MATCO TOOLS Franchise Complaints

4,850 thoughts on “MATCO TOOLS Franchise Complaints”

• ****1000***

• Debbie if the distributors around your area are telling you can have free reign where they are not doing business, by all means go sell some tools!

• Reasons Not to be a New Recruit for Matco:

  1) District Managers lie. The ones that don’t they fire and hire a liar.

  2) Inventory that you receive as new is really churned Distributors inventory who return it minus 15%. Then Matco sends it to you for full list as a new product.

  3) If you aren’t making money and expand your route Matco will take your shops even though your DM said you could call on them. (He can’t defend you he got fired.) Because he wouldn’t cut your route.

  4) Advertising. Matco will sneak in advertising in your calanders so you won’t get credit for a recruit and when you get terminated they have a contact to fill your route.

  5) District Meetings. I have never been to one that the DM didn’t sell all his inventory. Because if you were doing good they just laid it on your table or wouldn’t go on with meeting till the item was taken.

  6) If you ask for help you won’t get it.

• Here lap dog. Here lap dog.

• “free reign, go wherever I want” ??????

  fast tract to NON COMPLIANCE
  Franchise Termination!!!!

  Why not, instead, search “Matco Tool distributorships”

  http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=matco+tools+distributorships&pbx=1&oq=matco+tools+distributorships&aq=f&aqi=g-l1&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=354l12947l4l13285l26l10l14l&fp=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&cad=b

• With me out and no other distributor in, how much income has the DM lost in the last two years?

  I know…. It was his choice. You know all of these comments that everyone makes apply to everyone right up to Tom Willis.

• I’m not going anywhere, you forgot to mention the interest and that damn 6%

• The interest that matco PAYS ME and that 6% I get for VPTT, man thats a crock getting $500-$600 a week back..

• Like I said rentless the office is closed you won’t find any lap warmers tonight..

• You see Debbie is frustrated! She realizes all Distributors are not treated equally and their is a certain # that will fail with Matco. You see their will always be failing Distributors 80% of the National Average. No matter what anyone says this should not be a factor. If someone is willing to put up their life savings to start a franchise why is Matco so quick to destroy the dream they created. “Be Your Own Boss” “Walk across the Expo stage” “Be a #1 District” “Sell the most toolboxes this Month” “Sale the most Hardline this month”

• Advertising in the Matco Calendar… Really!

  Every year I would spend $1000+ on calendars. I would be P*ssD if I paid MY money for their advertisement .

  Lets see…. I spent $10,000 on calendars over 10 years…. What was the ROI on that?

  Guest2, 17 how much you make on calendars?

• Guest2 and 17 have you heard of Karma? SLEEP TIGHT!

• I will sleep tight. I dont believe in karma, sorry. Have never been to a business meeting where tools were forced upon me also though. Not saying it couldnt happen just not with my dm.

• Debbie, if those hours you work are correct, that only gives you 8.86 min per customer factoring absolutely no driving. That is based on your stated 48 hour week. Can I suggest that it is not enough face to face, and if you are rural like myself the lil one and two man shops can take way longer than that average. Just trying to help, honestly. i spend about 52-57 hours of what I call face to face time every week.

• Former, I make zero dollars on the small stick on ones, if anything Ill tell a customer that this calendar even has his “type” inside. Until he flips to the ad and he sees a dude with a toolbag. It’s a good laugh and they appreciate the calendar. The big ones this year I’m going to try and break even, between the ones I giveaway and the ones I’ll sell.

• http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=matco+tools+distributorships&pbx=1&oq=matco+tools+distributorships&aq=f&aqi=g-l1&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=354l12947l4l13285l26l10l14l&fp=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&cad=b

  EVERYONE, YES EVERYONE WILL KNOW NOW!!!!!

  GOOD JOB GUYS!!!

  Stay on point
  IGNORE – really that will totally make them crazy

  The thing is …………….. IF I HAD STARTED A WEB PAGE CLAIMING THE SKY
  WAS STRIPED OR CHECKERED – NOBODY, NOBODY, NOBODY WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO ARGUE – BECAUSE THAT STATEMENT WAS WRONG

  HOWEVER – I started a web page, I asked distributors to join a Distributor Association because I felt a need for communication. Out of that was born a movement – a movement of HUNDREDS of DAMAGED DISTRIBUTORS – hard working, well intention-ed, heavily financially invested individuals that put their heart, their money, their dreams into owning their own business.

