When it comes to making the sale, price will obviously play a factor. However, it’s important to note that when it comes to hand and specialty tools, quality should be at the forefront.
“For technicians who use their tools 10 to 12 hours a day, they want a tool that’s not going to break, chip, or fail,” Chris Sanford, vice president of sales at SK Tools, says. “To me, it’s all about a quality tool.”
“It’s not worth buying things twice,” Cal-Van Tools Vice President of Sales and Marketing Matt Kenny adds. “Quality is important, especially if they want this to be their profession.”
The same holds true for specialty tools, even if technicians only use the tool on a few occasions.
“Where people stray is if it’s for one use," Sanford says. “It’s easier to become more price driven, [however] quality still holds. Quality is still the number one consideration. You still want it to do the right job.”
Keeping your truck well stocked with hand and specialty tools and putting the right tools in your customer’s hands is key to making the sale.
“People like to touch and feel before they buy, and if you have it readily available now, you’re more likely to close the sale,” Gray Hendricks, executive vice president of sales, marketing, and product development at Titan Tools, says.
“Mobile tool distributors have a key role,” SK Tools’ Sanford adds. "By visiting shops on a regular basis, they can put the tools in the technician’s hand to get a feel for how it works, he notes. “I think that’s the key when selling hand tools.”
