We are getting a MAC man.

[Mastermind]

If the tool co's were intelligent, they'd focus on wanting to sell to the tens of millions of technicians, mechanics, tradespeople all across North America and NOT trying to only sell to the franchise/tool truck guys (there are way fewer of them).

They don't support their tool truck drivers/franchisees. I'd give each driver a stocked to the gills truck and have them work off commission and not make these guys try to come up with all that capital. A dude who wants a tool truck route is not going to be rich/have a lot of capital. They aren't a retired cardiologist who hangs out at the country club with his wife Buffy with $10 million in the bank.

And as soon as they make a sale, the inventory system (should be automated) should automatically add 1 of that item to their next order, so they are always stocked up.

They sell the tools to the franchise's, then let them have the hassle of every Tom **** and Harry owing them $1000. Less to keep track of at corporate, and the franchise's more likely to pay their bills.
The automatic stock order is what the district guy does to bury a new guy they don't like. Watched it happen, then the district guy got "demoted" to the route he killed.
Not saying your ideas are wrong, just from my experience they don't work.

 

[T45]

This model seems hopelessly outdated, for the driver.

Techs and other people have access to credit cards and the internet.

its not 1979 with people doing spreadsheets in pencil.

 

[jd_1138]

They sell the tools to the franchise's, then let them have the hassle of every Tom **** and Harry owing them $1000. Less to keep track of at corporate, and the franchise's more likely to pay their bills.
The automatic stock order is what the district guy does to bury a new guy they don't like. Watched it happen, then the district guy got "demoted" to the route he killed.
Not saying your ideas are wrong, just from my experience they don't work.

They don't "work" because my ideas haven't been used before. It should be focused on moving metal. Instead of making the franchisee pay for stock and chase deadbeat customers, let them have the stock they need to sell, sell, sell. And as far as deadbeat customers, just have credit card accounts that the mechanics/techs have to apply for to get credit or if Mac, SO, Cornwell, etc. wants to extend credit to techs/mechs, simply have an automated system for it.

Their model seems stupid to me. It'd be like Ford making a dealership pay cash up front for their entire 200 car stock of vehicles. Instead of the current system where the dealer pays for the car/truck AFTER it sells.

But I am not in the tool truck business, so I may be totally wrong. I just keep hearing that a lot of dealers are low on inventory, which seems nuts to me.

 

[Mastermind]

I've seen the best and the worst drivers, I've bought tools that have sat on the truck for years. Now if no one bought that tool for three years then it gets reordered when some one finally does, it's kinda a waste. My current snap on guy is one of the best. Stocks most everything on the truck or in the warehouse. He's getting close to retirement. Has three trucks, his is a peterbuilt. Son in law and another guy run the standard step vans. He controls his own inventory.

 

[ptschram]

I've seen the best and the worst drivers, I've bought tools that have sat on the truck for years. Now if no one bought that tool for three years then it gets reordered when some one finally does, it's kinda a waste. My current snap on guy is one of the best. Stocks most everything on the truck or in the warehouse. He's getting close to retirement. Has three trucks, his is a peterbuilt. Son in law and another guy run the standard step vans. He controls his own inventory.

I know of whom you speak. He has one Helluva business going there and manages it very tightly.

On the off chance that I owed on a truck account and the merchant recorded insolvency I wouldn't pay an alternate driver. That has neither rhyme nor reason.

It depends upon many factors, including whether or not the debt was purchased by the current franchisee.

Again, absent an opportunity to see the letter from the Bankruptcy Court, everything is hearsay.

 

[Inabox85]

I do spread my purchases between Mac and SO now but in the past we had a Mac dealer switch to Matco and no replacement so I purchased from Matco,then he quit and a couple years later Mac came back around. SO even went away for a year or so. During the time SO was gone I owed them about $2500 and they kept calling me at work telling me they would ruin my credit if I didn't make a payment. I made them call me once a month to get their payment. Eventually we got a new dealer. We also had a dealer file for bankruptcy and the new SO dealer showed up trying to collect his truck accounts, some guys (my boss included) told them they wouldn't pay unless they had paperwork saying the debt belonged to them,and they couldn't provide it.
So now I'm stuck with partial sets and misc other items I bought from Cornwell,Matco,and off brands from an independent dealer that wenr belly up as well as old Craftsman with very few stores around to warranty them.I usually end up replacing them with Mac or SO and use the strays at home. The competition keeps the prices lower until they run out the poor guy.

