I started in the mobile tool business in 1998. I just retired this past November. I’ve been a Mac dealer, Matco dealer, Matco district manager, Cornwell district manager, and a top 10 Cornwell dealer.
I recently read the excellent article about Jason Neil. Jason is part of my “tool family” and without a doubt the most talented person I’ve known in the industry. I met Jason in 2001 when I was recruited by Matco. Jason was a fellow dealer and later fellow district manager. Jason had Washington, and I had Oregon.
I want to highlight the “tool family” aspect of the business. Two days before Matco’s 2004 Expo, our only child’s life was taken from us while he was attending college in La Grande, Oregon. I remember being on a high having just written a double-digit contract at the shop I’d just left and already feeling excited to be leaving for Las Vegas the next day. On my way to the next shop, I received the phone call no parent ever wants to receive.
I was told by “family” you could have heard a pin drop when our name was called to receive the award for number one dealer for the Oregon district. The regional manager presenting the awards told all in attendance why we were not at the Expo. He also announced, “But they will be here tomorrow to be with ‘their other family.’”
That “family” has only grown over the years as many of us ended up at Cornwell Quality Tools. The financial gains from the tool business pale in comparison to the relationships I’ve been honored to have from my tool family. There’s also the customer family. It’s impossible to be a successful tool man without having your customers become your friends -- in many cases, close friends. The support I received from over 300 friends the next week when I returned to my route was truly immeasurable.
Four months later, I was hired to be the district manager for Matco’s Oregon district. It was incredibly difficult to say goodbye to all my friends. My wife and I left our hometown of Pendleton, Oregon, in an attempt to establish a “new normal.” Two-and-a-half years later, I had to take a sabbatical to take time to help deal with the events of our life. I tried to go back as a district manager for Matco, but it proved to be too much.
Years later, I received a call out of the blue from Cornwell. I later found out from the call came from the encouragement from a number of my tool family members. I had been absent from the tool business for five-plus years. Over those years, my tool family made sure I wasn’t absent from their thoughts. Jay Hashagen, who appeared on the cover of Professional Distributor’s October 2023 issue, called me nearly every Thursday night.
Over the years, I learned from experience a number of important facts about the tool business.
1. Have a positive attitude
Ask me how I’m doing and, for the past 40-plus years, I’ll answer, “Close to perfect!”. No one wants to do business with a down-and-out tool dealer. I always have people who’ll reply, “I wish I could say that.” I’ll always answer, “You can.” Attitudes are one of the few things we can control. At my first district meeting as a district manager, I explained to the group that with the loss of our son just four months prior, my life was about as far from close to perfect as it gets. Your customers don’t need to know you just missed a toolbox sale at the shop you just came from. Customers look forward to seeing the dealer who doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder. Many times they’re already dealing with a frustrating vehicle issue. When a shop tells you, “You’re the best part of our week!”, it’s an awesome feeling.
2. It’s the man, not the van
I was so concerned about leaving Mac to go to Matco. I changed flags on my same route. I had one customer tell me, “In all the years I’ve been buying tools, I never did business with the logo on the side of the truck. I’ve always done business with the man inside the truck.” Matco had never been in Eastern Oregon. I had a few customers calling them Maco Tools. The brand recognition had never been established. But the flag change had zero effect on my business.
3. The two most important words in the tool business: “To” and “For”
As a tool man, when you drive away from every shop, it’s crucial that the customer is telling everyone what you did for him and not to him. Being cheap on a tool truck is the kiss of death. It’s always been premium price in exchange for premium service and warranty. I never questioned a warranty. If it was a product line I carried, I warranted it. Found it on the street, bought it at a yard sale, got it from dad, it doesn’t matter. I’m your tool man. Bought it less than 30 days ago and now it’s on sale in the new flyer? Not a problem. Return it on paper and sell it back at the sale price or take the difference off the next purchase. Too many get caught up in the day-to-day of business without thinking about the upcoming days, weeks, months, and years.
4. Check in your money EVERY night
It’s so easy to make a mistake during the day. First thing when I arrived at night, my wife counted the money. I hated to make an error, but when you do have to contact a customer and say that an error was made, it only builds the trust factor.
5. There are no bad routes
How many times have I heard “I just have a bad route!”? That’s the biggest B.S. line in the business. The route I started in Central Oregon had never had a successful Cornwell dealer. Redmond, Madras, and Prineville is very rural. It had successful Snap-on and Mac dealers, and the last Cornwell dealer switched to GEARWRENCH. The GEARWRENCH route didn’t last a year. It’s the man, not the van! In short order, we went from top 20 to top 10. It took long hours, excellent customer service, and...
6. You need excellent support from your spouse
I’ve been married to Jodie for over 44 years. From having the freight checked in, assembling everything that arrived unassembled, running tools to customers, handling 100 percent of the money, doing tool warranties, dealing with vendors, shipping, putting up with her husband who washed his tool truck any night it came home dirty (sometimes 5 nights a week!), 9:00 PM dinners, and more than I could possibly list. My wife has always been the key to my success. I used to tell my customers, “I just drive the truck, Jodie does everything else.”
Jodie and I retired to sunny Florida. Once again, it was difficult to leave a route full of friends. This time, it was for a happy reason. I received all kinds of gifts, including a “close to perfect” sign a body shop made for me. I even had a couple guys ask me to autograph their toolbox! It’s a very humbling feeling.
