Cornwell Quality Tools distributor Ron Davitt likes to stay ahead of the curve in more ways than one. From his consistent purchasing of new trucks to his use of technology, Davitt works hard to give himself an edge against the competition.
Building the truck
In order to avoid the inevitable pile-up of repairs that comes with operating a tool truck, Davitt likes to purchase a new one every three to four years.
He got his current truck, a Kenworth 2021 with a 24’ wide body box, June 2021 from Herr Display Vans. Davitt notes how fortunate he was not to have any hiccups when getting this new truck built. He was able to catch a cab and chassis just as it was coming in, and his total wait time for the finished truck was only around five months compared to some distributors who are having to wait over a year.
For this truck, Davitt decided to have all the shelving on wheels, giving him endless possibilities for arranging his truck. He has no specific spot for a toolbox, but if he wanted, he could run only toolboxes or none at all. The truck also has removable shelves that can snap onto the wall and tons of lighting.
Additionally, the truck features pull-out walls, which help save space and work well for hanging smaller items.
And there’s of course a refrigerator on the truck too.
“These guys expect to get a drink when they come out,” Davitt says.
Another way Davitt helps keep his customers cool is the truck’s awning. He’ll pull it out if it’s not too windy to create some shade for the technicians while they’re waiting to get on his truck or just taking a break. He also had the truck built with a generator so he can keep the A/C running even at his longer stops.Staying organized
After seven years of cruising between dealerships, body shops, farming operations, and more, Davitt has created an organizational system that works well for him.
“I like to know where everything is,” the Virginia Beach-based distributor says. “I like to keep order, so part of that is I have 14 drawers on this truck.”
Some of the drawers house sockets and socket sets, so that when a customer pulls it out, they can find exactly what they’re looking for. The other drawers are used to store warranty parts and extra stock. Davitt can’t stand having empty space on his truck, so he keeps plenty of backup products on hand to ensure the shelves are as full as they were at the first stop of the day.
The Cornwell distributor also tries to open up as many products as possible. Although this can be difficult with the large amount of inventory he carries, he’ll bookcase some products.
“In the industry, we do what's called bookcasing, where the products sit almost like books on a shelf,” Davitt explains. “But from week to week I will alter what I display versus what gets bookshelved so that the truck looks fresh, and it keeps the guys coming out every week.”
When it comes to his workspace, Davitt always uses a two-level desk – something he’s surprised isn’t more common in the industry – as it allows him to have a space specifically for his computers, printers, books, and helps keep other customers’ paperwork private, while still providing a space for the customer to place their products for check out.
Making sales through technology
Davitt is big on utilizing social media for his business. He has not one, but two cameras he uses to capture shots of his customers and the products he carries. One camera is portable, and the other is mounted behind his desk so that if he’s working with a customer and sees a “good truck shot” then he can just click a button to capture the moment.
The Cornwell dealer estimates that a third of all his sales come from his social media campaigns.
“I have a thing called Cornwell Corner on Saturday morning,” Davitt says. “Throughout the week if I see a guy’s using a tool in a way that I hadn't seen before or was pretty cool, I’ll video, I’ll photograph it, I'll put it up on my closed group, and next thing I know, I have three guys saying, ‘Well, I want that tool.’ So, I just sold three tools without even going to their shop.”
