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booting a tool truck

geartow

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Apr 6, 2015
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ohio / pa border on I80
So our shop manager has informed the techs and drivers that he is contacting a tool trucks franchise company . He is giving us 2 weeks to square with this dealer . After that the dealer will not be permitted on the property. Not a big deal no one owes him anything , he has a 2 to 3 month delivery time from when we tell him we would like to buy an item till he gets it in every thing is backordered , and warranty is same amount of time. Any one else do this did they send a different truck to service you.
 
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txvwnut

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Jan 1, 2015
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Bedford, Texas
My experience is if you stop buying from them and don't owe anything they'll stop coming around as its a waste of their time. I have tried to get a tool truck to service my shop just once a month and he pretty much took it as don't show up ever again.
 

Holzarbeiter

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Jun 22, 2014
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We have an issue with a truck. He didn't show for over 3 months, screwed some guys in regards to the accounts (corp. and truck), then hired a helper to "straighten things out".
We still haven't seen him just the helper. Everyone is paid up by now and last week none got on the truck. Hope they got the message.
 

G_P

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Central CT
Hopefully the tool company will try and make things right by finding a truck from a different sales area to come service your shop. If this has been an ongoing problem and they have received multiple complaints from different shops about this guy, they may fire him.
 

dsimatt

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Dec 9, 2012
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Your shop is part of his route he owns so basically you guys have cut access to that brand till he sells it and a new guy comes in.

The only time I've seen a different dealer come in was we lost our matco guy and it took a lot of begging and another guy would swing by once a month for a little bit till we got a new guy in.
 

ken w.

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Aug 16, 2012
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Western New York
I worked at a shop where we booted the Mac guy because he wouldn't warranty stuff. They told him replace the pile of tools on the file cabinet or don't come back till you do.He didn't come back.
A new SO guy showed up and we told him the same. He warranted everything.
 

chipss36

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Dec 1, 2015
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texas
wonder if he has done the same to others on that same rough?

below may be some helpful info???? just throwing it out there.

For Franchisee issues or disputes, the Ombudsman Program provides the option to speak confidentially to an ombudsman who is independent and neutral. The role of the ombudsman is to help facilitate dispute resolutions with franchisees. Further details are provided at http://extranet.snapon.com/display/router.aspx?docid=42945& or call 800-786- 6600, extension 5506.
 
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trxrx7

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Jan 6, 2014
Messages
65
we got the same problem with our driver. i have ordered stuff over half a year ago (that was not back ordered, i asked) and still nothing, i just gave up on it and stopped asking about it. same with warranty, send stuff in about 3-4 months ago no sign of it. his truck is empty, when he shows up and hands us the new flyer, he doesnt even have the tools on his truck. im buying more and more stuff online and locally because i can get warranty on something the same day or within the week plus saving lots of money and time. buying from the trunks is not convenient anymore. you need to get your employer to complain to snap on and talk to your neighbor shops if they are having the same problem and tell them to file a complaint as well. thats what we did. and the next time he came around, he had his manager or boss or whoever he was on his trunk and basically retraining him, and telling him he needs to carry more stock and **** like that. but apparently if to many shops will complain about the same guy then they will get rid of him.
 

Fedwrench

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Valley of the sun
It happens from time to time like when the tool truck is told not to park in a certain area but, he continues to do it. I've also been places where the tool truck could only show up between certain hours like lunch time and he chose not to. I've never seen a tool truck get booted over poor service to the techs but, I like the concept. The bottom line is that corporate won't assign another dealer to cover your shop. As others have mentioned, you shop is in the original dealers territory and corporate can't assign a shop in his territory to another dealer. It would violate the franchisee contract.
It sounds like the dealer in question might be having problems paying his tool bill himself. Taking forever to get ordered tools and lack of warranty service are two strong indicators of problems. Good luck,
 

GTA Matt

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Zebulon, NC
I fired a Mac guy and 2 snap on guys. Pretty simple, told them they were worthless and not to come back. You won't get a new dealer until the driver quits or routes change.
 

mjoekingz28

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Mississippi
I thought you meant lockng the wheels so noone can roll it off and away.


Do they even do that on top end boxes? Or do they just lock drawers?
 

Davefr

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You won't get a new dealer until the driver quits or routes change.

So if a big city car dealership with a huge staff of techs sends the tool truck dealer "packing" for whatever reasons, the franchise sales management will simply let the business go to the competition???
 

JJThrasher

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Indiana
So if a big city car dealership with a huge staff of techs sends the tool truck dealer "packing" for whatever reasons, the franchise sales management will simply let the business go to the competition???

Its a franchise so unless the truck driver breaks the corporate rules and loses the franchise he owns the right to sell that brand to you. Letting another driver take your shop over would be like opening a Papa Johns right across the street from another Papa Johns.

