august2022 - 25

COVER STORY
C
ustomers in the 9,000-square-mile territory serviced by mobile
tool distributor Heath Mannis range from mom-and-pop auto
repair shops to large agricultural dealers employing more than
a dozen technicians. From his home base in Goodland, Kan., Mannis
drives about 750 miles a week on his heavily loaded 24' Mac Tools truck.
He finds that much of his basic stock
works for both auto body shops and suppliers
of heavy agricultural equipment,
from tractors to combines. Among his
biggest sellers for both sectors are cordless
tools, which are mobile and tidy.
" It's amazing what these new-generation
cordless tools can do today, " he says.
Agriculture is a huge industry in the
American Heartland that sees technicians
doing anything from replacing
wheel sets on tractors to dismantling
combines. Mannis keeps considerable
inventory on hand for their needs, such
as 3/4 " and 1 " sockets, ratchets, and
torque wrenches.
VIEWS FROM THE
MANUFACTURING LINE
We got some hard facts and insider tips
from tool manufacturers on stretching
your inventory and adding new market
segments without breaking the bank.
We also asked about trends that will
affect your business.
Most manufacturers began by specializing
in one type of vehicle. Today,
despite the challenges in diversifying,
some are using revolutionary technology
to do that.
" It takes a lot of time to develop and
master new systems, " says Dario Peruch,
managing director, TEXA USA. " Then,
you have to make sure you can assist
customers after the sale is done. "
He explains that TEXA, born as
an automotive diagnostic company,
was able to do something different
by developing high-end products for
marine, agriculture, construction, and
powersports vehicles.
" Our licenses can be loaded and
used with the same scan tool, so an
automotive shop can mix and match,
adding powersports software to work
on bikes or side-by-sides for example, "
he says.
The TEXA NAVIGATOR TXB
Evolution scan tool works on bikes
and boats while the TEXA NAVIGATOR
TXT works on all vehicles.
Peruch adds that where shops
work on various types of vehicles,
different businesses can coexist. In
such cases, dealers could help potential
customers explore new options
and business opportunities.
" An automotive shop may not even
know that it can easily add motorcycle
software to their scan
Mannis shares his advice on maximizing
inventory and targeting specialty markets:
Carry as much as you can on board.
Don't be afraid to build your inventory if you can afford it.
Reach out to all sectors to understand their needs; that will help you focus on the right
tools to maximize your profits.
Explain on your social media posts how different sectors could use the tools you have.
Be dependable and predictable.
tool and start working on powersports
or add the truck software to work on
diesel pickup trucks, " he says.
He points out that the same thing
can apply to a truck shop that might
start working on construction equipment.
This " mix and match " option
gives dealers and garages new opportunities
without taking them away from
their core business.
ADDING NEW MARKET
SEGMENTS
According to Victor Rivilla, marketing
director for CanDo Diagnostics
International, a good way to add a
new segment to an existing automotive
tool business is to start by providing
lower-cost tools that cater to that
specific market.
For example, dealers might start
with a heavy-duty code scanner.
" Our HD Code II and HD Mobile are
priced under $500 retail and are well
within reach of most technicians and
shop owners, " he says. " These tools allow
dealers to slowly enter a new segment
without too much financial exposure. "
He has found that users of these
" triage " tools grow into needing more
full-featured diagnostics, so dealers will
have planted seeds for sales of these
higher-ticket items.
" This way, the initial investment
is low and dealers can walk into any
kind of shop with a great solution, "
Rivilla adds.
He also reminds distributors who
want to differentiate themselves to build
trust with established and skilled companies
that offer quality tools.
According to Haresh Gobin, product
development manager, Launch Tech
USA, the company has recently ventured
from the aftermarket automotive
tools and diagnostics sector into motorcycles
and heavy-duty diagnostics by
developing versatile products.
One such product is the adaptable
Launch X-431 Throttle III, a
Professional Distributor I August 2022 I VehicleServicePros.com 25
http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
august2022

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