Mac Tools distributor shares insight on selecting customers and handling repos
Rusty Deman, a Mac Tools distributor based in the Joplin, Mo. area, has been running his route for almost two years.
He sees an average of 250-300 customers each week. Deman gave insight into how he selects the customers he’ll do business with.
“I’m definitely picking and choosing customers,” says Deman.
After gaining experience two years in to the business, and with changes in the economy, Deman advises “I’m becoming more and more stringent with how it works. Because it’s very difficult in today’s market structure.”
“The guys that pay $100 a week, there’s not very many of them out there left,” says Deman. “I’ve heard great stories of those guys. But now in this economy, you have to have five guys that will pay you $20.
”As for screening new customers to determine if he’ll do business, Deman gives a rundown of how he approaches each new prospect.
“The first thing I ask is the history of what they are and what they’re looking for, and I see if they look me in the eye.
“Then I ask them if they understand how the tool truck works,” says Deman. “If they tell me ‘yes,’ I have them explain it to me. If they tell me ‘no,’ I explain it to them."
During this initial conversation, Deman also stresses to the customer the importance of keeping up with payments on the truck.
Although it doesn’t happen often, he does occasionally have to handle repossessions of tools.
“If you force me to have to be that guy, I will make sure that everybody in the shop knows you didn’t pay your bill. I don’t mean that sound as harsh as it does, but there is no degree to me.”
When Deman does have to make a repo of a tool, he gives the customer a choice of how he’ll get the unpaid tools back.
“Any of my repossessions that I’ve had to do, none of my guys have wanted to go public with it,” says Deman. “I give them the opportunity to go in and get there tools and bring them out to the truck. We’ll conduct our business and nobody needs to know.”
If Deman does have an issue with a customer refusing to return tools, he’ll go into the shop.
“When I walk in, I’m going to get your tools, and everyone’s going to know exactly what I’m doing,” says Deman.
That’s not to say Deman readily takes tools back from customers. “I’m amicable with the guys and I work with them,” says Deman. “Wheels fall off their buses all the time.”
