The way independent mobile tool distributor Doug Adams sees things is that working as a tool distributor “tools are a byproduct.”
“We’re in the finance business,” he says. “We’re like a bank.”
The issue with selling tools
While driving his route through Paulding, Fulton, and Cobb counties in Georgia, Adams runs into the same problem many distributors do — making collections.
“It's a brutal industry,” he says. “I tell people that I'm not in the tool business, I'm in the finance business, and that's what we do, we finance tools to people. And there's where the tricky part comes in, collecting your money is a very big task and it's something that you stay on non-stop.”
To stay on top of this, Adams likes to get out on his truck early — 4:30 in the morning early — and get everything for the day situated. With no one around to disturb him, he studies up on his customers, the collections he needs to make, and his products.
Inventory your customers want
If you asked Adams’ customers, they would say that what sets him apart from other distributors is that he keeps his truck better stocked — more products, different options.
“[Customers] like it when they don’t have room to walk down the aisles, there’s so much stuff on the shelves,” Adams notes.
Though it can be tricky knowing what inventory customers are going to want, having been a diesel technician for 16 years prior to starting his tool business in 2017, the independent understands his customers and knows the kinds of quality tools they need to get their jobs done.
Lately, Adams says he has been pushing a line of VIM Tools as well as some of Mueller-Kueps’ products. He says he’s been enjoying both companies' new tools and the high quality they offer.
Additionally, his customers are also enjoying TOPDON products. The distributor’s main customers work on big trucks and equipment. With some of TOPDON’s scan tools having the ability to add a truck line, Adams notes that this feature makes the tools very convenient for his customers, giving them an all-in-one solution for scanning.
Back to basics
While interacting with his customers, Adams notes he’s “just one of the guys.”
“I don’t look down or talk down to anybody,” he says. “I just go with the flow. I was one of them at one time.”
Though Adams has a background in the industry from working as a technician, he also had a mentor when he was just getting started. Back in 2017, he was looking for a career with a flexible schedule so could better meet his kids’ needs in terms of getting them from place to place. He notes that while he was still “wrenchin’” he became friends with the independent distributor he was buying tools from — Barry Hambrick. From there, Hambrick guided him along and got him into the business.
Unfortunately, not every distributor has worked as a technician in the past or has a mentor to turn to for help, so Adams offers this advice.
“Stay consistent,” he says. “Be transparent. That's a big key to running this business. Stay on top of your route, your people, your tools, your inventory, and so forth.”
