Do you need auto industry experience to be a mobile tool distributor?

One of the concerns I'd occasionally hear from people looking to become a professional tool distributor was, “I don't have any experience as a professional technician.” A large percentage of people were automotive technicians prior to entering the mobile tool business. So, is it a requirement?

Absolutely not. I owned a number of street rods, muscle cars, and motorcycles prior to becoming a tool dealer. I enjoyed working on my own vehicles, but I had never been employed as a technician. When I was first exploring becoming a tool distributor, I remember the intimidation I felt walking onto a tool truck and looking at all the different tools for the first time. I remember thinking to myself, I don't even know what half of those tools are used for. How can I sell tools that I know very little about?

Customer service over tool knowledge 

While it's true, dealers with an automotive background have certain industry advantages. I believe, tool knowledge is second to exceptional customer rapport and service. An issue some technicians have to overcome is the lack of direct customer interaction. For some, the service manager or service writer was their primary customer contact. They never had to deal with direct customer contact. The technician reads the work order from the service center and performs the required repairs.

I've started new dealers who had very little experience with face-to-face customer contact. I can remember telling them, “At the next stop, smile, shake hands, make eye contact, and thank the customer even if he doesn't purchase anything.” It can be gut-wrenching watching a guy who has just quit a good job and invested a large sum of money struggle with basic customer contact. However, it's an obstacle that can be overcome.

The same can be said of the lack of direct tool knowledge. Quality district managers take ownership in ensuring a new dealer's successful launch of their business. An important part of their responsibility is to help the dealer develop all the skills needed for success.

Let your customers teach you

I believe having a sales and customer service background can be more relevant than actual tool knowledge. I discovered that my customers were eager to “educate” me on the specifics of all the specialty tools. I had no shortage of technicians willing to share their knowledge to help me. Along with that came the end-user knowledge of, “This tool was designed for this specific application, and we found it worked marginally well for that application, but it really works better for an unrelated application."

Keep your repair advice to yourself

On the other hand, dealers with a technical background and little customer service skills might focus on vehicle repair advice as opposed to selling the tool. It's meant with the best intentions, but it can be taken the wrong way.

I recall having a shop owner warn me not to bring another new dealer who would tell them how to do a repair. He told me, “If I have another new tool dealer walk in and tell me how to fix cars, I swear, I'll kick him out!” I had a body shop owner relate a similar experience with a new dealer from a competing flag on my route. The new dealer told the body shop owner he wasn't doing a repair correctly. The dealer's father had owned a body shop for years, and “That's not how we did it.” As you can imagine, that shop owner didn't buy from the new dealer.

No experience necessary

One of the most successful dealers I know was a police officer prior to stepping on a tool truck. I might add that he was an award-winning police officer. He then went on to become an extraordinary district manager. He's currently back on a tool truck as a Top 10 dealer.

There's a lot to be said for being self-employed. For every successful dealer who came into the business as a technician, I can show you an equal number of success stories from dealers without relevant industry experience.

The mobile tool business could be the vehicle that provides you with an affordable road map to success. With good credit and a reasonable amount of capital, this business could provide opportunities only limited by your own personal skills and ability. If you think it might be a good fit, reach out to all the companies for more information.

You'll also find that most dealers are happy to relate their own personal experience. Don't let your lack of industry experience keep you from exploring what might be your perfect career.