Getting to know the World's Greatest Truckmount Salesman, Mason Tomaino

Mikey P

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For those who don't know Mason Tomaino, he is an employee at Jon Don Dallas.
Somehow, some way, Mason is selling 70 plus truckmounts set ups every year.

I first met him at last years CAD in Dallas while also in town for the Experience show. I think we immediately hit it off with our shared passion for the industry. I wanted to do an interview then but we ran out of time.
Here we are a year later and after a discussion today as to how we're planning a special event for next week, he agreed to be interviewed again..

so lets go..

-Did you get your start as a carpet cleaner?

-If not, how did you find your way into
this industry and what led you to Jon Don?

-Is there anyone else at Jon Don or any other supplier that comes close to the number of sales you produce?

-Besides using Facebook how are you finding all these carpet cleaners willing to spend top dollar for a new machine in Texas of all places. (home of EZ, Cobbs ChemTex and Amtex, all of whom sell units for nearly half the cost?)

-If you can do so well in that situation have you considered selling motor homes, time shares or real estate instead?

-Seeing how you sell Hydramaster, Prochem and Sapphire, all of which appear to be equally, just how do you go about not bad mouthing one over the other? Seems impossible, yet I see your praises being sung by all three companies.

-If a cleaner comes in with no prejudiced towards any of the three, and wants you to help him decide, how do you go about that?

-What percentage of sales is to new cleaners buying their first rig compared to veterans buying their 3rd. 8th or 20th set up?

-and who do you prefer to deal with?

-Slide In's compared to clutch driven, what are the sales numbers?

-How often does a cleaner ask for a fuel fired unit these days?

-With out pissing off one of your vendors, can you describe the ultimate truckmount set up in your opinion (Van/truck, unit size and location in the vehicle, accessories etc (in other words, if this interview gets you fired, what will you be out cleaning in next month?)

-What percentage of set ups are financed compared to paid for with all cash?

-What are the most common failures you see in a new truckmount? and what can a new owner do to prevent them?

-How much time do you spend with your newby clients assuring their success with their new 60K plus purchase? and how many attend SFS afterwords?

-What sort of schooling did you have to "master the sale"?

-At this point I imagine you could move to any city with a Jon Don location, have you considered getting out of that hell hole?


Thanks a lot Mason, keep up the great work and keep making this industry a better one!


Mason is the king of the vertical video on You Tube and FB








For more great interviews just like this please click HERE
 
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mason

Jon-Don
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Dallas
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Mason Tomaino

-Did you get your start as a carpet cleaner?

yes, I owned Alexanders Carpet Care in Brea California. I had 7 Steamway Truckmounts.

-What lead you to this industry and what led you to Jon Don?
What started me on carpet cleaning was a friend, Paul Wilcox. He did a flood for me and I saw the money.
I ended up buying his company.

-Is there anyone else at Jon Don or any other supplier that comes close to the number of sales you produce?
Yes, Mike Cushing is the King in Truckmount sales for 24 years he has been selling for Jon-Don.
The only difference is my good looks!! :p

-Besides using Facebook how are you finding all these carpet cleaners willing to spend top dollar for a new machine in Texas of all places. (home of EZ, Cobbs ChemTex and Amtex, all of whom sell units for nearly half the cost?)

I'm the 70's salesman that cold calls and door knocks. I become friends with my customers and even go door knocking for business with them.
There's no I in Team and this is their livelihood, so we can't fail.


-If you can do so well in that situation have you considered selling motor homes, time shares or real estate instead?

Yes, I'd love to teach and be a business coach.

-Seeing how you sell Hydramaster, Prochem and Sapphire, all of which appear to be equally, just how do you go about not bad mouthing one over the other? Seems impossible, yet I see your praises being sung by all three companies.

Every Truckmount that I sell are the best fit for my customers needs and selling the top three brands.
You can't go wrong but the big reason for not bad mouthing is that I don't sell truckmounts that don't come with a 2 year warranty and safety features.
Each truckmount has their own unique qualities.

-If a cleaner comes in with no prejudiced towards any of the three, and wants you to help him decide, how do you go about that?

I don't sell them a truckmount, they buy one from me. So we go over all their needs before we even talk about the pretty metal.


-What percentage of sales is to new cleaners buying their first rig compared to veterans buying their 3rd. 8th or 20th set up?

1/3 are new, add ons, and replacement.
But the veterans are by far the easiest.

-and who do you prefer to deal with?

I love the new cleaners it's like playing with clay and building the foundation first.
They take a lot of time, thats why they buy from Mason at Jon-Don Dallas.

-Slide In's compared to clutch driven, what are the sales numbers?

85% are slide in's so around 10 clutch driven a year.

-How often does a cleaner ask for a fuel fired unit these days?

about once a year, because of the price of the 2nd fuel cost.

