With technicians having more options than ever when it comes to where they buy their tools, Mac Tools distributor Steve O’Leary says distributors need to give customers a reason to continue buying from them.

“With online competitors, service is so much more of a premium than ever before,” O’Leary says. “In years past, customers bought from a tool dealer because they showed up and the customers didn’t really have a choice. In today’s market, they absolutely have a choice.”

Rather than trying to compete with every price a customer might find online, O’Leary focuses on the service a distributor can provide before and after the sale.

“It’s not about the price; it’s completely about the service,” he says.

For distributors, that means making the value they bring to the relationship clear. Being available to customers, helping them find the right products, and providing support after the purchase can give technicians a reason to buy from their distributor instead of simply shopping online.