The adage ‘a tidy tool box equals a tidy mind’ is an important one for merchants to consider. After all, customers want the latest tool solutions to help them work more efficiently so by also stocking quality tool bags and pouches, merchants can offer an effective additional solution. John Dabb, Sales and Marketing Director at Hyde, explains.
The majority of tradesmen, from electricians through to plumbers and builders, would admit that they could benefit from being a bit more organised. Those that do manage to keep their tool boxes in an orderly manner are those that can work the most efficiently, and quite importantly, are those that the consumer will have the best impression of.
However, when working at full pelt and dashing from one job to the next, the tendency is all too often to gather all hand tools in to one big pile and throw them into the back of the van. Often, this isn’t because of any unwillingness on the tradesmen’s part to be organised, but more down to their tool box, bag or pouch not really being up to the job.
For merchants it’s important to remember that while spanners, screwdrivers and pipe cutters are essential tools of the trade, encouraging your customers to upgrade the bag they use to carry them in can also pay dividends. Here, choice as well as quality is key, as bags and pouches that are designed for specific trades, or those designed for general use while offering an array of compartments, will help customers go about their work in a far more orderly fashion.
Stocking a good range from a reputable brand is a good idea here. Take the Plano brand as an example; now available in the UK through distributors Hyde. Plano is a well-known American brand that was actually the first in the world to produce polypropylene tool boxes, which over time would prove to be a game changer due to their light weight and sheer flexibility. Today, it offers a variety of pouches and bags designed with the modern tradesman in mind.
The Multi-Tiered Tool Pouch is a great all-rounder, with a good number of pockets in various shapes and sizes, while the pouch itself is easy to attach to a belt so tools are always to hand whether the tradesman is working from a height or at ground level. The brand also offers a good number of industry-specific solutions, such as an electrician’s tool pouch and voltage tester pouch, both of which ensure a snug fit for tools.
Then, of course, there are pouches for all those niggly little items such as nails and pocket-knives which because of their size are often the quickest to be lost. For travelling between jobs, the range of Plano bags is just as varied, so whatever an installer’s mode of transport they’ll create a good impression without breaking their back.
If a customer is going to make the investment though, they are going to want assurance that their purchase offers value for money and will last more than a few months. This is where merchants need to have confidence in their merchandise — show your customers the tightness of the stitching on tool bags and let them feel the quality of the fabric.
Plano products, for example, are made to last; the 15” tool bag has a hard polyethylene bottom making it wear-resistant and water-repellent, while the handles are strong handles too. The pouches, too, are made from a durable, reinforced material and the fastenings are strong and sturdy.
Such solutions may carry a slightly higher price tag than some alternatives, but it shouldn’t be difficult for merchants to sell their customers the long-term benefits.
To find out more about the Plano range from Hyde, go to: http://www.brianhyde.co.uk/category/brands/plano
