What Makes a Great Festool Dealer?

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
I've been following the discussion "Who is your 'Favorite Festool Dealer'?" with a lot of interest.  That discussion raised a big question for me:
What does a dealer have to do to be your favorite?

Clearly, there are some dealers who just "get it" and do everything right.  But there are also some dealers who want to do better and could perhaps use some tips:
- What do dealers need to offer in terms of service, knowledge, and attitude?
- Is there something unique about selling Festool tools that dealers need to know?
- Is there something unique about Festool customers that dealers need to know?
- What kinds of things harm a dealer's chances of success?

Discussing this could have a three-fold benefit -- the dealers would do better, Festool would do better, and the customers would get better access to the tools.  Customer comments are at the heart of the matter here.

So, jump in everyone and tell us what makes a dealer great.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[Brice Burrell]

  I buy from McFeely's and Bob. McFeely's has the best information on Festools than anyone else on there site, even better than the Festool USA site fo the most part. And the decals are a nice idea too. Bob Marino is willing to brake up pack of abrasives, that really helped me out once, I only needed few pads of each grit of Platin 2, no one else dose this, that I know of. Both are known for great service.

  I would like to see more information on Festool products, some accessories have very little info. A website with lots of information and pictures goes a long way, to me anyhow.

 

[Bob Marino]

Clearly, there are some dealers who just "get it" and do everything right.  But there are also some dealers who want to do better and could perhaps use some tips:

 
  Matt,

I think this could be a useful post for your cited reasons, but I don't know if there are any dealers (or anyone else for that matter) who do "everything right". That's the goal to aspire to, but I know I don't always get there and have at times fallen short. But I think it's the ability to learn from the mistakes and try to correct them as soon as possible that makes a difference.

Bob

 

[Len]

Bob has it just right.  No one in any business gets everything right every time.  As Bod stated, the ability and willingness to correct errors is the key.  Nobody knows everything either, but the ability and willingness to find answers is the other key.  Now if somebody gets it wrong everytime ....

Len

 

[Tezzer]

What makes a good Festool dealer?

Simple.

One that lets you take any Festool home and pay it of at your leisure

 

[Dave Rudy]

One that lets you take any Festool home and pay it of at your leisure

For this we need actual names and PICS!  ("No pic, didn't happen")

 

[Jesse Cloud]

I guess I'm a pretty slow learner, but every time I am about to buy a new Festool, I have lots of questions.  I can put my thoughts together much better in an email than I can on the phone.  So for me, its a dealer who has the answers and responds to email.  That's Bob Marino for me.

I also like the consistency of dealing with a one guy shop.  Sometimes with a larger company, even a very good one, its the luck of the draw whether you get someone who knows the product line or someone who just reads the catalog to you.  I think Festool is doing a good thing with the ISA program, as complicated as the product is, they need top notch sales people who know their product.

 

[ROb McGilp]

It helps if they're in the same country I am, always a bonus.

 

[Programmergeek]

I deal with Force Machinery in Union, NJ.  He is also terrific.  He really knows the in and outs of the tools and goes around to wood shows with samples of Festools so people can play with them.  He also breaks up abrasives into sample packs.  It is nice when you buy a new sander to get 6 or 7 sheets of each paper and when you use them just but the big box.  Besides Festool he is really knowledgeable about all the other brands of tools this is helpful to me since Festool doesn't make everything. 
Although I have to say I do like McFeely's decals also.  For me Force is local and has everything from Festool in stock so that makes the difference. 

 

[Michael Kellough]

What makes a good Festool dealer?

Simple.

One that lets you take any Festool home and pay it of at your leisure

Then, what does he have to do to qualify for your "great" rating? 

 

[Michael Kellough]

I deal with Force Machinery in Union, NJ.  He is also terrific.  He really knows the in and outs of the tools and goes around to wood shows with samples of Festools so people can play with them.  He also breaks up abrasives into sample packs.  It is nice when you buy a new sander to get 6 or 7 sheets of each paper and when you use them just but the big box.  Besides Festool he is really knowledgeable about all the other brands of tools this is helpful to me since Festool doesn't make everything. 
Although I have to say I do like McFeely's decals also.  For me Force is local and has everything from Festool in stock so that makes the difference. 

I'm with you, my dealers are Bob Marino, Jim Force, and Jim McFeely. If I have a strictly Festool order it goes to Bob, whose internet posts about Festool first intrigued me several years ago. A recent order went to Jim Force because I needed some non-Festool stuff as well and I needed it all fast. Force Machinery took care of it exactly like I hoped they would. The folks at McFeelys are great to deal with too.