-With out pissing off one of your vendors, can you describe the ultimate truckmount set up in your opinion (Van/truck, unit size and location in the vehicle, accessories etc (in other words, if this interview gets you fired, what will you be out cleaning in next month?)

It is like 31 flavors of ice cream I like rocky road.
If I was going to buy a diesel, I would purchase a Prochem Apex, but I don't like the chance of an employee putting in the wrong fuel.
If I was for from a repair center and was buying a new chevy van then Hydramaster CDS 4.8 with Salsa or the Sapphire Scientific Pro 1200 has a bigger blower #5.

-What percentage of set ups are financed compared to paid for with all cash?

Half

-What are the most common failures you see in a new truckmount? and what can a new owner do to prevent them?

Maintenance and checking the fluids, most of the times it's something simply like out of gas, parked on a hill, dump tank full and low engine oil.

-How much time do you spend with your newby clients assuring their success with their new 60K plus purchase? and how many attend SFS afterwords?

Typically 2-3 weeks but it can go up to six months.
Around 75% Attend SFS.

-What sort of schooling did you have to "master the sale"?

My Father is a salesman and went to college. But the main reason is I love what I do and only sell stuff I would buy myself.
I have to believe and use the product before selling it. Most of all I care for people like their my family.

-At this point I imagine you could move to any city with a Jon Don location, have you considered getting out of that hell hole?

Moving no, "I'm Mason with Jon-Don Dallas"

Thanks a lot Mason, keep up the great work and keep making this industry a better one!
 

Larry Cobb

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Larry Cobb
Mason;

Thanks for your participation .

We are running some TM CFM testing in a few weeks.

Are you still bringing a TM to be tested (as mentioned on Facebook) ?

We have a calibrated CFM meter, and are going to test one wand vs two wands for actual CFM.

We will be testing a few different wands for Airflow, if you want to bring a PC titanium.
 
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doylebloss

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Doyle Bloss
Mason and I go way back. I am fortunate to call him my friend. Most of all he is a nice person. You can be nice and still be a super successful salesperson. He represents all the products he sells with the ultimate in professionalism. The reasons he is one of the industry's most prolific truckmount salespeople over a long period of time are clearly spelled out in his answers.
 

amygeorge

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Vernon, Texas
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Amy Lorance
Good interview, Mason… However, I do have a question. You sold my old tech, that I trained and certified for over 2 years a TM recently - have you been to Vernon and knocked on doors with him? Because he has gone door to door to ALL of my clients and offered lower prices than what I’ve been charging. It’s how I found out he had started a new company.

Seriously, I’m just kidding - but if you do come to Vernon, look me up. I bought my TM from Jon Don - Dallas, too. See you at SFS - Dallas.
 
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Lee Stockwell
Good interview, Mason… However, I do have a question. You sold my old tech, that I trained and certified for over 2 years a TM recently - have you been to Vernon and knocked on doors with him? Because he has gone door to door to ALL of my clients and offered lower prices than what I’ve been charging. It’s how I found out he had started a new company.

Seriously, I’m just kidding - but if you do come to Vernon, look me up. I bought my TM from Jon Don - Dallas, too. See you at SFS - Dallas.
Glad you were kidding, we are ALL a little nervous about that happening to us, because it DOES happen.
 

amygeorge

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Glad you were kidding, we are ALL a little nervous about that happening to us, because it DOES happen.

Wish it hadn’t happened, but it did. I don’t blame Mason for selling one to him, he has to make a living… Just wish my old tech had morals and standards - well his wife really, not so much him. Hard to compete against people that stir up lies and rumors. I’m just glad they’re not the most respected folks in our community thanks to her and her mother. But it has been a horrible experience going through this. Lot’s of lessons learned the hard way. What burns me the most is how well I took care of him and supported his wife buying 6 life insurance policies when she was selling insurance. Was flexible with his schedule to work around his daughters needs, etc. I could go on, but it’s water under the bridge. Karma is a bitch they say - I’m waiting to see.

P.S. I get to sit through SFS with them later this month.
 

amygeorge

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If I were in a larger market, I wouldn’t be this upset. Competition is a good thing - but when you’re competing for clients and you personally know them ALL, it’s upsetting. It also puts them in a hard position - they want lower prices, but they don’t want to hurt anyones feelings at the same time. However, I have a Zipper, HOSS, Cimex, CRB Brush Pro, Rotovac, etc. He’s got a wand. His father in law hooked him up, but I’m sure he ain’t gonna foot the bill forever.
 

Desk Jockey

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If I were in a larger market, I wouldn’t be this upset. Competition is a good thing - but when you’re competing for clients and you personally know them ALL, it’s upsetting.
You have every right to be upset. Its personal, hard not to take it that way.

It still bothers me when an employee did it to us and that has been more than twenty years ago. :angry:
 
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