Sales Tip: Relying on truck accounts

As an independent distributor, Nathen Arnold says he is unable to finance customers – so he relies solely on truck accounts for holding customer balances.

Because of this, Arnold focuses less on large-ticket purchases such as scan tools and toolboxes than he had previously.

“As a business man, there are some where I might sell it to them,” Arnold explains, of more expensive purchases. “But what good is it for me to sell $2,000 on a truck account, and have him pay me $50 a week? It would almost work out fine where you can flip other things quicker. But I’m a one-man band,” he says.

With that, Arnold says he keeps his turns to 10 weeks, on average. “If I need to be flexible with some people, I try to work with them based on who they are. I don’t want to lose a customer either, in this competitive world.” He makes sure to ask for down payments and resets terms after new purchases.