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Early on it was all about how to attain products with no contact or face-to-face interactions, and we worked to help our customers order online and remain open. And the strategies are different today versus early on in the pandemic. Thompson: Did the pandemic change the strategy of inventory control employed by machine shops in terms of their tools and related supplies?īass: Yes, it did. We engage with our clients daily to find out what they are doing, what they are planning, and how can we help them.

Still, it often is hard to know each client in depth, so we are committed to treating all clients and their orders, regardless of how big or small, with the same urgency and care. We’ve been in business since 1965 and have clients that have been with us from the beginning. We know many by voice, name, and company because they buy from us daily and have for many, many years. We have tens of thousands of active clients in North America. We also know that any CRM system is only as good as the information we input into it, and there is no substitute for real knowledge of our customers at a deep level. How important are your customer relationship management (CRM) skills and how has your CRM strategy evolved in recent years, especially given the pandemic?īass: Our CRM process is evolving, and we made huge improvements in 2021/2022 to help us get closer to the needs of our customers as the markets changed by creating and identifying subsegments within our customers. Thompson: As a supplier that carries multiple brands and thousands of products, you must have a wide and varied customer base. Recently Editor Joe Thompson spoke with President Paula Bass about the company’s direction and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected purchasing trends. KBC Tools now has a footprint in Michigan (Sterling Heights), Illinois (Elk Grove Village), California (Fullerton), Ontario (Mississauga and Oldcastle), and B.C. Since then, the company has grown through acquisition, by opening branch locations, and through supplying tooling from more than 600 manufacturers, all with an eye on value.

KBC Tools & Machinery President Paula Bass talks supply chains, COVID, and customer relationship management.įounded in Detroit in 1965, KBC Tools & Machinery, or Kabaco Tools as it was known then, began as a catalogue house selling surplus tools to the metalworking industry at a discount.