  A BUSINESS THAT SYSTEMATICALLY DEFRAUDED THOSE PEOPLE OUT OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

  and so, people are in an uproar, like I said, had i made a statement, or attempted to start a ‘movement’ over something “FALSE” – it would have withered and died without note.

  HOWEVER!!!!!!!! MATCO TOOLS IS SYSTEMATICALLY DEFRAUDING HUNDREDS OF DISTRIBUTORS AND NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

  if i were wrong, nobody would care, nobody would protest,

  why all the fuss??

  “Me thinks thou dost protest too much” William Shakespear

• Now I see why anyone asking you a question or offering advice is ignored, but we have to listen to the same complaints over and over. You said on the linked website you want out. Makes total sense now.

• Thought this was kind of interesting. Granted, the case is pretty old (early 80’s) but it does seem to point to the fact that Matco has ALWAYS only cared about Matco not it’s distributors.

  Here is a DBR who had his inventory stolen. DBR’s must carry insurance to cover any loss due to theft, fire, etc. Travelers remits a check for the sum of 24K+ to cover the loss….OK, so far so good, that’s what insurance is for. The DBR get’s a check to cover HIS loss on HIS tools.

  Yet strangely enough Matco sues the bank and the DBR for the amount of the check because the DBR forged Matco’s name on the instrument? This man set up his account per Matco instructions. (As we all did). Then tries to take HIS money from the claim on HIS tools?

  Kind of ironic that Matco sues a DBR for HIS money owed to HIM, and here we are fighting for a wrong that has been done yet we are called litigious, lazy, failures.

  I wonder if Matco used Marks & Klein? I know I am !

  http://mi.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19850801_0000058.EMI.htm/qx

• Stay the course people, there are a few who are trying to derail us.Don’t let it happen and don’t let it get to you. I understand they are trying to save their business and we are trying to recoupe what we loss from matco. We need to contact more distributors and get the word out. If you still have your ufoc, go to the terminated distr and start calling.Spread the word.

• Good Morning Tommy,
  Some interesting reading last night. Wish I could have joined in but apparently I keep finding out different rules for Admin to kick me off the sight. Now I guess if you post more than 51 times Admin feels necessary to stop you

  Relentless is a class act…posting???…wonder how many times relentless, former, and debbie posted yesterday.
  No worries, life aint fair, i said it I believe it, had a nice evening watching movies with my familty instead last night. Funny though how some people had to resort to first grade tacticts and start spelling thing backwards.

  Debbie really 4 days a week? and it takes people 6 times to explain one thing to you before you kind of understand it, No WONDER you are going out of business.

• guest3,matco1 or whatever your name is today…………….life isn’t fair, you are right, neither is Matco. That is why we are here.

  First grade tactics ? Oh, you mean like posting matco#1 1000 times ?

  You have one post today, now get out there and sell your Taiwan tools !!

• Debbie,
  You complain that people dont stay on topic and they they dont answer or know the answer to your direct questions. I posed two questions to you yesterday that you blew off. Rather than just post about how pissed off you are about this that or the other thing, and having your family post in your defense, why do you spend so much time during your route on here?

  My other question was in regards to things you have posted.
  “WORSE – I’ve said for the past 2 1/2 years Customer Service reminds me of my son when he was LITTLE – his standard operating procedure was
  “badger til you get the answer you want”

  As you have so often complained about here, your facebook page, and also your website that “your customer service contact” told you to call or use the general email. Could that be a reason?

• Good one Gary, sorry to confuse you hadnt changed my sign in name to matco #1 on my laptop…. Plus still waiting to hear tally on number of posts, don’t worry I will sell, sell, sell, 5 days a week, 60 hours a week.
  I can’t do it in 4 days like Debbie,,, oh that’s right she isnt making it in 4 days a week either, but instead of going back to 5 days to see if business picks up, she is just going to drive that bus right into the ditch, then call you know who.

• I have my list of calls in front of me, the one that Matco will probably give to any prospective franchisee that is interested in my old route. The one that I provided to my Lawyer.

