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Columbus, OH -- React quickly. Get it done quickly. Be efficient. These are the mandates that have kept Ohio Power Tool moving forward for more than 25 years and have earned Jim Amstutz and his company the No. 38 ranking in the Columbus area's most recent listing of the Fast 50 -- the 50 fastest growing companies in the metro area.

"Historically, our tool repair business has been the leading source of new business for the company," Jim says, "and many of those small repair jobs have led to long-term business with companies that have grown to become some of the largest in the area. And now, with the development of our website, we have opened a whole new set of doors.

"The difference from where we were just a couple of years ago and where we are going now is amazing," he continues. "Overall, as a company, we've come of age. Whether it's with traditional direct mail, advertising or through our website, we have really begun to get the word out to customers and prospects -- throughout the country, but most importantly locally."

Knowing products inside and out

When Amstutz got into this business, he was a partner in a small repair shop -- quickly buying out his partner and its inventory to start Central Ohio Power Tool. "This was a unique way to get into the business, at least then," he explains. "We earned the respect of our customers and they have responded to our expertise. There aren't too many specialists like us -- and those that are out there are usually much larger companies that don't offer the personal service we provide."

In the Columbus area there are a few small repair shops and a few small tool retailers, but few offer both with the expertise Ohio Power Tool has become known for -- its two service/repair technicians have nearly 25 years' experience between them on top of what Jim and the rest of the staff bring to the party.

"While others are getting out of the repair business because they don't want to make the commitment to stocking parts, can't get qualified technicians, or whatever, we see repairs as continuing to be a very significant part of our future business," adds Jay Amstutz, Jim's son who has recently become director of business development. "Sometimes you look at the bottom line from repairs and it doesn't look like a great investment, but from a customer's point of view, it's very important.

"It's a serious part of getting and keeping customers -- they know that if they bought it here and there's any kind of problem they can bring it back and it will be taken care of. And, people who bring tools here for repairs are more likely to buy their next new one from us because we've made them feel important."

Buyers have a tendency to trust the people who know their tools literally inside and out, too, and Ohio Power Tool's repair pros are known for their honest evaluation of whether a tool is "worth fixing" or not.

Creating a Web presence

It was nearly nine years ago when Suzanne Amstutz, Jim's wife, convinced the team that it needed a presence on the World Wide Web. "I just felt we needed to get started, to make an impression," she explains.

"Back then, few people were doing much on the Internet and tool guys and purchasing agents were still doing their research and ordering the old-fashioned way," she adds.

With a background in both computers and purchasing, Suzanne had an instinct for what bringing these two elements together could mean for a business like Ohio Power Tool.

"I felt we really needed to get our name out there, so I worked with a local guy who created our first website. We had a few basic categories of products and not much else.

"At night I would bring home our suppliers' catalogs and through a process of cut and paste, I was able to put product information and images on our site.

"In 2002 we started getting more serious and began tracking hits on the site. Our sales weren't all that impressive but we could trace some to the site and we were getting calls, so we knew people were starting to use it," she continues. "Getting the word out that people could not only research products but get actual pricing online has proven to be very beneficial.

"And, when Jay graduated from college [from Ohio State University with a degree in marketing with an emphasis on computers and the Internet], he knew how to do all the things we needed to do. He'd say, ‘You need to do this and do that,' and we'd say, ‘OK, do it!‘ That's when we really began rolling and now he's onboard full time and things are really clicking."

The original hope was that the company could generate about $25,000 annually in Web-based sales. When Jay came onboard in 2006, sales had grown to about $150,000 annually. With his energy and expertise the portal hit $1 million in sales in 2007 and is looking for a considerably better year in 2008.

"The website has opened many doors. We get a lot of calls from customers and prospects -- including local contacts asking about repairs and parts. It's helped us expand our customer base and made it easier to add product lines," Jay points out.

"We are remaining committed to our service and repairs," Jim adds, "and you'll see parts breakdowns for many products reproduced on our site. We use that internally quite often and our customers use it to see what parts they may need -- we often look at it at the same time and discuss options on the phone, saving time on both ends."

Not business as usual, but …

Tool sales have taken a severe hit in the economic whirlpool of the last couple years, but Ohio Power Tool has been fortunate to be entrenched in segments that have suffered less than most. "Fortunately, some of our largest customers are doing quite well," Jim explains, "and while residential construction in the Columbus area has hit bottom, there is still a lot of work on the commercial side and we have never been strong on the residential end of the business."

"As the economy turns around, we are positioning ourselves to take advantage of new business because we've been able to add new products and expand our customer base," Jay points out. "In an area like this where some aspects of the business are doing well, the Internet can play a significant role. We can target these segments with specific messages and be able to change and respond to a need quickly.

"As with any business, new products are the key to developing new business, and I can't imagine there are too many companies doing a lot more with new products than we are," he adds. "When something comes our way we'll get it on the website, maybe do a blog about it, send out e-mails and fliers. We'll hit it pretty hard from all angles."

"Companies like Bosch, Milwaukee, Ridgid and Hougen have stepped up to make sure we get their new product information because they know we'll get it out fast," Jim points out.

"We try to get involved early and take advantage of the excitement a new product can generate," Jay advises.

"We've become such a specialized company -- just tools -- and we're small enough that when we decide to do something it happens fast. We can react when we see that something is hot," Jim adds.

"We get the president, the head of marketing, the sales manager, the Webmaster and the operations manager together for a big planning meeting and it's still just two or three of us," Jay laughs.

About 18 months ago, Jay began using the company's former name as his blog address -- COPTOOL.com (for Central Ohio Power Tool) -- to distinguish his opinion pieces from the company website.

"On a regular site you post information but can't really tell the whole story," he explains. "On the blog you can offer opinions on why you think a product is good, include a video and get reactions from people out there.

"People like the interaction and, especially in an area like tools, are willing to share their opinions," he adds. "We've found that the research we do when deciding on a new product makes great reading on the blog -- we can provide a real in-depth look sometimes."

The blog isn't all facts and figures. Sometimes it's just for fun. This past February Jay suggested that guys should be getting power tools for Valentine's Day. "We got a couple hundred hits on that one," he recalls.

Don't overlook the basics

The Internet is new and exciting to many in the tool business, but with all its bells and whistles, it still relies upon good judgment and sound business practices to contribute to the bottom line, perhaps even more so in a tough economy.

"The key now, more than ever before, is simply to watch the money," Jim advises. "You need to stay on top of customer payments and not allow them to get stretched too far, for example. You need to know where the customers are, how to keep up with their needs and how to predict the volume of reorders.

"We see more and more customers asking for credit terms where they once paid with a check or credit card," he adds. "We are being very cautious with these requests so we don't get over extended."

Even with the surge in Internet orders, the company's walk-in traffic hasn't slowed as much as expected. "People may check the website or call ahead before they come in, but a lot are still coming in to drop off and pick up tools," Jim adds.

"Five years from now, everybody (or almost everybody) will probably be selling on the Web. So, the question becomes where will we be five years from now? We know there will be far more competition and there will probably be something very, very different by then -- the daily challenge is staying ahead of what's coming next!" Jay muses. "Since I've come onboard, we've had some very interesting discussions and are putting things in place for our next 25 years in business."