Wheels Of Fortune

June 1, 2006
See why independent mobile distributor Jackie Rose's most important sales tools can't be learned, but must be earned.

Upon listening to the story of North Alabama Tools, Inc. entrepreneur/independent mobile tool dealer Jackie Rose, it's almost difficult not to believe in destiny. It seems as if his involvement in the business was meant to be, and it's a perfect fit. But if you ask him how he got into the business, he would tell you it was by accident.

A long-time technician and shop owner, Rose's father-in-law, Paul Smith, hinted that he should become a mobile tool dealer. This was months before the closing of the computer manufacturing plant where Rose worked for 13 years. Rose dismissed his father-in-law's suggestion, citing satisfaction with his current job.

After the plant closed, fate knocked a second time. Smith came across a man named Tim Nichols, a.k.a. "Tim the Toolman." The Toolman just happened to be in an accident, and Smith drove the wrecker at the scene. Rose recalls that when the two men got to talking, Smith found out the Toolman was an Integrated Supply Network (ISN) sales rep for northern Alabama. The men exchanged contact information.

So when Rose did decide to begin his independent mobile tool business, he enlisted Nichols' assistance. As conversations progressed, they verbally agreed on some terms, and Rose immediately cut ISN a check.

Rose accepted Smith's advice when choosing his initial inventory, but taught himself the trade by keeping one eye on the road, and the other on the Toolman. He carefully watched how Nichols interacted with customers and was particularly taken with his motto, "Whatever it takes."

Rose has implemented the same slogan. And he takes it to heart.

"I Never Called Myself A Salesman"

Rose says he never thought of himself as a salesman, but with the help of his constant partner and wife, Angie, he breached slightly more than half a million dollars in sales last year. One month last summer, he even sold $40,000 of equipment to one shop alone, but admits, "The majority of the money goes right back into the business. You have to reinvest in your inventory."

Surrounded by six other tool trucks in his 50-mile, four-city territory in the counties of Madison and Limestone in northern Alabama, Rose takes on all kinds of customers:

  • Traditional automotive shops.
  • A bus company.
  • An airport maintenance facility.
  • A utilities shop.
  • A sweeper truck shop.

His success has not gone unnoticed, as he's been approached to work for a couple of franchises. "The negotiations always stop at changing the name on my truck. If I'm gonna work 12 hours a day, I'm gonna do it for myself. I love the freedom of being independent, and I think I've got a better selection of tools than most because I'm not limited to where I can buy. I can also pick which shops I want to stop at," he explains.

When asked about his competition, Rose seems to thrive on it. He feels they give his customers something to compare him to, especially in tool selection and customer service. And by his comments, he appears to stack up pretty well. "My customers look for my name. You gotta earn your customer's trust, and I have. I could sell peanuts off this truck, and make a good living doing it.

"I had to learn how to read people first, though. Then you have to find out which mechanics you can trust, and learn how far to sell them. I won't let my customers take on something if I know they can't afford it. I ask new accounts, 'How much can you pay me a week?'

"If they answer $30, I tell them what they can afford on credit. If their answer sounds like too much, though, I ask 'Are you sure?' until I feel like it's something they can actually pay me, and then I make them stick to it. Instead of demanding money, I let them make their own decisions, and hold them responsible."

A Service Industry

Rose, who usually operates on a six-week turn, stops at approximately 120 shops per week, with a limit of about half an hour at each one, due to gas prices. "If a customer gets long-winded, I just explain the situation," he says. He calls each customer by name and personally talks with each, whether about tools, advice or racing.

Rose was big into racing before starting in the tool business, which has helped him in a number of ways. "Racing has really opened a lot of doors for me. It especially helped when I first started, just seeing some friendly, familiar faces in the shops."

Rose is one of a few mobile tool dealers who have discovered the benefits of selling at the track. He provides tools and equipment for regional races in several states, and has become acquainted with many of the track owners.

Although Rose says he receives phone calls at all times of the day, he typically works 10 to 12 hours daily on the truck, Monday through Friday. He rarely works weekends—that is, until racing season hits. But, according to him, "That's not work, then it's fun."

