Mac tools
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Mac tools
To everyone who is a past or present MAC TOOLS customer or distributor, or who wonders why MAC distributors don't seem to stay in business very long, please take the time to view these youtube videos and share them with friends and associates. This is a travesty and these folks need our support! Thank You.
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Mac Tools... Here's Another One From Oklahoma!
Here's another one from Oklahoma!
MAC Tools Distributor Interview: Robert Wall, Jr. - Unhappy Franchisee : Unhappy Franchisee
MAC Tools Distributor Interview: Robert Wall, Jr. - Unhappy Franchisee : Unhappy Franchisee
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,555
Truly sad for all of them..
But my questions would be,
I’ve been in this industry for a good long time, 40 years, and anyone that has had any long term experience with MAC, Snap On, Matco tool trucks ‘knows’ how hard it is for owners to maintain a mobile retail tool business, keeping the truck well stocked $$ to do so for mobile selling, and how many franchise owners failed. If the tools aren’t ‘readily’ available, (taking the truck size into consideration and tool vendor lack of support) it can be a problem and may be cause for a source some where else if a broken/replacement is needed, or an ‘on demand’ tool is required and has to be ordered/drop shipped. It invites tool purchases elsewhere…
In the recent years, quite a few of the tool trucks were just ‘shells’ of the ones that serviced the shop of years gone by.. I ‘get’ the reason for the low tool volume on the trucks, or some, but how would you/they expect to be affective in supplying a shop/industry fitted as such. Even, or more so starting off with a truck and new route if you can’t generate enough income to build your inventory. Meaning,, if you can’t deliver on the spot (with in reason) how would any tool vendor/manufacturer expect to be a cut above what another can offer? Not to mention offshore made tools represented as (insert vendor here) when your paying a premium.
Having the right tool available for the job, sets the ‘hook’ and doesn’t give an opportunity for outsourcing.. Hard to believe any company that makes the brunt (or should) of their income selling/supplying tools doesn’t see that, and could cut their own throat no matter how many franchise owners are tossed under the bus.. See, I’m not a tool vendor, but my experience with the top 3, has had a negative impact on what I buy and my relationship/s with them. And I became friends with most of our drivers.. Sad..
All but one of our drivers were great guys, and all of them now have gone in another direction for a career.. Kind’a like the old adage.. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is...Too bad its on the backs and the expense of the franchise owner.. I bought quite a few tools (I may need someday) to just support or local distributors..
The problem as I have seen, is that it poisons the relationship between the tech/shop and the tool vendor, and the franchise owner takes the heat and pays the final price..
Just ask any current distributor/owner, the long hours spent, expenses, weekends lost, and on’n on. Why would anyone interested in a franchise not scout the routes, talk to other distributor/owners and shops in the same general area (area route can make/break a franchise given the volume of shops and size) for insight on a franchise, before making any kind of commitment. And, how many shops now struggle and/or fail in the area which creates problems for the drivers to collect their due furthering their setback. I had a truck account many years ago (MAC) and we lost our vendor. No warning. I didn’t realize I had owed about 15.00ish on the truck account, and thought we’d have a new replacement driver pretty quick to fill the tool replacements/need. About a year later, I was sent to collections by MAC! Pissed, yes I was, I called and they said they’d send another route driver/rep ? to service the shop, and a few weeks later, no one.. I called again, to request a way to settle my account to get the collection stopped, but more so, because I like some of MAC’s hand tools better than Snap ON’s. Or did..
Quality doesn’t come cheap for sure, but I know from my personal experience with them all (and I have a large commitment of both Snap On and Mac tools) that cost does into play, more so when times and conditions are tight.
It’s true in that,, “If you buy the best your never disappointed” or shouldn’t’ be, but lets shed a light on tool boxes (mine are MAC) for instance ,, when you can buy a small compact car for the price of a large roll away bottom box, something’s wrong. Quality, sure, absolutely, and commitment to pride and the ‘best’ that can be offered and paying for worth ,OK’ but we don’t shop at Nordstrom either..