The local Matco guy screwed our boss on a tool marked it up over 500% because the boss had to buy it if he wanted to car out of the shop that day (as promised to the customer) or wait until he could get the broken version of the tool warrantied from another dealer that couldn't make it that day. He got told to never come back and hasn't. I personally give my Matco stuff to a buddy and he warranties it through his dealer for me.
 

3 Gun Shooter

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Both our Matco and Snap On dealers were useless pieces of ****. I don't care about Matco their tools are junk and even the factory has their heads up their *** as far as warranty.

Snap On at least covers warranty by sending me tools. Snap On also has started a group that works between customers and problem dealers. Finally after 3 months I heard from my dealer's sales manager, bigger lazier idiot than my dealer. I owed my dealer a big $100, told my dealer he gets his $100 when he gets a new dealer in my shop.

These tool dealers have turned into lazy incompetent idiots. Dealers used to go out of their way to get you service, get a broken tool from another dealer, or if you need the tool right now. Now they just give you the deer in the headlights look and forget to order the tool.
 

3 Gun Shooter

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So if a big city car dealership with a huge staff of techs sends the tool truck dealer "packing" for whatever reasons, the franchise sales management will simply let the business go to the competition???

Only way to get another dealer is if the original dealer turns it over to another dealer. Sometimes they do this because 1 or 2 stops are way out of the way for one dealer, but the second dealer goes right down that street.
 

sberry

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Brethren, Michigan
With so many ways to buy a wrench or tool at discounted pricing I cant believe its all worth the pain. I really cant imagine a problem I couldn't solve myself faster and easier.
 
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sberry

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People that buy cheap **** from HF are usually impressed and have 5% problems, people buy top dollar **** worry and have issues from day 1 got 95% of the problems.
 

trxrx7

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These tool dealers have turned into lazy incompetent idiots. Dealers used to go out of their way to get you service, get a broken tool from another dealer, or if you need the tool right now. Now they just give you the deer in the headlights look and forget to order the tool.

so true
 

Holzarbeiter

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Jun 22, 2014
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the SO dealer on my route is top notch, he's been in the biz 15+ years, well stacked truck, constant promo's, full fills orders quick, shows up like clockwork and if you need something he is only a phone call away.
Cornwell guy is new to the game, decent guy only on the truck less than a year, truck has some stuff not packet like SO, fills orders quick, some promo's.
Matco about 1.5 years on truck, has tools but truck has been stale for at least 8 months, slow to never fills orders (always an excuse), doesn't show for months at a time, if he comes no idea what day or time of the week, gives sales fliers but doesn't have the tools, has messed up payments (applying one guys payment on someone elses account, etc)
Mac hasn't been around in years
 

chipss36

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158
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texas
I must say over the years , seems that the general work ethic, and customer service has been in a downward spiral? or is it just me getting old?

I have fond memory's in my youth of finely having the cash in hand to visit the tool truck, service was always top notch, even for me, and I was no big spender, but would save for what I needed.

just sad to read stuff like this, but seems to be the same at the grocery store, or parts store, or even sears, like its a new standard ??? I would very much like to be dead wrong in this way of thinking.
 
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Wamsutta

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Amarillo, Texas
the SO dealer on my route is top notch, he's been in the biz 15+ years, well stacked truck, constant promo's, full fills orders quick, shows up like clockwork and if you need something he is only a phone call away.

That's the way a dealer should be. It's been proven that keeping an inventory well stocked and visible sells more.
 

Skin

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Boston
So if a big city car dealership with a huge staff of techs sends the tool truck dealer "packing" for whatever reasons, the franchise sales management will simply let the business go to the competition???

When you buy a franchise you also get a pre-determined route and customer list. All of them have been taken to court, especially Snap-On, over the years for either downsizing routes or dealers encroaching on each others territories. Brick and mortar franchises operate in a similar manner with minimum distance requirements between locations. The point is you're suppose to have exclusive sales rights to a given area without competing against your own product.
 

malykaii

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New York City, USA
So if a big city car dealership with a huge staff of techs sends the tool truck dealer "packing" for whatever reasons, the franchise sales management will simply let the business go to the competition???

What alot of people forget or don't realize is that these companies aren't strictly in the business of selling tools. (Like Snap On is a bank)

If tool companies just sold tools, then yes, your right about loosing business on tool sales.

However, the companies have a huge stake in loans and selling franchises. A franchise isn't even tangable, so it's pure profit on something almost imaginary with zero financial risk to the parent company.
(especially when there is no marketing or ads. At least with a McD's part of your fees goes towards tv slots)

So if a dealer is failing in one shop, he's probably failing on his route. Unless he can get lucky and sell the route for cash, he will default on the loan. Now the company forcloses on the route, and being intangeble, there is no effort to repo. Now they sell the route all over again and again and again. Plus since most drivers finance through the company, said tool company also takes in interest.

