Dewalt waging war on Hilti?

[Conductor562]

Here's an interesting article I found on the web:

 

"Being on the inside of the tool business we can tell you there is one common enemy most power tool brands share, Hilti. This is because Hilti has done 3 unique things that really separated them from the competition of Bosch, Dewalt, Milwaukee, Makita, etc. Those 3 things are going direct, selling the “complete solution” and locking in customers with leases which are very hard to leave. In the 2000’s Hilti was on fire but with the downturn then relatively flat economy, the going direct option has become a somewhat shaky proposition. The practice of locking customers in with leases that can cost 2-3+ times the price of the competitor’s tools has absolutely backfired in many cases.

What remains a solid business model everyone else has tried to copy and what keeps Hilti in business at all (in our opinion) is selling the system.  They have done it so well that not only do they sell the tools, the accessories and the fasteners they go well beyond that and get their SKUs speced into the architect blue prints! So how can Stanley and Dewalt learn from this model and bring it to their basket of brands? Acquiring Powers Fasteners sure would be a good start!

It is not clear what the full story is yet, so far just a lot of message board chatter or what this could means for Stanley and the Powers Fasteners brand but it is not hard to imagine them wanting to sell some fasteners along with that new yellow rotary hammers drill or vis-versa. It does look like Powers has changed to recommending Dewalt Tools on all their PDFs which was Hitachi as of a few days ago. Will they go direct and cut out the construction supply houses all together? Maybe Mac Tool (another Stanley company) Trucks will be making construction site deliveries here soon? If this is more than just an elaborate web of rumors we will certainly know more next week."

[wayneburgess]

I think Hilti got sussed out real quick over here in the U.K.

The word was yep they make a great tool, BUT you have to take it back to them, and only them for service, they were trying to strap you down to long expensive contracts at a time when there was not a lot of work out there. And using myself as an example, I bought a GX100 hilti gun to fire pipe clips e.t.c. on a job.

Hilti brought out the GX120 and changed the nails and fixings, so now the older model is getting harder to buy nails e.t.c for and Hilti just expect someone like me to suddenly find the money to buy a new one.

Well I am sorry Hilti, you have lost my custom for good and that of thousands of others with this kind of crap.

And also a little bit of info I found out about Mr Martin Hilti.

[Conductor562]

I don't look for Dewalt to match Hilti in terms of quality, but for the right price it won't matter. Most big jobs I was on the tools were typically bought new for each contract anyway. If Dewalt had any success, I would have to think Hilti would have to step it up in the pro consumer market to make up ground.

[Conductor562]

Then again, your talking about a complete overhaul of the company model. Some company's pull it off, and some don't. We could end up with another top notch tool clawing for market share, or another Porter Cable. It'll be interesting regardless. Assuming there's some truth to this article that is.

[Eric - TIA]

I am a huge fan of Hilti when I don't have to buy them. We used them on the job all the time and they were quality. I went to price one out to shot track and it was so expensive. For how much I shot track, I would go with something else.

[PutnamEco]

One of the things they will have to deal with if they wish to upset Hilti from the market place is customer service. Even out here in the sticks, I'm never left out in the cold over a broken Hilti tool. None of the other "big brand" tool companies stands behind their products as well as Hilti does.

[Conductor562]

What does Hilti do for you so far above and beyond the big 4?

[PutnamEco]

What does Hilti do for you so far above and beyond the big 4?

When ever I have brought them a broken tool, I go home with it fixed, or I go home with a replacement or a loaner tool. Even had the guy on fastener the truck deal with some of my tools directly from a jobsite. Forever grateful for that kind of service.

[Conductor562]

Yea, I don't look for you to be getting that type of service from Dewalt, but I've been wrong once or twice before.

[Eric - TIA]

When I worked for a large construction company in Chicago, the Hilti guy would be one site all most everyday. If stuff was broken, he had replacements right in his truck. With a Hilti tool, we were never down. However that was a large firm, so not sure how they are with smaller construction companies. The proshops are cool.