Independent distributor Jim Klug has found a lot of crossover from his time in the shoe business and selling tools.
“When is the last time someone measured your foot? Nobody measures your foot anymore,” says Klug, referring to shoe purchases. “No one believes in customer service. Everything is geared toward a self-service store. What are you left to buy on? Price.”
Now that many consumers have based their purchases on price and much of the manufacturing has been transferred overseas, Klug emphasizes the importance of offering a quality product, with the service to back that product up. “Nobody justified their prices with service. As tool dealers, that’s what we should do.”
Klug feels that it’s this service that sets him apart from other avenues that techs can purchase from. He understands that many customers will purchase goods on the Internet. Klug stresses those purchases don’t have the one thing he can offer with his service: warranty.
His service follows through to how the customer uses the tool. “If you buy a tool from me that doesn’t do what you expect it to do, or what I thought it would do for you; say you don’t like how it feels in your hand. Give it back to me, I’ll take it off your bill.”