-If your successful and pay off your loan, you're probablly selling plenty of tools and the corporation is making money.
-If you do too well, then there's a clause where corporate can take part of that route away and sell it, making them even more money.
-If you repay half your loan then default, the corporation gets to resell your route and make money.
-It's the guys that make their payments and just sell enough to scrape by that makes the least for corporate. But there is a clause where they can cancel your contract for not meeting sales volume, and resell your route for more money.

So it's not actually about selling tools and customer service. Its like a mafia front. The real business is selling debt and imaginary brand rights under a tool and service facade.
 

shockwave

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Oct 23, 2012
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Marietta,ga
Sounds like your franchise operator is behind that is usually why he takes so long to get your tools

I would contact tool company themselves snap on,Cornwell,Matco or Mac

Snap on and Matco are pretty good and Cornwell is employee owned so they will straighten him out now Mac I have heard horror stories on all front and tried to get one at my shop for over 10 years and no one comes especially being in north Atlanta a lot of shops
 

ZRX61

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I haven't been on a truck in a while, but a few years ago the Matco guy was great to deal with & the SnapOn guy would have to improve his service merely to become totally ******* useless. SnapOn guy would come by with his empty truck & expect to stand around the hangar shooting the **** for 2 or 3 ******* hours while I was trying to earn a wage.
It got to the stage that whenever he showed up I would close the hangar & go to lunch... or home, depending on the time of day. More than once I closed up shop & went off to run errands etc & 2 hours later I'd drive past the airport on my way home & his damn truck would STILL be outside the locked hangar.
 

mjoekingz28

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Mississippi
Its a franchise so unless the truck driver breaks the corporate rules and loses the franchise he owns the right to sell that brand to you. Letting another driver take your shop over would be like opening a Papa Johns right across the street from another Papa Johns.

The local Matco guy screwed our boss on a tool marked it up over 500% because the boss had to buy it if he wanted to car out of the shop that day (as promised to the customer) or wait until he could get the broken version of the tool warrantied from another dealer that couldn't make it that day. He got told to never come back and hasn't. I personally give my Matco stuff to a buddy and he warranties it through his dealer for me.



It can be tough sticking to your promises.


I give the guy a high-five for going over to fulfill his promise.


But, to my chagrin, wont shake his hand for the fact that he made a promise he shouldnt have been making in the first place.


Like in the eighties, Domino's promised (or guarantted, or whatever terminology you people use) to get the pizza there in thirty minutes. To back up 'the promise' they would give it free if late. I heard there were 'several' car wrecks from that debacle!
 

wafrederick

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Holton,Mi
My dad's shop where I work at,Snap On is not allowed in.He got his *** booted out 18 years ago.Bad service and a no show.Matco is the only one that is allowed in,his service is great and warranties broken and worn out tools on the spot.He did warranty a customer's 1/2 drive flex head ratchet once which he should of never done.The customer broke it using a forklift truck putting extra leverage on it to break loose a very tight fastner
 

plinker

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Northern Wi
The local Snap-on guy has been in it for a long time, since the early '90's IIRC. Since around the mid 2000's he started going down hill, and it's really bad now. Very little inventory, taking forever to order items and warranty items. Took two months to get a crowfoot wrench and I know it does not take that long. and it was not a back ordered item either. He want to give it up but has not yet (been talking about it for five years).

The Matco guy on the other hand, since he started about ten months ago has had a booming business due to actually doing what he says and having stuff in stock and ordering things on time. And he has a truck half the size to boot.
 

mjoekingz28

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My dad's shop where I work at,Snap On is not allowed in.He got his *** booted out 18 years ago.Bad service and a no show.Matco is the only one that is allowed in,his service is great and warranties broken and worn out tools on the spot.He did warranty a customer's 1/2 drive flex head ratchet once which he should of never done.The customer broke it using a forklift truck putting extra leverage on it to break loose a very tight fastner




I think warranties bring out the worst in us.

Sure, some of us will send it to the metal scrap yard or rebuild it. Maybe even some offer up what happened to the piece to the salesman, then some who will reluctantly tell the truth.

Then some, who may make up tall tales or just plain lies to either save a few bucks or exploit the good-faith of the warranty.


Thing is, the tool truck probably has no way to know who got the whole offensive line to jump on the cheater pipe the 1/4" ratchet was on versus the guy who said it started slipping the first time he used it. Even so, I do not like full refunds for 'most' stuff. If it is defective then sure. But if you used it successfully on three hundred fasteners and it just went kaput one day- then maybe they could give you some store credit. Thats not to say they shouldnt be building them to last many generations.
 

echerbst

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Dec 1, 2009
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If a tool truck guy is unreliable he will not change and fail for sure. I have gone through 5 Matco guys in the last 7 years. Then there is a lull when I will have no one for 6 months. Everyone on the new drivers route is aggravated and has piles of broken ****. How are you going to succeed on that route. I have spoke with the district manager and he is a total retard too.