 

[Toolpig]

Who is Jim McFeely?  My understanding was that Mr. McFeely (the guy who started McFeely's) died years ago.

TP

I deal with Force Machinery in Union, NJ.  He is also terrific.  He really knows the in and outs of the tools and goes around to wood shows with samples of Festools so people can play with them.  He also breaks up abrasives into sample packs.  It is nice when you buy a new sander to get 6 or 7 sheets of each paper and when you use them just but the big box.  Besides Festool he is really knowledgeable about all the other brands of tools this is helpful to me since Festool doesn't make everything. 
Although I have to say I do like McFeely's decals also.  For me Force is local and has everything from Festool in stock so that makes the difference. 

I'm with you, my dealers are Bob Marino, Jim Force, and Jim McFeely. If I have a strictly Festool order it goes to Bob, whose internet posts about Festool first intrigued me several years ago. A recent order went to Jim Force because I needed some non-Festool stuff as well and I needed it all fast. Force Machinery took care of it exactly like I hoped they would. The folks at McFeelys are great to deal with too.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Who is Jim McFeely?  My understanding was that Mr. McFeely (the guy who started McFeely's) died years ago.

Opps, I meant Jim Ray, President, McFeely’s Square Drive Screws.

 

[The Dude]

It is indeed an honor to be part of the "dealer zone." 

For 23 years my primary source of income was the brutal, aggressively friendly, world of the Restaurant Management Industry.  Serving in that industry has taught me many many things about service; one of which is "To know it is to sell it, and to sell it is to know it."  That is if you want to succeed.  I believe that product knowledge is the conerstone of any product related industry.  Festool is unlike any other brand of tool and a dealer has got to know the product they serve.

Being amongst the likes of Bob Marino is an honor.  I believe that the more the merrier when it comes to getting the name Festool out there.  A dealer has got to be accessible, flexible, knowledgeable and reliable.

Timmy C

 

[Bob Marino]

It is indeed an honor to be part of the "dealer zone." 

For 23 years my primary source of income was the brutal, aggressively friendly, world of the Restaurant Management Industry.  Serving in that industry has taught me many many things about service; one of which is "To know it is to sell it, and to sell it is to know it."  That is if you want to succeed.  I believe that product knowledge is the conerstone of any product related industry.  Festool is unlike any other brand of tool and a dealer has got to know the product they serve.

Being amongst the likes of Bob Marino is an honor.  I believe that the more the merrier when it comes to getting the name  Festool out there.  A dealer has got to be accessible, flexible, knowledgeable and reliable.

Timmy C

Tim,

Interesting - my first job (15 years old) was working in a family style restaurant and later got to manage it part time. And some years later I owned a small but busy sandwich shop. Restaurants are one of the hardest lines to be successful in, but owning a business does teach you about responsiblity and hopefully that carries over into other endeavors.

  Bob

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Bob,

It obviously taught you customer service and customer relations that you do so well!

Dave R.

 

[McDaddy1911]

I am new to the forum, but I think it is absurd to go somewhere to buy something and I know more about the product than the salesman.  Such as, EVERY SINGLE TIME I have ever purchased a vehicle.  You would think that if you want to convince someone to buy something (especially as expensive as a car), you would spend the time to get to know your product.  I haven't really dealt with any of the dealers here, but you can bet I will in the future.

Brian

 

[Greg in Memphis]

You can call me old fashioned, but I really do enjoy buying locally.
All prices being equal, I like the profit from my sale going back in my own neighborhood.
My favorite Festool dealer is Colco Fine Woods and Tools right here in Memphis.
They have been in Memphis since 1961. They have always had the finest lumber in the city.
A friend of mine makes handmade knives and Colco is where he gets his wood for handles.
Huge selection of different types of wood in there.
They also carry a great assortment of higher end tools.
The salespeople are knowledgable and helpful. They gave me a little hands-on time with some of their Festools and that was all it took.
Since they had Festool there first, they'll probably have more good stuff first in the future. I don't think it would hurt to keep stopping by when I've got a little tool money.

Now, as far as Internet sales go...I would have to say that Bob Marino seems to be the complete package.
I do plan on buying something from Bob sometime soon, just because I like the way he does business.
His kind of customer service should be recognized and encouraged.

just my thoughts

Greg