Every technician and shop owner that Texas-based independent tool dealer Geoff Beveridge encounters is treated with the same respect, attention and friendliness. This focus on customer service creates consistency and trust. It seems to help collections, too. Beveridge says he encounters only a 2 or 3 percent skip rate.
“I found that if I service my customers on a weekly basis I’m less likely to encounter skips, because I know right where they’re at,” Beveridge says. He laughs ... “If you miss them for a couple weeks it’s like cold case murders ... If you don’t get them in the first 48 (hours), they’re gone.”
This morning four new customers come onto the truck and they all start new accounts.
“I want them in the back of the truck, fast,” Beveridge says. “I don’t want them lingering in the front because there’s a lot more to see back there. There’s a better chance they’re going to buy something if they get in the back. I try to start with the big-tickets and let them work their way down. Never underestimate the customer’s ability to buy.”
Beveridge admits one of his biggest challenges is getting customers approved for credit with financing. He says that although time payment does a great job, credit restrictions still apply.
Still, on this truck there’s something for everybody. Trade-ins are encouraged, and Beveridge says he likes to be a “one-stop shop” and offer ‘good, better, best’ product options.
“If you want the best, I have that; if you want all the rest, I have that, too,” he says.
To round out his customer service strategy, Beveridge frequently channels his diesel mechanic skills to provide quick repairs. He recently took apart a rivet gun to retrieve a stuck rivet for a customer. This special touch no doubt helps with his street cred and keeps customers coming back.
