasoned technicians still have a strong need for new tools due to evolving automotive designs and personal interest in technology.
- Build stronger relationships by viewing experienced technicians as valuable sources of knowledge and potential advocates for new products.
- Stay updated on the latest tools and technologies by collaborating with customers, which can lead to increased sales and better market understanding.
In the mobile tool truck world, selling tools to people who are in the beginning stages of their careers is pretty straightforward. I’d always suggest to a newer technician that it’s best to ask the senior technician’s advice on which tool purchases should have priority over others. It’s this senior or experienced technician that some distributors have difficulty helping with new tools and technology. Even for distributors who were experienced technicians before their career change to tool distribution, tools and technologies change so quickly that it’s still a challenge to stay informed on the latest innovations.
I recall in my first years as a tool dealer selling scan tools that came in two large plastic cases. The first case, of course, would house the scan tool, and the second case housed all the different OBD-I cables. Now, there are decent, basic apps available on our phones that replace pretty much everything that came in those two cases. Staying up to date on these shifts in tools and technology can be hard to manage on your own, but utilizing your customers, especially those experienced technicians, can help.
Ask for their advice
There is typically one of two mindsets held by the majority of experienced technicians. The first is “I learned the hard way, and I’m keeping my knowledge to myself.” The second and more common mindset is more open to helping others become better in their trade. They may not provide a direct answer to a question, but instead advise on the steps involved to reach their own successful conclusion. The technicians who fit the second profile were the ones I used as my “go-to” whenever a new item arrived in the market or I needed specific technology advice. Many times, by using the experienced technicians as advisors, they would also see the need to purchase it themselves to enhance their own skill set.
Allow them to try before they buy
One of my best examples of asking for assistance from an experienced technician happened when the Curien N2 was released onto the market. The N2 is a dual-channel Bluetooth graphing multimeter. It also has the ability (among other things) to perform a parasitic battery draw test. I had a customer at a tiny GM dealership who I'd often go to for electronic diagnostic advice. Early in his career, he went back to college and obtained an electrical engineering degree. His first question every week was "What's new?"
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He sincerely wanted to know what new items were out there to make him more prolific and profitable. He was at the top of my list of technicians I wanted to show this new meter to.
One thing I learned early on is you have to be willing sometimes to allow for "Try before you buy." Along with that comes the understanding that the tool might be returned to you next week. Either way, you have to appreciate the review your customer gives you in their honest feedback.
I left the Curien for my customer to demo for me. He had a new Suburban with a battery draw that showed up the next day. Even with the assistance of the GM engineers, they weren't able to solve the issue. My customer pulled out the N2 device I had left to see if it might indeed find the draw. With the help of the tech line from Curien, he was able to find and resolve the parasitic draw. It just so happened that in this case, the tool sold itself. When I arrived the next week, he had already bought a tablet specifically to use with what became his latest tool purchase. On top of making the sale, I gained additional knowledge on how to better present this meter to my other customers.
Don’t make assumptions
Just because a customer has been in the trade for years doesn't mean they no longer have the need for new tools. Aside from the need to replace worn-out pneumatic and electric tools, there will always be new automotive designs that require specialized service tools. Most of your customers have entered the field because they love the analytical thinking required, along with working with their hands. Fortunately, most of them also just like buying new tools. It's not uncommon to have the experienced technician, even nearing retirement, outspend the newbies.
These are the people who have mastered their trade and usually have a higher income without the stress of providing for a growing young family. I had a lifelong Toyota technician purchase a new triple bay roll cabinet as a retirement gift for himself. He still had the original Snap-on set he purchased 30 years prior, when he first started. He used that as his trade-in. His only request was that I deliver the box to his home, which I was more than happy to do.
Don't let their technical experience intimidate you. If you view the experienced technician as yet another source for greater tool knowledge, you’ll not only increase sales, but you’ll also build a stronger relationship with a segment that most distributors struggle with.
About the Author
Brian Fahlgren
Brian Fahlgren started in the tool business in 1998. Fahlgren has been an employee dealer, franchised dealer, and district manager for two different flags. In 2018, he returned to the driver's seat of his own tool truck. Providing premium service and his continuous "close to perfect" attitude, he achieved his goal of being a Top 10 dealer for Cornwell Quality Tools. He and his wife of over 44 years recently retired, moving from Oregon to the endless summers of Beverly Hills, Florida.