Not the franchise’s fault, but paying retail or close all the time, poor service and support, can cut into the bottom line, but usually when good quality, good service, and product support comes into play, price takes a back seat. When one or more fall off or fail, where’s the desire to purchase?
Just my .02
But my questions would be,
I’ve been in this industry for a good long time, 40 years, and anyone that has had any long term experience with MAC, Snap On, Matco tool trucks ‘knows’ how hard it is for owners to maintain a mobile retail tool business, keeping the truck well stocked $$ to do so for mobile selling, and how many franchise owners failed. If the tools aren’t ‘readily’ available, (taking the truck size into consideration and tool vendor lack of support) it can be a problem and may be cause for a source some where else if a broken/replacement is needed, or an ‘on demand’ tool is required and has to be ordered/drop shipped. It invites tool purchases elsewhere…
In the recent years, quite a few of the tool trucks were just ‘shells’ of the ones that serviced the shop of years gone by.. I ‘get’ the reason for the low tool volume on the trucks, or some, but how would you/they expect to be affective in supplying a shop/industry fitted as such. Even, or more so starting off with a truck and new route if you can’t generate enough income to build your inventory. Meaning,, if you can’t deliver on the spot (with in reason) how would any tool vendor/manufacturer expect to be a cut above what another can offer? Not to mention offshore made tools represented as (insert vendor here) when your paying a premium.
Having the right tool available for the job, sets the ‘hook’ and doesn’t give an opportunity for outsourcing.. Hard to believe any company that makes the brunt (or should) of their income selling/supplying tools doesn’t see that, and could cut their own throat no matter how many franchise owners are tossed under the bus.. See, I’m not a tool vendor, but my experience with the top 3, has had a negative impact on what I buy and my relationship/s with them. And I became friends with most of our drivers.. Sad..
All but one of our drivers were great guys, and all of them now have gone in another direction for a career.. Kind’a like the old adage.. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is...Too bad its on the backs and the expense of the franchise owner.. I bought quite a few tools (I may need someday) to just support or local distributors..
The problem as I have seen, is that it poisons the relationship between the tech/shop and the tool vendor, and the franchise owner takes the heat and pays the final price..
Just ask any current distributor/owner, the long hours spent, expenses, weekends lost, and on’n on. Why would anyone interested in a franchise not scout the routes, talk to other distributor/owners and shops in the same general area (area route can make/break a franchise given the volume of shops and size) for insight on a franchise, before making any kind of commitment. And, how many shops now struggle and/or fail in the area which creates problems for the drivers to collect their due furthering their setback. I had a truck account many years ago (MAC) and we lost our vendor. No warning. I didn’t realize I had owed about 15.00ish on the truck account, and thought we’d have a new replacement driver pretty quick to fill the tool replacements/need. About a year later, I was sent to collections by MAC! Pissed, yes I was, I called and they said they’d send another route driver/rep ? to service the shop, and a few weeks later, no one.. I called again, to request a way to settle my account to get the collection stopped, but more so, because I like some of MAC’s hand tools better than Snap ON’s. Or did..
Quality doesn’t come cheap for sure, but I know from my personal experience with them all (and I have a large commitment of both Snap On and Mac tools) that cost does into play, more so when times and conditions are tight.
It’s true in that,, “If you buy the best your never disappointed” or shouldn’t’ be, but lets shed a light on tool boxes (mine are MAC) for instance ,, when you can buy a small compact car for the price of a large roll away bottom box, something’s wrong. Quality, sure, absolutely, and commitment to pride and the ‘best’ that can be offered and paying for worth ,OK’ but we don’t shop at Nordstrom either..
Not the franchise’s fault, but paying retail or close all the time, poor service and support, can cut into the bottom line, but usually when good quality, good service, and product support comes into play, price takes a back seat. When one or more fall off or fail, where’s the desire to purchase?
Just my .02
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