eMilitary Product News for Aviation - 12

F E AT U R E

MICHAEL SASSO

that almost all their students have the ability to have tools
when they leave there, regardless of their credit or financial
situation when they graduate," explains Saxton. "It's kind
of like we're basing the credit on their future, not their true
credit history. It's more based on the fact they get their A&P
license, they're going to get hired, they're going to get a job
and make decent money. They should be able to pay their
debt to the tools."
"Sonic came to us with a plan that made toolboxes
affordable for the students. And with financing that was nonapproval, they were carrying the financing for the students;
because most students could not qualify to finance an
expensive toolbox. And then, the school kits that they were
buying were insufficient for when they went out in the real
world and became employed," adds Sasso." The students
are pretty happy with the quality of the tooling and the
affordability of it. These are boxes that have led them out
into jobs."
And financing a student's tools isn't the only novel approach
Sonic takes to help young mechanics on the rise. It is bringing
a millennial-mindset to warranting and servicing tools.
"If you're buying from a tool truck and you break something, the idea is that the tool truck comes by and you

e-Military Product News for Aviation

Fall 2019

can go on the truck and exchange your tool for a new tool.
Where, with us, you literally take a picture with your phone,
send us the picture and your shipping information, and we
ship you a new tool based on you saying the tool's dead.
There's no receipt that's required," Saxton explains.
Saxton says tools need not appear physically broken
in the picture to be exchanged, giving the example of a
stripped out ratchet that would on the outside appear fine.
"We're trusting you when you say it's broken. So, within
24 hours of you sending us that picture, we have a new tool
that's coming out to you," continues Saxton.
"The service aspect is huge, and with the young folks
today, being able to do it from your phone and just take a
picture and send it in - they don't have to be on hold with
customer service, and they don't have to be fighting with
the guy in the truck saying, 'No it really broke this way.'
They really don't have to do that now. They just basically
send the picture in, and if Sonic wants the tool back, they'll
send a shipping label with it. If not, they'll say, 'Get rid of
the old one, and here's your new one. Have a good day,'"
Sasso expounds. "Gone are the little white trucks that
come up to the building." ■

eMilitary Product News for Aviation

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