Is anyone else annoyed with tool salesman?

[epmills]

Lately, I can't stand the Snap-on and Matco dealers that come around. It seems they have turned from a knowledgeable tool rep to a annoying door to door salesman type. Instead of asking if I need anything, they shove some overpriced POS thats on "sale" in my face telling me how great it is before they even say hi. Maybe its the economy hitting them hard, I dont know... But just based on their attitude they're not going to be getting anything from me except broken tools for warrenty. Is this happening to you guys/gals too?

 

[krusty the clown]

i'm sure sales are down. that's how they make a living. it's called "tote and promote", just nicely tell them that you don't like it, but it is part of the tool business.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

They don't come around where I work.

 

[Big Bad Jon]

Our new Mac guy is kind of like this. I am slowly trading them in for Matco and Snap On. I know they have a job to do too, but I think customer relations is their first job. I am willing to spend a little more money if I like the guy.

 

[econoaddict]

I kinda touched on this subject a bit ago.

Getting even worse here, they insist on hanging out and push push push, bad mouth tools your using, push some more, let you know you can't do good work with out their tools, push some more and finally leave after being told multiple times that you don't have time to argue about who has the best tools.

Kinda depressing because I used to enjoy the tool guys stopping in.

 

[bgott]

I don't mind the hard sell, I know how to say no, it's that showing up every week with their hand out wanting money that bugs me!

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Yeah, I kept re-reading the first post, thought I was having deja-vu? Kept looking at the posting date, going to myself..., didnt I read this a couple weeks back ?

I buy my tools direct from SO online, being that they are "local", they are hear usually in 2 business days! and No sales pressure there.

 

[Art From De Leon]

The only time I have ever had my dealer come across as pushy, was when he had his boss with him. The next week everything was back to normal.

 

[mrshaun]

WHen I come to your shop I make sure you know about the new tools, and try to find tools that you may not have that you could use in your job to make your life easier. I will not shove them down your throat. Lots of times I will take the new short socket set and just hand it to a customer and go see the guy beside him. I let the customers figure out what it is before I say a word. I walk up and say hey hold this for a sec. gets their attention and then if they want to know more they generally ask or they take the tool and put it in their box.
I also let guys know when new tools are coming out ( once again back to the low profile socket sets ) Pre selling items and then when they arrive I just leave them on your box and nothing else has to be said.
Or if something is really on sale I will tell everyone I see ( not being pushy ) just making sure everyone is aware of a good deal. this way I do not hear ( well you never told me about that good deal that my buddy got, where's mine )

 

[vssjim]

No Matco No Snapon No Mac No independents, only Cornwell and the only thing he ever does is hand out the sales flyers to those people who want them. He outlasted all the other dealers and has been in the biz for fifteen years. He outlast two Matco Three Snap on fiveplus?? Mac dealers. Truck is full andfast on orders.

 

[mrshaun]

sometimes thats all that matters.
I show up have the tools and will work with you to help you get the tools you need.
I have outlasted 5 mac 1 matco 3 cornwell and never had an independent dealers.

 

[TruckTech915]

I have two dealers that bug the piss out of you. They will always try and sale you something that's on sale or some random b/s, I don't even get on there trucks anymore. My Snap On dealer is much different though. He is easy to deal with and don't try to shove things down your throat.

 

[ZRX61]

We have one that will hang around for a ******** hour shooting the **** while we're trying to work. I've been known to turn off the lights, shut the place up & go home early just to get some peace.

 

[chadster1]

Damn tool salesmen.

 

[Stick]

Our mac guy is like that, he's pissed me off to the point that I haven't set foot on his truck in six months or so. Brand new guy acted like it was a bother to warranty a set of slides for my Macsimizer that the old mac guy never replaced before he retired. I tried to toss him some money by buying stuff, but all he had on his truck was the basics that everyone that has been in the business a while already has. Tried to see if he'd knock $10 off a infrared thermometer that was $109.99, by pulling out a hundred dollar bill and asking him the cash price today out the door. He took the hundred dollars and put $9.99 on the truck account saying "if you want a cash deal it'll have to be on something big like a toolbox". With an attitude like that he didn't see that I was testing him, before I dropped the cash on a sidelocker I need. I'm waiting till he goes out of business before I buy it now, and Made sure to tell him so.

Poor guy hasn't made a sale to anyone in the shop in five months, and we all spend $5k+ yearly on tools. He's down to only stopping by once a month to drop off the new sales flyers, and ask about warrenty tools. I'm about ready to tell him not to bother stopping by anymore like quite a few other shops on his route have done...

 

[spencerian]

I'm on board too.
I bought 4 sets of Craftsman sockets one week.
All the Snap On rep did was belittle me for not buying "the best".

My reply was "$200 in Craftsman equals $850 in Snap On".