Snap on guy on the other hand is the best tool guy I have ever dealt with. In the biz 35 years. He does have an old bigger route so he makes a killing. Always dealing and has the best stocked truck I have even seen. I mean 10 of ever fast moving ratchet and socket set. If its in the catalog he prolly has it on the truck.

But all the new dealer
 

ZRX61

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Solar Blight Valley, SoCal
When I lived in the UK our local SnapOn guy had his truck stolen one night. His German Shepard was inside the truck.
They found the truck about a week later with the dog still in it but everything else stripped out. It was also obvious that someone had been feeding the dog & letting him out to piss & **** etc....

hmmmm......
 

wafrederick

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I think warranties bring out the worst in us.

Sure, some of us will send it to the metal scrap yard or rebuild it. Maybe even some offer up what happened to the piece to the salesman, then some who will reluctantly tell the truth.

Then some, who may make up tall tales or just plain lies to either save a few bucks or exploit the good-faith of the warranty.


Thing is, the tool truck probably has no way to know who got the whole offensive line to jump on the cheater pipe the 1/4" ratchet was on versus the guy who said it started slipping the first time he used it. Even so, I do not like full refunds for 'most' stuff. If it is defective then sure. But if you used it successfully on three hundred fasteners and it just went kaput one day- then maybe they could give you some store credit. Thats not to say they shouldnt be building them to last many generations.
My Matco dealer was told it after it was warrantied and he knew it was misuse.The Snap On dealer that my dad kicked out is getting worse with warranties,asks how it was broke and won't warranty it.Even told a customer that he was using a ratchet as a hammer which was not true,the ratchet was broken.
 

crewchief888

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NW indiana
in the past 18 years i've been at my current dealership, we've asked more than one dealer not to come back.

mostly because of really crappy attitudes...
one particular new dealer came in the door bad mouthing everyone's choice of tools and toolboxes.

i was service manager at the time, a couple of my guys came up to the office and complained about him...
i escorted him to the door, and told him not to come back. from what i heard he had pulled the same **** at several other shops.

:beer:
 

wafrederick

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http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/forbes-snap-on-franchise/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jjcolao...-twenty-franchises-for-the-buck/#78c538413252

It would indeed seem that the major reasons why Snap-on ***** are outlined in the above links. This would explain many (but not all) of the poor service symptoms of the franchisees.

Used to have a Snap On dealer down the road in my area,Snap On forced him right out last year and he was not too happy with them.Problems with the district rep and they almost did fight.That was resolved.Was told to repo a guy's tools and equipment and told Snap On **** you on this.The customer was going through medical problems in and out of the hospital,owed money and Snap On did not care about that.There have been 10 dealer that commited suicide as well and Snap On covered this up.I am surprised no wrongful death suits against them yet.
 

Dick in Wisconsin

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Shawano, Wisconsin
I'm not a professional mechanic and have only been in tool trucks twice. Once to buy an obscure tool when I saw the truck at a stop and another time to ask about an obscure tool the guy didn't have in the truck.

I am speechless reading the posts in this thread, absolutely speechless. These tools guys (are there "tool gals"?) are independent business people who have paid for (or financed) a franchise, paid for (or financed a truck), and have paid for (or financed an inventory). The are completely, totally dependent (I think) on the shops and mechanics along their routes for the sales of tools, chests, etc. to pay their bills and provide for their families. Unless they are complete idiots they know there are at least two or three or maybe even four other tool trucks stopping at each shop and everyone can buy tools over the Internet.

How in the world can they expect to succeed with attitudes like I am reading in the posts. I find this completely baffling.

How can the tool companies apparently be so foolish in recruiting salespeople with these kinds of personalities.

One poster asserts that the money isn't in selling the tools but in getting the franchise fees over and over again (which the tool company often finances) and in financing whatever else the tool company finances. I would have to concede that given what I read in the posts, it certainly looks like that is the business model of the tool companies. But I can't believe it is. I still think the tool companies make their real money by selling tools. At least that is what I want to believe.
 

trackwelder

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n.y
People that buy cheap **** from HF are usually impressed and have 5% problems, people buy top dollar **** worry and have issues from day 1 got 95% of the problems.

Not sure about your statistics but I guess I'm in the 5% of not being impressed with harbor freight junk. I have tons of top dollar stuff and no issues at all with them except for the snap on locking pliers
 

moriboy

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Oregon
Not sure about your statistics but I guess I'm in the 5% of not being impressed with harbor freight junk. I have tons of top dollar stuff and no issues at all with them except for the snap on locking pliers


What he said.


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