  How can I service 80% of my route when
  -3 shops, totaling 47 prospective customers are listed THREE times

  -6 shops closed totaling 18 prospective customers

  -employee counts are off by more than 20 people

  – 6 shops were given to another distributor to call on – 26 prospective customers

  PROSPECTIVE FRANCHISEE’s – DO NOT Trust the ‘List of Calls’. I don’t remember how much time you are given the list in advance of signing papers, but VISIT EACH AND EVERY SHOP ON THAT LIST PRIOR TO SIGNING!

  In addition to the problems above, I had 3 shops on one road that REFUSED to allow Matco Tools in because of the previous Distributor.

  Make sure you know how many in each shop actually buy tools. There is a difference between a ‘mechanic’ and a ‘tire tech’. Check for the number of ‘students’ working, they will not buy from you, they will buy through the Matco Tech Ed Program, that goes for Instructors too, I have three of those in my area, they also buy direct from the Tech Ed Porgram.

  Maybe other can list some other things to watch for…

• I also just love how some of the Matco Fan Boys comment about working 4 days. You don’t know the situation people are in, you should keep the ignorant comments to yourselves.

  I don’t need to work 5 or 6 days a week, I became a distributor to be self-employeed, to work at MY pace, not someone elses.

  Know what you need and expect before signing – I work the hours I want, not what Matco, Guest2,17 or 3 suggest.

  My House is paid for, Cars are paid for, motorcycles are paid for, guns are paid for, Garage is built and paid for. Kids are gone. Retirement is set.

  My personal time is priceless, and cannot be bargained with.

  The Matco Franchise System is misleading, read the contract, go to a Lawyer and have them re-write a contract to satisfy YOU. If Matco won’t sign, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

• Prospective Franchisees – One of the largest expenses I incur are Fuel Costs.
  When the DM or Business manager sits down with you and discusses the expenses, make sure your realistic on Fuel Costs. When I started Diesel was less than $1.50/gal. Now I pay $4.00/gal.

  Drive your route, calculate the miles. Add 10%, Also calculate RUN time, In Cold and Hot weather I leave my truck run all day. Approx. 1 gal per hour for idle time. My truck averages 7.5 mile/gal.

  example: 75mi round trip – 10 hour day could be as much as 20 gallons of fuel, thats only $80 dollars a day.

  What do you think the fuel prices will be next year? In 5 years?

• Prospective Franchisees – Guest2 commented on ‘face time’. Please remember, the technicians that you call on ‘typically’ do not work for themselves, they work for the shop owner. Shop owners DO NOT like you and the ‘three other’ tool sales persons taking their time.

  Take more than 10 min per tech can get you kicked out of the shop quick. Varies shop to shop.

• Excellent point Former!

  I’d like to add, once you are a distributor *WATCH* that list………

  Shops CLOSE – and are not taken off your count

  Shops that you “thought” were taken off your count – are not
  Documented – a shop that I discussed with my DM – we both agreed that particular shop should be reassigned. I was told it would be serviced by a diff distributor
  SIX MONTHS LATER the same DM asked “how is business at XYZ Shop?”

  I told him, he was reassigning that shop 6 months ago……………….
  He told me, “I forgot”

  Guess the mechanics at that shop are soured on Matco!

• Fuel costs!!

  Exactly – that would be the reason I spend ONE night a week in a HOTEL

  NOT cost effective to drive 140 miles ROUNDTRIP to start Wednesdays where I finished on Tuesdays

  Also, fuel costs – couldn’t AFFORD to drive 5 days – Four REALLY long days on the road and in the shops
  ONE FULL DAY IN THE TRUCK – CLEANING, STOCKING, ON THE COMPUTER, RUNNING FRIDAY PAYMENTS – CALLING CUSTOMERS, CHECKING ON ORDERS, CHECKING AGAIN AND AGAIN ON BACKORDER DATES………… the list goes on and on – AS DOES THE TIME SPENT BEING A DISTRIBUTOR – GUARANTEED 60-70 HOURS A WEEK

• I had a similar situation;

  had a major shop buy property, build a new building and move about 10 miles. I LOST that shop. I fought, but lost. That shop is $500 / wk to me.

