Sales Tip: Knowing the customer

Of the stops independent distributor Noah Hammond makes, about 10 percent of the shops include heavy duty, and nearly 90 percent of his customers are in the independent automotive aftermarket. Of his independent shops, about one quarter of those are body shops.

Because Hammond previously worked as a body man, he’s more familiar with the necessary tools and preferences of body shop techs.

“I know what sanders they want. I know what paint guns they want. That’s the thing tool guys don’t know. I know, just from working at the body shops, that my tool guy never had any of that stuff,” says Hammond. He will sell different paint gun brands such as Awata, SADA and DeVilbiss. He finds that while it’s important to stock these brands, it’s also important to listen to what the body shop customer is looking for.