Rose also spots for regional modified racecar driver, Jeff Letson. This means he watches Letson's car from a certain vantage point in or above the stands, and lets his driver know what's going on around the track and close to him. The spotter's role is crucial when trying to pass other cars in tight traffic at high speeds.

His role as a spotter is truly symbolic when compared to how he operates his business. Just like a driver must be able to trust his spotter regarding things he can't see or understand, Rose's customers must know they can trust him when it comes to tool selection and payment guidance.

By nature, Rose is quiet, reserved and mild-mannered. And while his gentle, up-front honesty and fatherly advice have helped make him a success, so has a sincere interest in his customers' well-being. They can feel it, and that's why they trust him.

As polite as Rose is, however, he is not a pushover. "When people gripe about price," he says, "I explain to them that they're also getting a service. After all, when's the last time a tool store parked in front of their shop?"

He has never had to discount prices to increase business either, but his service may be the main reason. "If a customer asks where the tools on sale are, I tell him they start at the front and go all the way to the back.

"This business is habit-forming. These trucks sell themselves, but you have to prove to your customers that you will be consistent. You need to form the habit of being at a certain stop at a certain time, and then you need to get your customers into the habit of paying you."

Angie says being one of the first trucks to have a wireless credit card machine helped simplify the payment process, and getting people into the habit of making weekly payments, even if they were short on cash or "forgot" their checkbook.

"What sets Jackie apart from all the other distributors is that he genuinely takes care of the guys—especially the young ones. He'll turn business away and steer a customer in a different direction before he misleads them. He's always there to help us out," says Ricky Cornelius, owner of Performance RV, an RV service center in Huntsville, AL. Cornelius cites that as one of the main reasons he lets Rose stop at his business, as opposed to other mobile dealers whom he doesn't.

From Pupil To Teacher

It didn't take Rose long to transition from a position of seeking advice to a position of offering it. In fact, he now prides himself on doling out knowledge.

"Sometimes customers get on the truck just to get educated," he says. Rose not only informs customers of tools (whether he carries them or not), but also advises suppliers. For example, he regularly attends the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas to assist ISN buyers.

In the selection of his inventory, Rose operates from a unique perspective. "I believe most good technicians already have all the general tools," he says. "That's why I like insight on new products. I buy them in high volumes." He also focuses on specialty tools and personal gear, like flashlights and knives. Both Professional Tool & Equipment News and the internet help him to find out what's new. For example, Rose has just started to offer the Genius Tools hardline, which he says has been great for business.

He's also careful in how he positions his inventory. "Your customers don't want to hear you doggin' other people's tools. That'll just make them want to buy those tools from someone else. The key is servicing what you sell and backing up your products."

As everyone praises the tote n' promote sales method, part of Rose's success stems from his ability to lure customers onto the truck. He does that, in part, by:

  • Training his customers to pay him on the truck.
  • Taking notes in order to cater to personal requests and inquiries, and then inviting them to look at those products on the truck.
  • Providing his industry knowledge and tool insight.
  • Introducing boxes of used tools that he sells at discounted prices every couple of months.

Once on the truck, customers are provided with the opportunity to see new products. On occasion, Rose has left tools with customers to try. "They almost always buy it—you gotta plant the seed," he explains.

Wheels of Fortune

In terms of purchasing, Rose believes, "You can't just go with one warehouse. I work with four to five different warehouses so I can get the new tools first. I'm loyal to a certain extent, but I do my homework. If you buy it right, then you can sell it right." Currently, he works with ISN, M. Eagles, MEDCO and ACE Tool.

Rose says, "I never tell any of my customers that I don't have a tool. That's why they call me first. They know that either I have it on the truck, or I can get it to them first." If any of his customers need a tool the next day, he orders it from ISN and asks them to drop-ship it to save time.

Jackie and Angie Rose work together to track back orders, too. By contacting companies directly, they know what to expect when they unpack orders. In emergencies, they make other arrangements to get their customers the products they need, when they need them.

Rose feels that it's easier to be an independent dealer now, as opposed to when he first started, especially when he thinks back to the initial financial struggles he endured in order to lift the business off its box and onto its wheels. But he's learned that caring about his customers is as important as caring about his bottom line. It's a tough balance, but it's a balance built on the wheels of fortune that were put in motion before his business even started. It appears the Toolman picked a good place to break down.

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