Of all the hands AMMEX has protected across countless industries during its 35 years in business, automotive service and repair is where we thrive.
Our nitrile disposable gloves set the industry standard well more than a decade ago. Since then we have become the leading independent distributor of single-use gloves in North America. Our Gloveworks brand is synonymous with top-quality hand protection, and our service is renowned for helping customers find the right glove for the job, every time.
That can be tricky when you’re working with a garage or body shop. They want a glove that’s going to stand up to rough treatment, so durability is important. Comfort, however, matters too—nobody wants to wear gloves that don’t feel right. Then there is price, which can further complicate things.
For years, mechanics largely did not wear gloves, instead opting to bare-hand everything. Never mind that it’s a recipe for disaster; it’s also an inefficient way to work. Holding on to tools with greasy, oily hands is challenging enough. Poking around an engine compartment and exposing your fingers to multiple hazards is far from the best plan.
I’ve got just one word for you: nitrile.
How do you know which gloves to offer your automotive customers? Think nitrile.
Gloveworks Nitrile with Raised Diamond Texture is perfect for working with tools and machinery. A bit more expensive than other nitrile gloves, they more than make up for it with their durability, comfort, fit and feel, and superior barrier protection. Even better for vendors, RDT gloves return excellent margins. Whether you sell 8-mil orange and green or 6-mil black and royal blue, you will enjoy premium ROI.
An excellent alternative is Gloveworks Black Nitrile (GPNB). At 5 mils, these gloves are the perfect combination of strength, dexterity, and comfort. The barrier protection against common and specialty chemicals is first rate, and all the other characteristics of nitrile like comfort and dexterity apply as well.
Light-duty gloves are a great sidekick
As a secondary purchase, especially if you’re selling to new car dealers, suggest X3 Black Nitrile (BX3) or X3 Blue Nitrile (X3) for lighter-duty tasks like detailing vehicles and jan/san duties around the shop. They are also perfect for oil changes and other one-and-done jobs.
AMMEX offers a number of tools through our Online Portal to help our partners compete for and win business. It’s a proven system to grow your disposable glove revenues.
One of the most important tools is glove samples. When you are trying to make a glove sale, nothing connects with the end user like trying on the merchandise—and make sure they do it in front of you, so you can get their immediate feedback.
Samples are still your best selling tool
“Samples equal sales,” says Corey Townsell, AMMEX’s vice president of sales. “Letting your customers try before they buy increases your percentage of converting the business by as much as 50 percent.”
With automotive customers, he says, the cheapest glove is not usually the first choice. RDT gloves, he says, were originally targeted toward professional techs who spend big money on their tools. Their popularity grew exponentially as end users across the spectrum were exposed to the RDT experience.
“When people use a product that actually lasts longer,” Townsell says, “and delivers a better experience than what they did with the previous products, it’s tough for them to go back to what they were using.”