Your Complete Material Handling Resource
I've been with Thompson serving central Alabama's needs in the material handling industry since leaving the Navy in 1994. Business and technology have changed considerably during that timeframe but the way dealers approach the industry has not. You probably noticed when you did the search that brought you here there aren't many sites that pull up other than dealer listings. That's because sales of equipment is still approached much the same way it was 20 years ago. Sure, dealers have web sites now but how many of them do more than simply list a company bio and point you to the sites for the manufacturers they represent? Salesmen are still expected to make "x" number of cold calls per day in order to generate "y" number of qualified leads. If "x" and "y" aren't generating enough sales you simply increase them until you reach an acceptable number of orders. That old equation is a waste of time, specifically yours if you don't happen to be in the market when the sales rep comes calling.
Time is valuable, precious even. Once it's gone we can't get it back. I can't stand wasting it and I'm sure you find it irritating when someone steals some of yours uninvited. That's why I developed this site - it allows me to leverage my time. With the internet there is no reason why I can't be marketing my services while I'm actively engaged helping others. I never liked cold calling anyway. In fact if I thought of myself as a salesman I'd have trouble getting out of bed in the morning! I don't sell, I help you purchase what you need in order to move your product efficiently. Selling involves convincing someone to buy your product. If I'm doing my job correctly (developing a solution that either reduces your costs or increases productivity and cost-justifying it) there is no selling involved.
Most selling is price-based. You open the phone book and invite a few dealers to quote then you watch as they battle it out and you get bombarded with phone calls offering price concessions. (Hopefully you end up with what you need and not simply what someone had available.) With few exceptions, the lines Thompson represents aren't going to win low-bid contests. However, if you evaluate total operating cost, these lines represent real value and savings where it really makes a difference - on your bottom line. It would be pointless for me to compete on that old model of price-based selling. I evaluate your application and needs, develop the appropriate solution, and price it fairly. Again, I'm not selling here, I want to earn your trust as a valued resource so you will continue to rely on me for all your material handling needs.
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Territory Coverage
I operate out of our Shelby County branch and cover Shelby, Chilton, Bibb, Perry, Hale, Greene, and Coosa, plus south Jefferson County.