  One of the reasons I respected my DM so much.

• Pingback: MATCO TOOLS Franchise Defenders Speak Out : Unhappy Franchisee

• Thank God I was about to buy one of these Matco franchises and now I think I’ll just invest it all @ 22% a year, and live off the interest.

• This is an important debate and I am pleased to be able to host it on UnhappyFranchisee.com. I appreciate all of the comments on both sides, and appreciate your patience as I try to figure out how to regulate things so both sides can be heard.

  Yesterday, two pro-Matco commenters posted more than 100 comments between them. Toward the end, it seemed likely they were just trying to dilute the conversation rather than make meaningful points. This page is titled “MATCO TOOLS Franchise Complaints” and its primary function is to allow past and present distributors and non-distributors to voice their complaints. If you are here to prevent or bury complaints, you’ll be banned from participating.

  At the same time, many people’s livelihoods are tied to the Matco brand and the ability to bring in new distributors. It’s only fair that they be given a forum to voice opposing opinions and speak out in defense of (and in praise of) Matco’s distributor program. For that reason, I’ve published a post for those who wish to answer the complaints and/or provide more positive views about the advantages of owning a Matco Tools franchised distributorship:

  MATCO TOOLS Franchise Defenders Speak Out

  Matco#1, guest2 etc. feel free to beat the detractors to 2000 meaningful comments. ADMIN

• Admin. I feel that while this is mainly for angry distributors, there are a good few of the angry posters that are trying to detract and derail the topics also.

• Joe, great to know, that we were able to help you. Thanks for checking in and pass the word along.

• Joe, I know it off topic… Please let us know where to get 22% ROI.

• Both sides certainly descend into personal attacks and debate tactics. Some good points in Matco’s defense got glossed over, too. I’ve listed a few in the new post. Take the opportunity to present your opposing views on the new post and I’ll try to protect your right to be heard also:

  http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/matco-tools-franchise-defenders-speak-out/

  When people’s livelihoods are affected, emotions run high. This is not just a Matco phenomenon. It’s an ongoing challenge here at UnhappyFranchisee.com, but both sides will get heard and readers will be able to make more informed decisions because of it.

• Thanks admin… I appreciate it:)

• Matco#1- Matco DOES send out letters to customers regarding PSA’s! It happened to me so do NOT tell me it didn’t. I SAW the letter that was sent. In fact I kept it and showed to Jerry when he represented me and I WON!

  My customer jumped on the truck pissed and wanted to know why he got a letter! Want that customers name so you can tell him he’s lying too? Tell him Matco is #1, good luck. They sent his tool box built COMPLETELY wrong! Oh, by the way, it was the one MY DM ordered on line so he could “try out” the system! AND the shorted him the steel top! We reviewed order and it WAS oredered with steel top. After customer service told me “tuff shit”, my DM’s advise was for TOM to pay for the top as “customer service” to the customer!!! They fuck up and I pay? Sounds fair.

  Now about collections after terminated. On “advice” of my DM, he let my customers know that I was quitting and when. I spoke NO ILL WILL, althoug I had plenty, towards Matco. My DM advised me that doing so would damage the “new guy he had coming in” and would hurt my collections.

  What fucking collections! I went around for 3 weeks after I was out of truck. My DM was out doing “damage control” my first week off the route. HE explained to customers that they did NOT owe Tom ANY money! That ALL of their money was owed to Matco and the “new guy would be collecting”! And that if I tried to collect to refuse!

  Now BEFORE you jump my ass, my route was VERY rural. I covered over 1000 miles a week. I had ONE town with more tha 5k population. Most stops were 20-30 miles apart to see 2 maybe 3 guy. The northen and southern ends were 2 hours apart. I HIGHLY doubt that ALL of my customers got together and came up with the EXACT SAME STORY!

  Someone mentioned “road techs”. Being in a rural area, I had MANY “John Deere” dealers. 90% of the guys were road techs. Yes, shop had 10-12 guys, BUT I NEVER SAW THEM! Was I expected to go chase them down in a God damn corn or bean field that was 50 miles out of my way to collect $10?

  Same goes for some shops. I had several shops that REFUSED to let any “tool guy” come in, PERIOD!

