When independent tool dealer Bridget Lankford started selling tools 18 years ago in central North Carolina, technicians didn’t know her name. Instead, someone would yell across the shop, “Hey, the SK Tool lady is here!”
From then on, the nickname “SK Tool lady” just sort of stuck.
Before becoming a tool dealer, Lankford worked as a technician at a dealership and eventually went on to start her own successful auto repair shop. Although she had no intentions of selling her business, she was made an offer that she just couldn’t refuse.
Lankford decided to go back to working at a dealership only to realize that after being self-employed for so long, it was hard to work for somebody else again. So, she bought a tool truck and gave her notice.
Piecing together the layout
Lankford is now onto her third tool truck. Her first was a tilt cab Isuzu and her second was a 2009 Chevrolet C5500. Truck number three, her current truck, is a 2010 Freightliner MT45 with a LDV conversion in which she bought from a local tool distributor who used the truck to deliver toolboxes.
“Most of the shelves, brackets, and lights were on the floor,” she recalls. “It was like a puzzle for me to figure out where each bracket, shelf, and light should be placed. It was a little challenging but totally worth the effort.”
After piecing everything together, Lankford was able to organize it the way she wanted, which is by tool type. For example, she has a shelf dedicated to individual sockets because “a technician will sometimes lose one”, a shelf for quick service technicians (includes oil change and tire change tools), and a shelf for engine diagnostics, front end tools, brake service tools, and so on.
However, she does dedicate three shelves just for Milwaukee tools. One reason is simply because she loves Milwaukee Tool, and the other because they are a “must” with her customers.
For anything that she can attach to the wall, she’ll staple to make more room on the shelves.
She also has an area on the truck that she calls “the hold and sold section”. It consists of a shelf and a drawer for customers who have placed orders. She notes that when a customer orders something, she’ll often buy an extra for inventory in case another technician wants the same item.
Favorite features
Aside from the overall size of the truck, one of Lankford’s favorite features is the diesel furnace in the back when the weather gets frigid.
“It’s quiet, the truck doesn’t have to run, and it quickly knocks the chill out of the air and off the tools,” she notes.
Another favorite feature is the TV she has mounted to educate customers about new and innovative tools while they are waiting to check out. Currently, she has videos from Power Probe playing. Next to the TV, she places the tools shown in the videos on a display board.
The most rewarding part of her job, Lankford notes, is getting to know her customers and watching them progress, such as becoming master technicians or a shop owner. Many have been with her since day one—18 years ago. And a few have moved out of state but remain loyal customers.
“I love my job,” she concludes. “In a way, it’s not a job because I enjoy it so much. I’m glad I made the decision a long time ago.”
