Professional Distributor - 12

To find the
perfect tool truck
Knowing where every scratch, ding, and dent came from was a
major factor in this tool dealer's decision to buy a new tool truck.
by Emily Markham, Assistant Editor

att Sledge has been an independent mobile tool
dealer since 2010, but this September will mark his
19th year selling tools overall. His route is located
in Rutherford County, Tennessee, and Sledge notes that
he sells to about "90 percent automotive shops and 10
percent industrial."
Recently, Sledge bought a new Freightliner M2 22' truck
from Summit Bodyworks. He purchased the truck in April
but received it at ISN's Tool Dealer Expo in June. (To get an
exclusive look at Sledge's truck before he stocked it with
tools, visit VehicleServicePros.com/21088713).
Sledge's decision to buy a new truck came from him
growing tired of all the problems his old truck had and
seeing all those same problems in the used trucks he was
looking at as replacements. After many nights scouring
the internet for a truck that would fit his needs, Sledge had
had enough.
"It just got to be too much," he says. "I drove to Gainesville, Florida, and looked at one, and then I drove to Atlanta
and looked at another one. I sat on the computer every
single night looking at trucks and options ... it was very
frustrating trying to find [a] truck that actually suited an
independent's needs.
"It's not like you're looking for a blue [Toyota] Camry and
there's a bunch of them out there," Sledge continues. "It's
a tool truck. There's not many of them out there. It almost
forces you to buy a new truck if you want something nice,
or you want it the way you want it."
On a whim, while on a ski trip in Colorado, Sledge
decided to pay Summit Body Works a visit. Upon arrival at
Summit's facility, Chris McHan, account manager at Summit
Bodyworks, gave Sledge a personal tour of the facility and
the truck building process.
"[It] meant a lot to me," Sledge says of the tour, "because I
actually got to see how much work was put into these trucks,
which justifies the amount of money it costs to build one."
While some tool dealers look at the price tag that comes
with buying a new truck and can't fathom spending that
much money, Sledge looked at it this way: He had the opportunity to start from "ground zero," so he knew every scratch,

12 Professional Distributor I September 2019 I VehicleServicePros.com

every oil change, every blowout, everything done to the
truck ... came from him. There were no surprises.
It also didn't hurt that McHan was accommodating with
all the customizations Sledge requested. To really make the
truck his own, Sledge had quite a few customizations added,
such as custom cabinets, countertops built to a custom size,
a window that allows you to look outside and see the other
side of the truck, a 48" box on the outside, and 47" high
drawers across the shelves. He also had a sound system
with sub-woofers and a nice stereo, refrigerator, and microwave installed.
On top of these customizations, Summit went even further and added a small, custom metal strip down the shelf for
tearing receipts, a custom-made card-display with Sledge's
new logo for his business cards, and under-shelf lighting on
every shelf, including the bottom ones.
Now that Sledge has his truck exactly how he wants it,
he can focus on what he does best - selling tools. Cleanliness and professionalism are Sledge's two keys to success.
When it comes to displaying the tools, Sledge says, "I display
them how they should be displayed - open and available
[for customers] to [see] what they can buy."
"I put a lot of emphasis on being as professional as can
be because [customers are] dealing with other trucks that
have programs that show them or mold them how to be professional," he says. "I just have to do this straight off my cuff."
With his new truck customized to perfection and not a
tool out of place, Sledge is ready to hit the road and make
some sales.

To view more photos of
Sledge's truck, visit:

VehicleServicePros.com/
21092502

http://www.VehicleServicePros.com/21088713 http://www.VehicleServicePros.com/21092502 http://www.VehicleServicePros.com

Professional Distributor

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