  I had other shops, manufacturing plants, that showed a head count to 30-50. Yes, there were that many tool users, BUT I was only allowed to deal with the ONE guy that “purchased” tools. I was not even allowed to leave fliers! Even my trainer could not believe my DM fucked up head count that bad. One of them MANY times he called Stow to rip ass about my “rookie nerves”.

  I am GLAD Macto#1 does NOT experience any of this and is succuesful. Really I am, it is what I wanted.

  But do NOT get on here and tell me that all of this is in my head and I’m just a loser! TO that I say FUCK YOU!

  Wlak a mile in my route, experience EXACTLY what I did , THEN tell me I’m a whinner and full of shit!

  Grow up!!!!! Like MANY have said the “rules” arent the same for everyone. I don’t believe, although I haven’t read every post, that anyone has told you that your success is all in your head and it didn’t happen! Why the hell is it so hard then for you to except the facts we have stated about our experinces when we do NOT doubt yours?

  You seem to think that we are all apples. When in fact we are apples (the successes) and oranges (the screwed over and lied to). And we ALL know you can’t compare apples and oranges.

  Thanks and good day

• Nice work ADMIN…………I know you must feel like a babysitter sometimes, tempers flare, stupid things get said.

  Please keep in mind we were all happy distributors at one time or the other. We were excited about starting our own business, all stoked up at “tool school” in Stow (Matt Marone = awesome teacher!) Made friends, exhausting hours in the classroom trying to absorb everything.

  First week on the road, nervous as hell wondering if you made the right choice. Then you start to notice things starting to click. Joking around with the techs, building trust & relationships, taking care of warranty, etc.

  Then just as you think the seed is starting to grow…………..your DM starts to tear you down. You are not buying enough, you don’t have enough skips, maybe this business isn’t right for you………….we have another that can take over right away.

  Low moral starts to seep in, economy sinks like a rock. You keep trying to do your best. Another bad performance review, 60 day notice to cure, then the clock is ticking. Your days are numbered……….

• Run like hell and don’t look back, they will screw you. They are full of lies, promises they don’t keep and deceitfulness.Do not throw your life savings and credit down the drain. You can call and thank me later or if needed call the one and only Jerry Marks at Marks and Klein.com.

  [Comment moved from http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/matco-tools-franchise-defenders-speak-out/%5D

• Want to be a tool dealer ? Watch this video, it will change your mind in a heartbeat ! This stuff happens all the time. Even though this is a Snap-Off dealer, it goes for Matco, MAC, Cornwell too.

  I feel bad for this guy because “been there, done that”. Tool thieves make my blood boil. FINALLY, something we can ALL agree on ?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm60i_EUJHE&feature=related

• Just sent GM an e-mail, linking it to this site. Getting the word out guys, will send more.

• Just sent UTI TECHNICAL SCHOOL an e-mail also referring them to here before
  buying tools.Just wanted them to know, also this technical school is nationwide.

• Thank God , the couple morons who were trying to dreail this conversation are gone. Lets get back to why we are here. Keep posting, STAND TALL, BE PROUD AND BE LOUD AND DON’T FORGET TO CALL Jerry.

• Pingback: MATCO TOOLS Distributor Franchise : Unhappy Franchisee

• I’ve created a directory page with links to all Matco stories with the title “Matco Tools or Matco Fools?”:
  http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/matco-tools-distributor-franchise/

  I’ve also given it a prominent link on the home page, upper left: http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com

  Feel free to share either the URL to this page or the directory page.

• Tommy make sure to email the pope too.. No one cares!!

• Why does Matco tie up Distributor Money for Ratchet Repair kits?

  I hear snapon sells the repair kits to the Distributor for only $0.01 ea.
  Matco charges what? $6-10 ea? I always had hundreds of dollars tied up for addressing MATCO’s Warranty issues. I didn’t build the ratchet, but I had to pay to offer warranty.

  When do you sell these? Never. It was always a warranty item. Let me use my money to ‘make’ money, not cover matco warranty costs.

• Former

  Who cares what a head kit costs when you send it in with your defectives matco credits you back??????? your quote “let me use my money to ‘make’ money doesnt make any sence….use matcos warranty policy to build brand confidence and gain loyalty no wonder you failed you are incapable of seeing the big picture.