Frustration with my tool dealer

[everingham00]

So I'm not going to name names or brand here. But at my shop we have a tool dealer who services the surrounding area, nice enough guy but it's known that he has a drinking problem. I haven't heard from him for 3 weeks now but I've A. Seen him up the road from me B. Was at the shop and didn't tell me (he always has) but I can't see when he pulls in because of where the shop is. C. He pulled my weekly payment 2 days apart and then again on the normal pay day. I've never (that I know of) have had a problem with the guy and I've always made weekly payments plus any extra that I could. Idk if we don't give him enough business because we're a small shop, but he stops at the much smaller sketchier shop next door. So between the back to back payment pulls and the seemingly dodging us I'm frustrated and just looking for some advice here. Thanks

 

[mike93lx]

If he doesn't want your business, find a truck that does? I won't fight to give people my money

 

[2ndGearRubber]

A few thoughts.

Business is business, and yes sometimes despite a good relationship and history of purchases tool distributors will move on. The main reason I see is a territory above what they can cover in the time allotted so they pick and choose.

The payment thing is another issue, if I'm going to get ignored I'm not dying to pay you. I normally don't setup auto pay but if you have a balance he's entitled to be paid. Now the erratic billing schedule may not be okay. IDK what you Financials are, I would be talking about that if it happens again.


I would square up any outstand balance and accept he may not be interested in doing business with your place of business for whatever reason.

EDIT- This would frustrate and disappoint me, but really what else can you do?

 

[hobie18]

Do a full accounting and make sure the numbers are true. Make sure the payments went toward what you owe.
You can always find a better tool

 

[mudflap]

A few thoughts.

Business is business, and yes sometimes despite a good relationship and history of purchases tool distributors will move on. The main reason I see is a territory above what they can cover in the time allotted so they pick and choose.

The payment thing is another issue, if I'm going to get ignored I'm not dying to pay you. I normally don't setup auto pay but if you have a balance he's entitled to be paid. Now the erratic billing schedule may not be okay. IDK what you Financials are, I would be talking about that if it happens again.


I would square up any outstand balance and accept he may not be interested in doing business with your place of business for whatever reason.

EDIT- This would frustrate and disappoint me, but really what else can you do?

We dont have tool truck drama at the County garages anymore... But we do have vomit van issues. About the same as the tool truck guys.. the food truck has to make his money between 11am, and 1pm. (about 4 stops) We have the numbers, but guys are not buying from him like they used to..so we got dumped for a more profitable stop.. I dont blame him, but i do miss the 1/2 price leftover breaksfast sandwichws.

 

[kbuhagiar]

So I'm not going to name names or brand here. But at my shop we have a tool dealer who services the surrounding area, nice enough guy but it's known that he has a drinking problem. I haven't heard from him for 3 weeks now but I've A. Seen him up the road from me B. Was at the shop and didn't tell me (he always has) but I can't see when he pulls in because of where the shop is. C. He pulled my weekly payment 2 days apart and then again on the normal pay day. I've never (that I know of) have had a problem with the guy and I've always made weekly payments plus any extra that I could. Idk if we don't give him enough business because we're a small shop, but he stops at the much smaller sketchier shop next door. So between the back to back payment pulls and the seemingly dodging us I'm frustrated and just looking for some advice here. Thanks

News flash: Regardless of what you may have heard from your co-workers, the world will NOT come to an end if you wrench with something that didn't hitch a ride in the back of a tool truck.

Square up your payments/obligations with this guy and move on. Find another source for tools.

By the way, life is full of disappointing people and events. The challenge is learning how to move on past those disappointments.

 

[rust in the eye]

If I understand correctly he has the ability to "pull" money from some account of yours. The agreed payment schedule must be in some written agreement, no. Seems he stole a payment(hopefully properly applied) and knows it, hence dodging you.
I'd confront him, settle accounts, report him to the franchise and find another tool vendor.
Some people have no business operating a business.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If I understand correctly he has the ability to "pull" money from some account of yours. The agreed payment schedule must be in some written agreement, no. Seems he stole a payment(hopefully properly applied) and knows it, hence dodging you.
I'd confront him, settle accounts, report him to the franchise and find another tool vendor.
Some people have no business operating a business.

Sorry but I wouldn't give a truck guy access to one of my accounts like that.

 

[rust in the eye]

Sorry but I wouldn't give a truck guy access to one of my accounts like that.

Especially one with an addiction.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Sorry but I wouldn't give a truck guy access to one of my accounts like that.

Most of the time their system can just store a credit card number. Receipts are auto-generated if you have email correspondence.

I've seen people be upset when they're default signed up for this auto pay system. Other people love it because if the truck comes in Tuesday, and they're paid on Wednesday, they can just set the system up to auto bill the card.

I don't think I've ever approved or heard of anyone approving these methods outside of a vague "want me to save those card?". So if there was a billing issue without signed docs of prior auth or a per transaction explicit approval of payment, you can just backcharge the credit card.

 

[everingham00]

News flash: Regardless of what you may have heard from your co-workers, the world will NOT come to an end if you wrench with something that didn't hitch a ride in the back of a tool truck.

Square up your payments/obligations with this guy and move on. Find another source for tools.

By the way, life is full of disappointing people and events. The challenge is learning how to move on past those disappointments.

I could careless where the tools come from (to a point) it was simply the convenience of it. If he wants to just not deal with anymore I woidove at least appreciated a heads up. But it is what it is.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Most of the time their system can just store a credit card number. Receipts are auto-generated if you have email correspondence.

I believe you might have more protection with a credit card than a transaction withdrawn from a bank.

 

[dscheidt]

I believe you might have more protection with a credit card than a transaction withdrawn from a bank.

Even in cases where it's outright fraud, and you eventually get your money back, it will be resolved faster with a credit card rather than debit card or direct withdrawal from a bank account. In the case of a credit card, it's the bank's money that was stolen, for the others, it's yours. No points for guessing which the bank cares about more...

I remember when I set up a snap-on credit account many years ago, I had to provide a checking account as part of the application to set up automatic payments. (I bought some shop equipment for the shop I was running. There was some incentive that let the driver give us a much better deal if we did it that way, instead of just writing him a check. I paid it off as soon as we got all the gear delivered.)

 

[nicks78camaro]

The downside of dealing with took trucks. It's great when you have a great rep. It can quickly go south. Lifetime warranty and truck service convenience only lasts as long as the rep.

 

[Theronswanson]

I had a similar experience with a Snap-on dealer when I was getting into the business 20 years ago. Long story short, he got into drugs really bad. He wouldn't show up for weeks at a time. The last time I saw him, his normally stocked truck, was bare, as in nothing in it at all. He sold it all for drug money.

Fast forward about 3 months and he started running my card for payments. Hadn't seen the guy at all. I ended up calling his corporate office. Come to find out he had actually been fired from Snap-on shortly after I last saw him. I ended up filing a police report, but never heard anything about it.