For some mobile tool distributors retiring can mean finding someone to take over your route. Of course, that’s not always the case. However, if you’re looking for someone to take the reins so you can rest easy knowing your customers are in good hands, ex-Cornwell Quality Tools distributor, Brian Fahlgren, recommends looking for someone with these qualities —
- An outgoing, upbeat, and positive personality
- An extremely strong work ethic
- High morals with strong family values
Fahlgren notes that Elias Valdovinos, the technician turned tool distributor who took over his route, checks all those boxes.
Though initially, Valdovinos had never thought of running a tool truck, after speaking with Fahlgren, he decided to give it a go.
“Brian made it pretty clear, if you do this the right way you can make a decent living,” Valdovinos says. Apart from that though, Valdovinos also wanted to keep Fahlgren’s “legacy” alive.
Once the decision of who was taking over his route was decided, the next step was all about transition. Valdovinos spent three weeks riding around in Fahlgren’s truck to learn the ropes.
“It was so important for Elias to emulate everything that helped in my success,” Fahlgren notes. “It was also important for me that my customers understood why I thought Elias would maintain the status quo.”
During his ride-along time with Fahlgren, Valdovinos mentions how he was constantly taking notes making sure he knew how to run things in a similar fashion. The new distributor explains how if a customer approached Fahlgren about a broken tool, he didn’t need to hear about how the tool got broken, he would just hand them a replacement and send them on their way. Since taking over the route, Valdovinos has made sure to uphold that kind of relationship with the customers.
“If it’s an issue for [the customer], it’s an issue for me,” Valdovinos says. “I try to run [the truck] the same way [Brian] did.” Though he jokes that he has changed the type of candy that he keeps on the truck from what Fahlgren had.
The biggest piece of advice Fahlgren imparted to Valdovinos was ensuring that when you leave a stop your customers are talking about what you did for them and not what you did to them. You can read more about Fahlgren’s tips for running a successful tool truck in his first installment of Tool Dealer 101.
Though not every transition to a new driver will work out, as long as both you and your chosen replacement are willing to put in the work, there’s a good chance your route will remain successful.
