specific products on the truck. When a
newer customer asks about financing,
Hardin replies matter-of-factly: “I try to
turn my money in five weeks," he says.
"It keeps my bills paid. But I can stretch
it out a little bit on some guys.”
The customer nods and puts
$100 down.
“My collections are as strong as anybody’s
in this game,” Hardin says. “I’m
very forward with my customers. Eye
contact is huge for me. When someone
looks you in the eye when they talk to
you, it’s more meaningful.
"My guys need to pay me," he continues.
"I don’t do this for the fun of
Make the case for quality
Mac Tools distributor Joe Hardin makes
a point to check in with shop owners
regularly, just to say “hi” and check on
equipment. He is greeted warmly at nearly
all of his stops. Still, every now and then
he encounters a skeptic. He views this as
an opportunity.
On one occasion, he had words with a shop
owner who notoriously despised tool trucks.
The shop’s technicians would regularly
purchase tools from a bare-bones, online
retailer before he started coming around.
“I told the shop owner ‘They’re going to
spend their money and they’re going to waste
their money online, and at least they’ve got
something they can make a living with for years
if they buy my product. Furthermore, you’re
paying them by the … hour. So yes, they are
wasting five minutes, but they’re spending five,
six thousand dollars’ worth of tools to make
their job faster for you. It makes no difference
to them if their job is fast or not. You’re the one
benefitting from them buying tools from me.’”
it. I mean, I do have fun actually, but I
do this to make a living. The scenario I
use with my customer is, if you come in
and you worked 40 hours last week, and
your boss pays you for 30 hours, are you
good with that?”
Hardin has a loyal customer base.
They know their Mac Tools guy will
show up within a 30-minute window,
unless he has a big sale. In which case, he
lets them know he’s not going to be there.
“That’s what your customers depend
on — is the relationship they get,”
Hardin says. “It’s kind of like trusting
someone with your house or your
car; if you do it long enough you know
Mac Tools Dealer Joe Hardin helps a customer on his route.
Footballs dot the shelves of Hardin's truck in autumn. Hardin gives these out to his customers with kids.
14 Professional Distributor I December 2018 I VehicleServicePros.com
they’re going to take care of you and take
care of your stuff, and that just makes
everything easier.
“My customers make me who I am,”
he says. “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t
have anything. How many people get to go
out every day and see their buddies, and
they give you $50, $100? It’s unheard of.
What other job does that?”
Hardin does more than just sell
tools. He offers up value and respect
to his customers. End-users know that
there are those who sell tools, and then
there are those who sell quality tools
with the service to match. That's the
kind of business Joe Hardin does.
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