Show Me Your Truck: Brian Wendl and Amanda Cunningham, Mac Tools

Each tool distributor has their own way of getting customers out and onto their truck. For Brian Wendl and Amanda Cunningham, a Mac Tools distributing duo, one of their main motivators is the sense of community they’ve created with all their customers.

“Our relationship with our customers is both business and friendship,” says Wendl. “We love our weekends, both for catching up on work and for our favorite relaxing activities, but it’s a rare one we’re not at a birthday party or shower for a customer turned friend.”

To better serve their community of independent shops and dealerships, Wendl and Cunningham decided it was time to get a newer, bigger truck.

Truck Pup has become a vital part of this Mac team. Cunningham and Wendl like to joke that their customers come for Truck Pup and stay for the great deals.

Time for something new

In December 2019, the Mac team decided to order a 2018 Freightliner MT55 with a 22’ box from Herr Display Vans. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 they didn’t end up getting their truck until around July 2020.

For the layout, they didn’t exactly go with something standard, since the couple wanted to ensure there was enough space to fit a Macsimizer HD toolbox. Wendl notes that they “move a lot of tool storage,” so some of the shelves on the truck were moved up to accommodate the toolboxes, and they also made their three toolbox openings a bit wider to adjust for boxes with side lockers.

On the truck, the duo uses stickers and small signs to highlight promotions and specials.

Another design element on the truck includes 12 pull-out drawers. Wendl notes that they love the amount of lay flat space the drawers give them for displaying products. Especially because of the rough roads along their route through Southeast Virginia into Hampton, Newport News, and Yorktown; it makes it difficult to remove products from their packaging and display them as many other trucks do if they’re falling off the shelves. Though most of their space is lay flat storage, they do have some vertical display shelves, as well as a power tool display rack and a diagnostic station.

The duo tries not to leave anything in the exact same area for more than two months. By relocating products, they find they can make more sales.

On this truck, the couple decided to forgo having any magnetic rails. In the past, they’ve had issues with random sockets disappearing. They also changed up their desk setup. This time around, they chose to have an L-shaped desk that tucks them into the side and allows them to look back over the truck. Wendl says this allows them to see everyone and everything they’re doing while on the truck, and the duo loves having that ability.

An award-winning year

Often, buying a new truck results in a boost in sales. Though Wendl and Cunningham didn’t receive their new truck until the back half of 2020, it still played its part in helping them achieve No. 1 in the Nation for Mac Tools.

The duo swept the awards that year, winning Regional Excellence, Eagle Award, Presidents Club, No. 1 Single Truck, The Goodson Award, The Founder’s Award, and a new award created that year— The Diagnostic Award.

“Our success is due to our strong work ethic and the care we have for our customers and community,” Wendl says. “We try to give back every day for it.”

For this Mac team, their relationship with their customers is both business and friendship.

The distributing duo has found a multitude of ways to give back including giveaways for their customers, charity events to raise money, and donating items for raffle events for local organizations. Additionally, during the early days of COVID-19, they were able to source thousands of disposable masks, regular and N95, and donate them to a local VA hospital.

To keep spirits high during the holidays, the couple started decorating the truck, and on Christmas Eve when many shops are closed, they still take the truck out to deliver donuts to the technicians who are working.

The truck is decorated for all holidays, and on Christmas Eve when many shops are closed, the duo takes their truck out, dresses up, and brings donuts to those who still have to work.

“At the end of the day,” Wendl says, “we just strive to do our best. Our customers see that and appreciate it, and those relationships more than anything are really the key to our success.”