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After talking to a friend in the mobile tool distributor business, Bryce Hinton became interested in the career. Although he wasn’t very familiar with tools in the automotive industry, when a route opened in his area, he decided to jump on it.
Now five years later, the Mac Tools distributor with a route in Greenville, South Carolina, is still enjoying his career change, noting his favorite thing aside from talking to different people every day is the freedom.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever owned my own business and it has been great,” he says.
And as Hinton can attest, being your own boss is no easy feat.
“I’m not a technician and have never been, but I’ve learned a lot in the last five years,” he says. “You make it how you want it. You got to work hard and hustle.”
Move-in ready
In 2018 when Hinton bought his 2011 Freightliner MT45 all he had to do was move in. Having already been used as a tool truck, there wasn’t much for Hinton to do.
“I maybe just added a couple of shelves but that’s about it,” he says.
Some of his favorite features include the number of drawers available, having a diesel heater (and not propane), and being able to stock two toolboxes, if needed.
“Drawers help me carry more tools,” Hinton says. Items such as drill bits, extractors, chisels, punches, picks, and specialty sockets all fit in the drawers and can still be displayed nicely. Plus, it gives customers the chance to look around more, Hinton notes.
With two dedicated spaces to display toolboxes, Hinton makes sure to always keep at least one toolbox onboard. To do so, he’ll often store a couple of toolboxes at his house for quick availability.
Then with the second open space, he can choose to have another box or roll in his custom-built cart with adequate shelving to display more tools.
Tool organization
This tool distributor’s truck is “more or less” organized by type of tool than by brand.
“I’ll be honest, I’m not the most organized,” he admits, “but I do try to categorize by tool type.”
On the ceiling, Hinton displays hand tools, including ratchets, screwdrivers, and pliers.
He also has a section for cordless tools and another for air tools. Cordless tools are most popular with his customers. So much so, it’s essential for him to always keep stock of cordless ratchets as well as 1/2” and 3/8” impacts.
“Definitely want to keep those on the truck,” he says.
The other high-selling items on his truck would have to be the beef jerky and candy that he displays by his desk. “They [help] to bring more customers onto the truck,” he adds.
In with his customers
After five years, Hinton has built reputable relationships with his customers to where he doesn’t even need to step foot into shops anymore. When he pulls up, the technicians come out to him.
Hinton wouldn’t describe himself as being pushy. He’s more of a laid back, likable kind of guy.
“I just try to be as friendly as I can,” he says.
As for the future, Hinton plans to “keep doing what I’m doing” and although he likes his truck, he says he eventually needs to get a bigger one.