 

[FNFS2000]

I'm on board too.
I bought 4 sets of Craftsman sockets one week.
All the Snap On rep did was belittle me for not buying "the best".

My reply was "$200 in Craftsman equals $850 in Snap On".

ANd sears doesn't usually harrass you for asking for a warranty.

 

[Merkava_4]

We're always having these threads about the bad truck dealers, but we never hear about the sleeze bag customers.

 

[Stick]

The sad thing is at our shop our Matco guy and snapon guy have it figured out, it's just the mac guy that ***** so bad. The snapon guy doesn't try to push hardline tools, but seems to always have new diagnostic tools, and hard to find stuff. The Matco guy has found a niche with hard to find and unique tools, not necessarily Matco branded stuff either. Some people just don't understand the trends in their local markets, and others have figured out how to carve out a niche that keeps food on the table without coming off like a typical salesman.

 

[mkdive]

We're always having these threads about the bad truck dealers, but we never hear about the sleeze bag customers.

I prefer dirt bag!

 

[krusty the clown]

my dealers don't bug me about buying, they already know what i'm looking for and what my next purchase will be. when my balance gets low enough they can just set in on my box.......

 

[Joe69]

Every Mac dealer I've met in the past 10 or so years has been that way. I think Mac trains them that way. I do want to know about sales and new tools out, but don't throw me a sales pitch. If it's a good tool that I need, it'll practically sell itself, as long as I know it exists.

Joe

 

[krusty the clown]

for those of you who get the hard sell routine, it tells me one thing.......you make your tool payments. and thats why they want to keep you on the books.

 

[walrus]

Anybody learn to just walk away? or flat out tell the guy you'll buy something when you want or need to. The guys job is to sell tools, if you don't want to buy, tell him. He'll go bug someone else.

 

[mrshaun]

well merk there are plenty of " snap on in front door, customer run out back door" and the infamous " I ll double up next week" If I hear that and you do not double up, I cut you off from buying and tell you I will let you buy double next week. They usually see how irritating it is and do what they need to.
Or you leave the shop and watch the customer tell you they are broke and see them at the store buying lottery tickets and cigs.

 

[engineboy]

*dirtbag story for Merk*

I actually had a guy run out the back door and hide behind a bush in the middle of a field as I pulled in. (I saw him with my own eyes) He wouldnt come out even though I called out to tell him I saw him.

I turned around and repoed a bunch of tools from him that week and drove away. (this game had been going on for a couple weeks)

He had the balls to tell everyone in the shop that "he went to get me my money to pay me off, and I took his tools" So I was the A hole. The others in the shop new what happened and didnt think twice about his speech.

I showed up the follwing week and he was there, he said I was a d*&k because I took his tools and he had just left to get me $$.......I asked him 2 things.

1) Did he have my money?

and 2) If he could show me the ATM in the field out back behind that bush.

I kept his tools, and we never did business again. He mentioned that he was never going to buy anything from me again and I thanked him. I told him that its not considered "buying" unless he pays for them

I dont need customers like that.

 

[truckdriver]

The SO man here only shows up every 2 wks. I tried to call him a couple of times and he won't even return calls. I always pay cash,never owed any money. My friend works for Frieghtliner and he hadn't seen his driver in a couple of months. He called him a month ago to warranty some tools. He got some of them warranteed but the driver had to order some stuff and a month later and the driver is MIA again. I guess you got 3 types of tool men. The ones that bug the **** out of you,thye ones that never show up and the good guys.

 

[Mickey O]

I'm annoyed with everyone might as well add tool salesmen to the list, and toll booth operators, and people that text message while driving, and the idiot down the street with the loud dog that he leaves barking in the yard all night.

 

[epmills]

I'm glad that im not the only one with feelings like this. I realize they make their living like this, but you dont walk into a department store and have people shoving products in your face telling you its the greatest thing ever. If I need something, I'll let you know. If you have a new product, give me a frickin flyer and be on your way. I especially love the BS products like a soda can shaped power inverter-wtf does a mechanic need that for?

 

[Hawk321]

Most tool dealer never worked on a car (here in germany) and I know, that some tool companies bosses here have also no knowledge about anything but are still the country manager...

I also don't like tool salesmans who try to sell their stuff in forums without to post other things.

 

[r0meyrome]

My tool salesman is the 16 year old kid behind the counter at Sears. He definitely does not annoy me!

 

[Monte]

no problem here.... He even ask if i really need the tool or if i not rather should let the tool in the store to save money. Ok it`s not a tool truck and just a employer and not self-employed so he don`t need to sell

 

[engineboy]

I like to consider Im a good guy, I have wrenched for 20+ years and I know what its like to have a tool guy standing there with product when Im busting hump to get my flat rate jobs done. I hated that.

