Professional Distributor - 54

Investing in relationships
This Cornwell dealer has maintained relationships with customers
for years, many of which have paid dividends in the long run.

M
BY TYLER FUSSNER,
ASSISTANT EDITOR

920-234-6232
Tyler@VehicleServicePros.com

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att Anderson of Auburn, California,
has been a mobile dealer for Cornwell
Quality Tools since 2012. Anderson
covers around 400 miles per week, traveling from
Roseville, to Grass Valley, and through Auburn,
selling to auto shops, truck shops, dealerships,
and more.
Before becoming a professional mobile tool dealer, he worked for a uniform company and brought
his learned experience in time management and
customer service with him. Having discussed the
tool distribution profession with friends already in
the industry, Anderson decided to join the Cornwell
team. He was drawn to the allure of being his own
boss, running his own business, and, "Oh, yes!" he
is glad he made the switch.
In the beginning, Anderson faced the familiar
challenges of gaining sales, along with the balancing act of budgeting both his own finances and the
finances of his customers. The ability to successfully
manage multiple budgets is one that grows stronger
over time.
Anderson also recognizes that "sometimes, the
best deal you 'do' is the one you walk away from.
Trust your gut." Anderson says he had a situation
in which a customer incurred a $3,000 tab, yet only
wanted to pay $20 a week. "That'll put you out of
business real quick," Anderson says.
Learning about the products he sells was less
of a challenge, having knowledge of the common
tools through his experience working on his personal
vehicles. Getting up-to-speed on specialty items was
easy, as Anderson attests to Cornwell's customer service, saying they provide a lot of help.
Anderson's sales techniques are straightforward,
but he provides some critical insight pertaining to his
customer service. He sells a little bit of everything;
his sales aren't determined by what is on his truck,
but rather by what his customers need.
"Don't assume - listen to your customers and
see what they want," he says. "It comes down to the
age-old adage: treat people the way you want to be
treated. Actually listen to the customers and don't
just try to sell them what you have on the truck."
Anderson recently broke into Cornwell Tools'

54 Professional Distributor I June 2019 I VehicleServicePros.com

California mobile tool dealer Matt Anderson recently broke
into Cornwell Tools' Top 100.

Top 100, coming in at number 78. He had been just
outside the top 100 for a while, but attributes his
breakthrough to his consistency and reliability. Technicians he had been selling to eventually became
shop owners; these techs-turned-owners came back
to Anderson when they now needed to tool an entire
shop. Maintaining sales relationships over time was
essential, culminating into high volume clientele.
Anderson shared an anecdote pertaining to an
older gentleman who had been operating a dealership for a long time. Anderson would stop in once
a week to say hello and see if the man needed any
tools. There was an extended period of time that
hadn't produced any sales.
Then, out of the blue, Anderson received a call.
He didn't immediately recognize the caller since they
were not in his sales records. It was the dealership
operator, informing Anderson that an air tool had
broken, and he needed a new one. Anderson drove
straight over, sold the tools, and continues to sell to
this customer today.
"He called because he knew who was reliable,"
Anderson says, "and the customers are going to go
with those that are reliable."
Anderson has taken it upon himself to be available to all his customers, current, potential, or otherwise. Availability, consistency, and reliability have set
Anderson above the competition in establishing his
reputation as a dealer that delivers - both in product
and service.

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