october2021 - 50

Wine and tool pairings
This independent mobile tool dealer serves automotive
shops as well as vineyards and orchards.
By Emily Markham, Associate Editor
W
hen Matt Rowaan found
himself coming home from
his job as an automotive
technician more irritated than happy,
he knew it was time for a change.
Seeing a local route open up, Rowaan
considered purchasing it. At the
time, his mobile tool dealer, James
Vahrmeyer, was happy to allow
Rowaan to ride along with him for a
few days to see if the technician would
enjoy it. Though Rowaan didn't end up
buying the route, Vahrmeyer did and
hired Rowaan to work it.
Seven years later, Rowaan is still running
his route through the Niagara region
of Canada as a part of the two-man team
(himself and Vahrmeyer) that makes
up the independent mobile tool dealer
business, Toolbox Inc. Rowaan predominantly
travels through St. Catharines and
Thorold in Ontario where he visits a mix
of dealerships, independent shops, and
agricultural customers. With the large
number of wineries in Niagara, Rowaan
also sells tools to a company that services
and sells equipment to harvest grapes.
" They're not seeing people off the
street [like technicians do], but they need
tools too, " Rowaan says.
Though many of the tools his agricultural
customers need are the same as
those a technician uses, some need to
be bigger, such as larger diameter crow's
feet for use on hydraulic lines. Additionally,
these customers are big on cordless,
as many of them are doing repairs
to equipment out in a field, a vineyard,
or an orchard.
Starting out, a big challenge Rowaan
faced was getting through all his stops in
a day. Between the obligatory chit chat
and the seemingly never-ending phone
calls, it can be tough. To combat this, he
suggests planning out your route better.
Look at the stops you're making and
decide if certain stops are worthwhile. If
not, maybe drop that stop or visit them
less frequently. To ensure Rowaan hits
everyone he needs to see, he works a
two-week rotation with his customers.
For further efficiency, he'll bring the
debit terminal into the shop that has tap
to pay.
" That saves me a lot of time, and it
adds up every day, " Rowaan says.
But he never skimps on providing
excellent customer service. He notes that
you should treat people how you would
want to be treated, so when a customer
is in a jam and needs a tool that Rowaan
doesn't have on his truck, he'll call
another customer to see if they can borrow
the tool for a bit.
Rowaan explains that he'll also
deliver tools on his way home, first
thing in the morning, leave them at
his house for a customer to pick up, or
sometimes Vahrmeyer's wife will help
out by picking up a tool that they have
in their garage, but not on the truck.
The garage is used to stock items such
as A/C machines, transmission jacks,
floor jacks, etc., and it's large enough
50 Professional Distributor I October 2021 I VehicleServicePros.com
Matt Rowaan makes up one part of the
two-man team that runs Toolbox Inc.
to park both of their trucks. They also
have an area in the shop where they can
sort orders.
" Customer service is a big thing, "
Rowaan says. " We've outlasted a substantial
amount of [other] distributors
on the routes. "
Rowaan notes that the future of
Toolbox Inc. is open to a variety of possibilities,
including the potential of a new
truck for him and perhaps an expansion
towards Hamilton, Ontario, in the next
couple years.
FUN FACTS:
Favorite go-to road snack:
Sour candy
Favorite place to travel:
Northern Ontario
Type of music for the road:
Country
Most random thing you sell:
Garden hose
http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
october2021

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