I dont tote and promote. Unless I have something that Im sure will save you time and money, or something that really is a new cool tool, you wont see it in my hands.

If I go in a shop and they are really busy, I drop flyers and make a quick sweep of all the guys to see if I need to warranty anything, anyone needs anything, and Im out. Once again, time is money for the techs.

I know what its like to be on that side of the counter and I bring that into my business.

I have outlasted 3 snap on guys, 2 cornwell guys and 2 MAC guys in 5 years......I must be doing something right.

It does work both ways though, when I go into a shop and the guy fills his coffee cup up and heads out to the truck, then decides that he wants to tell me his life story.....and not shop or anything, just parks on my doorstop.......thats not cool either. I like hanging around for a few, and getting to know my guys...talking to you guys is a big part of the business and I like that, but there is a line, I have to go also.....my time is worth money too.

There is a balance there....if I dont at least see you and talk to each and every one of you to see if you need something, Im not doing my job. We spend too muh time talking and seeing and youre not doing yours.

 

[Mickey O]

My tool salesman is the 16 year old kid behind the counter at Sears. He definitely does not annoy me!

On a serious note I was at Sears yesterday (I was in the area) I thought I'd pick up one of the 3/8" RHFT ratchets that's on clearance for $6. I checked online and supposedly they had one in stock. In the past I have used Sears great purchase on-line feature and then pick it up at the store feature, so far I'm 0 for three. The website supposedly checks stock at the store then sends an email when you can pick it up. Twice they canceled my orders because they didn't have the item in stock and the last time I tried to cancel the order but couldn't, I had to call them and they sent me a check a week later instead of just refunding the money to my PayPal account. So I use their computer at the store and get the part number and bring it to a women at the register because I can't find it on the rack. She doesn't know how to look it up and gets a guy to help her, it shows they have two in stock but they don't know where they are. I'm annoyed with Sears.

 

[Joe69]

well merk there are plenty of " snap on in front door, customer run out back door" and the infamous " I ll double up next week" If I hear that and you do not double up, I cut you off from buying and tell you I will let you buy double next week. They usually see how irritating it is and do what they need to.
Or you leave the shop and watch the customer tell you they are broke and see them at the store buying lottery tickets and cigs.

There have been occasions when I forgot my checkbook. My Matco dealer jokingly tells me that if I don't make a payment, I have to buy something. He's really cool, but he knows I'll make it right next week. I always tell him upfront if I forgot my checkbook, I would never hide from him.

Joe

 

[engineboy]

There have been occasions when I forgot my checkbook. My Matco dealer jokingly tells me that if I don't make a payment, I have to buy something. He's really cool, but he knows I'll make it right next week. I always tell him upfront if I forgot my checkbook, I would never hide from him.

Joe

Things like that happen once in a while. The runners and the guys that NEVER have the check book are the problems. .

I use that line too, if you dont pay you must buy

 

[Romanova]

Old Snap On guy back in WA was the man. Always had a cooler full of soft drinks on the truck. Came by every Monday like clock work. Was more than happy to give up SO swag, even for smaller purchases (I got hats, shirts, SO pool cue, etc). Always treated me fair, even though I wasn't wrenching at the shop, just being the shop gopher.

Still trying to find a decent SO guy in Houston now... makes it worse since I work out of my garage on my own projects...

 

[Fedwrench]

The relationship between tool dealers and techs is similiar to the one between techs and parts people, you need each other to survive but, it's painful at times. The best tool dealers I've had over the years didn't have to work hard to oversell their tools. I do feel sorry for the dealers at times though. The story about the tech hiding brought back memories of guys who would dodge the tool man or give me something to warranty for them because they didn't want to talk to the tool dealer, etc. Unfortunately, these are the same techs that would upsell anything to make a buck off of a customer's car. I wouldn't want to be a tool dealer.
I'm annoyed with my tool dealer but, for a completely different reason. He couldn't sell water to a man dying of thrist. He doesn't have an automotive background. He's an government rep so, he has an aviation background. He doesn't tell us about new products instead, I tell him about the new products. The guy he replaced would email new product announcements monthly and mail us flyers and catalog supplements. luckily, the internet enables me to get what I need for me and the shop. I long for a Matco government/industrial rep though. If you got a good tool dealer tell him or her that they're the A#1 dealer and buy from them to keep them in business. It ***** when you either don't have a dealer or the one you have isn't up to par.

 

[boostedgt]

i always liked listening to thier sales pitches because i was being paid by the hour and more time in the tool truck= less time in the shop. i usually didnt buy whatever was being pushed though lol

 

[mrshaun]

well here in Killeen the cops show up for any loud noise complaint. they do a good job also
even when I put tools together and make too much noise loading the truck. music is a 700 dollar fine if they are called out twice to the same house. so its generally quiet around here