The Case for Outfitting Technicians with Professional Grade Tool Bags – Part 1

The Image Value Proposition using Veto Pro Pac Tool Bags

A professional grade, organized tool bag enhances the technician’s image and company’s brand while boosting the service organization’s bottom line by offering substantial labor savings, productivity improvements, increased billing time  and other intangible benefits.

1.  Strong first impressions create the preferred image and lifetime value

Given that the tool bag is part of the technician’s first impression, a cheap looking, disorganized tool bag sends a loud and clear message that the technician doesn’t care about his or her tools or trade (which equates to the company not caring either) and may perform sloppy work and waste time looking for tools and parts.  That is not the message a professional organization wants to convey to its customers.

Technicians are the face of service companies, and, as is the case with a job interview, the professional level of a service company is directly correlated with the first impression a technician makes on a service call.  In an article by the National Electrical and Communications Association in Australia, “The Top 5 things to look for when choosing an electrician”, one of the key points revolving around attitude and communication is that:

“A professional appearance and attitude is usually reflected in the quality of the workmanship provided.”  

Furthermore, in a survey commissioned by the Electrical Contractors Association in the UK,

“56% of consumers cited neat appearance as the deciding factor in choosing a tradesman”.

A professional appearance includes a logoed company truck, a well-groomed technician, a branded uniform, quality tools and a professional grade tool bag.  A customer that notices a highly professional and well organized tool bag will immediately sense the company and its technicians take pride in their work.   Technicians carrying professional tool bags will also feel better about their work. Furthermore, based on a survey of more than 3,000 Veto Pro Pac customers, the average technician carries more than $800 worth of tools in their tool bag.  Why would they carry such a significant value in a low quality tool storage product that lacks functionality and gives a bad first impression?

Veto Pro Pac customers’ unsolicited comments speak volumes about how their tool bags enhance their image:

“I feel really good about myself arriving at the job site with this bag.  It gives me confidence and I know it creates an impression. Thanks for making something that really works in a world of promised quality that doesn’t pan out. There is nothing disappointing about a Veto Pro Pac.”

“I have had a lot of people ask me about my bag when I am servicing their appliances. All positive comments, “wow, it’s so organized”, “it holds so much”, “my husband would love that!”

“Just today, as I was walking across one of our plants (and being at that location for the first time) one of our mechanics noticed my bag, and comparing it to the one used by our other electrician, he said to him, “whoa, that guy means business.”

“Overall it’s been great so far. Clients comment on it Everywhere I go. Image is everything in business, and it’s

clear to clients that you’re a serious installer when you carry a bag like the XXL-F. Thanks folks.”

“The XXL-F model that I am using at the moment is excellent. It’s saved me time and money and presents a professional image to my customers.”

“What did I do without my Veto Pro Pacs?  I am excited to have something to put everything in that won’t become a “treasure hunt” to find my working instruments.  Very handy. You’ll wonder where so much time became available when you do service calls because you have back the “hunt & dig” time”

2. Replacing tool bags is often a reflection of a poor image, lack of a professional, functional tool bag,  and a productivity drain

The fact is, most tradesmen acknowledge that their tool bags are not sufficient to represent their trade.   In a survey of 3,000 Veto Pro Pac customers, 72.7% replaced their old tool bags within 2 years of their purchase.  

“When I first heard the cost of the Veto Pro Pac I thought, this is a nice bag but can it fit in our budget. A year later after doing the math of how much I spent on tool bags and may spend in the next 4 years, it was a no-brainer”

“My tool bags usually wore them out pretty quick, that and I also just got tired of them”

“I had to be repair my bags 2 -3 times a year”

“ I was on my third laptop tool bag in 2.5 years”

“I tried several different tool bags none lasted very long at all, plus was very hard to keep tools organized”

“I spent so much money on tool bags over the years that didn’t last and weren’t functional”

“ I never had a tool bag that I kept for more than a month or so because they were so unusable”

“On average I was doing a new tool box/bag every 3 months or so.  If I found one I liked it would break or wear out and then be discontinued when I went to replace it.  I was never really satisfied with the organization of any of them”

“The bucket had lasted about two years but it was a horrible mess and was very disorganized”

“I typically replace my tool bags every six months to a year”

“I would get ticked off with the old bags and try others”

“I never felt as though the bucket tool storage made me feel like a pro and would become frustrated with its lack of functionality’

“In my other bags, the tools wear through and the handle fails”

On the image factor alone, given that customers are keenly aware of each factor relating to appearance, including a technician’s tool bag, service contractors should invest in their technicians and provide them with professional grade tool bags that send a message to customers that they are dealing with a top notch company and technicians.   In addition, outfitting all technicians with the same professional grade tool bag creates a stronger company brand identity and saves time and aggravation having to frequently replace the bags. The investment pays off by upgrading the image of the company, saving time, and improving the technicians’ sense of pride about their professions. While upgrading the company’s image, there are more tangible benefits to outfitting technicians with professional grade tool bags.

CONCLUSION:

Veto Pro Pac tool bags have proven through thousands of end-users to:

1. Improve the image and brand recognition of a service organization as part of the first impression a technician makes with a customer.
2.   A Veto Pro Pac professional grade tool bag also eliminates the need to replace cheaper, less functional tool bags between 6-24 months 72.7% of the time (another time drain).

Taken as a whole, outfitting service technicians with professional grade tool bags is an exceptional investment for service contractors.  An investment in professional grade tool bags from Veto Pro Pac will improve the brand and image of the service organization and its employees, increase productivity in the field, improve customer service, and generate significant incremental revenues.

Contact us with any questions about the right tool bag for your line of work.