may2021 - 42

Special delivery
This independent distributor serves his customers by hitting
the road and delivering the equipment they need.

G
BY BRITTANY VINCENT,
MANAGING EDITOR

502-519-7978
Brittany@VehicleServicePros.com

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your story?
Have an interesting
experience to
share with your
fellow distributors?
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Contact Managing
Editor Brittany Vincent
at Brittany@
VehicleServicePros.com.

reg Dempster is a multi-route operator out
of a small town, Barrie, in Central Ontario,
Canada. Dempster's routes cover the
surrounding rural areas north of Toronto, where
he works in an area with a population of around
250,000. His business takes him in and out of the
city and around the outskirts as he works to get
automotive tools and equipment to those who
need them.
Dempster has enjoyed the independent distributor life since 2017, though he's only more recently
begun making a name for himself as part of the
Milwaukee Tool team. Dempster runs a 2007 GMC
C5500 truck with an 18' box, which he stocks with
a variety of sockets, impact wrenches, rubber gloves,
safety glasses, and everything in between.
This distributor saw an opportunity to improve
the local scene, a niche market that he felt was
underserved. With that in mind, Dempster decided
to start an independent business to see what happened, but found things quickly taking off from
there. Now, he's taking his neck of the Canadian
woods, so to speak, by storm.
But he wasn't always running routes. Before
crossing over into the distribution game, Dempster
cut his teeth on tire shops as a service manager at
Harper Tire, putting his skills as a technician to good
use to ensure visitors always came away satisfied.
In addition, he worked at a few big box stores during that time. He's always been one to make sure
anyone he interacts with comes away feeling good
about their time spent together, especially when he's
providing goods or services.
The customer experience is an important part
of the business for Dempster. He finds there's a
real lack of meaningful customer service across
the industry, as " everybody's in a hurry. " Still, it's
a tenet that he aspires to keep alive in his line
of business, even when it seems the mindset
is dwindling.
" Nobody wants to take the time to help a customer out, " he said. " I'm a big fan of doing that. I like
to make sure that the customer is happy when he's
got his product. I carry a lot of demos on my truck
as my big theory is 'try before you buy.' "

42 Professional Distributor I May 2021 I VehicleServicePros.com

Greg Dempster works his routes north of Toronto in
Canada, where he has made a name for himself by
offering meaningful customer service.

It's likely clear by now that when it comes to a
fantastic experience for the people he serves, Dempster always delivers - literally. As he works with
around 13 additional drivers, he can make tools and
equipment accessible to those who need them without having to make buyers wait by making deliveries
on a regular basis.
" We have the ability, especially in the low and
high seasons where we have drivers standing around
and we aren't very busy, " Dempster said. " We're lucky
to have the ability to pick a product up from our
warehouse and drop it off to the customer in that
same day, " he said of the unique option he offers
his customers.
" I don't want to be the same truck as everybody
else, " said Dempster. " I want to be something unique
and something different. " He believes working with
Milwaukee Tool is a great arrangement that helps
him provide that type of experience as his business
grows and evolves.
But even though he enjoys working as part of a
fruitful partnership, he'd never trade his independence for a position within a company. He values the
freedom he has to create positive, beneficial services
for the customers he deals with day in and day out.
" I've worked for corporations over the years, and
you beat to their drum. If you don't like their philosophy, you're stuck with them, " said Dempster. " I
don't feel any business should be like that. Working
with Milwaukee helps me keep a good handle on
[things], for sure. "

http://www.VehicleServicePros.com

may2021

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