So you guys were being douchebags about paying your bills and made the guy go bankrupt. GOOD FOR YOU!

 

[Ratchet.]

You'd think I'd know more about this given that I run a Land Rover shop and have been to UK many, many time as my mother used to have an apartment in a hotel in London, but as I understand it, don't most of the shops in UK provide tools to the techs?

I've had some Zees (franchisees) tell me that sometimes to entice a tech to jump ship, they'll promise a new box and tools to suit the tech.

I also understand that on the Mainland, places like the Netherlands don't do any credit and that everything is sold on a COD basis.

I have a colleague in the Netherlands who does vERY well with Snap-On and from some of the pics he shares, I'm pretty jealous although I don't like the thought of giving up my guns (something that I very nearly gave up to go to work in a shop in Wales and at one point, I was being recruited by JLR-China/Asia and a shop in Beirut).

Unfortunately no, at least in automotive repair, and agri/construction equipment (which is what i work on now) other than special tools and usually 3/4" drive and up stuff if needed for what your working on.

I believe it is the case in many places on mainland Europe, or at least was until recently?

 

[R_einan]

My MAC guy is solid, easy to work with and his service is excellent. Doesn't always have stock on some items, but he is quick to get them and will make a special trip to get you an order when it comes in. Only complaint is the amount of imports MAC puts out. Recently needed a 19mm hex driver and ordered one from him, when it came in the package was marked Tiawan... Should have ordered a Proto from grainger, would have been the same price but it would have been USA.

 

[ptschram]

So you guys were being douchebags about paying your bills and made the guy go bankrupt. GOOD FOR YOU!

Bravo!

 

[FergusonTO35]

I haven't lived a perfect life and regret alot of things, however I always paid the tool guys. Most of them were nice enough and would try to help you out as long as you made your payments. A couple of them didn't like it if you asked to order the exact tool you wanted instead of settling for what they had on the truck. Needless to say, they didn't get much of my business.

I've read through the franchise disclosure document for Matco and there is no way in hell I would become a franchisee with them, even though I love their tools. I can't see anywhere that the franchisee has control over anything other than supplying a warm body to operate the truck and be the fall guy when it goes under.

 

[MattVette89]

Only complaint is the amount of imports MAC puts out. Recently needed a 19mm hex driver and ordered one from him, when it came in the package was marked Tiawan... Should have ordered a Proto from grainger, would have been the same price but it would have been USA.

I agree about the imports. Some of the items (like hex sockets) have an import and a USA line. When I warrantied some USA hex sockets, I got new USA back. I also bought some speed hex sockets that were Taiwan made during a promo. They seem nice. On a side note, my Mac guy will order Proto for me and has done so in the past.

 

[Yankee]

This model seems hopelessly outdated, for the driver.

Techs and other people have access to credit cards and the internet.

its not 1979 with people doing spreadsheets in pencil.

^^^this^^^

****below is only my opinion, no offense to those who might not agree***

I'm not a mechanic and never been on a tool truck, but I can't see how anyone could make a good living doing it the way it's described in these threads in this day and age. Why any driver would allow "truck credit" is beyond me. If the mechanic has poor enough credit that he can't use his own credit card to purchase something, why would the driver stick his neck out? I'm sure 95% pay their bills, but the 5% that don't would take all the profit from the other 95%.

Plus it's so easy to purchase tools online. I've ordered from Snapon online and the tool is at my door two days after I've ordered it. Yes there are those who put value in service, but that pool of people doesn't seem very big... and I'm guessing it's shrinking every year. (just look at the shopping malls and brick and motor stores going broke due to Amazon and other online retailers)

Again only my opinion as I see it......

 

[FergusonTO35]

If I was a tech today I would probably tell the driver that he only needs to visit me every month or just when I need something. I wouldn't want him to spend time and fuel on me every week just to collect ten or twenty bucks. If I was a new guy starting out I would throw the truck guy a bone but the bulk of my basic tools would come from Wright