When I slid the green bar across the face of my phone I expected it to be just another telemarketing pest on the other side of the digital tether. Instead I was greeted with a quick rank, name, and police department asking how I was doing. I obliged, answered his question with relief that I was wrong and with high energy as I always enjoy those types of phone calls.
The officer asked if I was familiar with a very recent shooting that had taken place in his area. If memory serves me correctly, the incident being described occurred on the previous day of this phone call. As he continued to give me more of the details of the event I did in fact remember seeing it on the news. An elderly couple had their lives taken away from them, having been killed by a lone lunatic.
During this event a lengthy gun battle had taken place resulting in their armored vehicle receiving dozens of gunshot impacts. The officer explained to me that at some point during the exchange of gunfire he had wished that they had more ammunition. Concurrently he explained, in the middle of this heart pounding event, he had thought of my products, namely my STO Bag.
Hearing his revelation I will admit was rewarding. Knowing that at some point in this officer’s past he had learned of my products and during such a hectic and life threatening moment he had thought of them. It was also, however, frustrating. Why hadn’t he purchased the product when he first learned of them? Was it product skepticism? Was it a cost? Perhaps budgeting red tape?
My thoughts returned to the more pressing task at hand which was to receive his order and to get the STO Bags that he was calling about into his hands as soon as possible. When the call concluded I had failed to ask him why he hadn’t purchased the products prior to this which at this point really didn’t matter. A few days from then my products would be magnetically affixed to his armored vehicle, ready to serve him when needed and at the very least be able to keep things uniquely organized when he didn’t.
I don’t ever feel that I have a sales pitch but rather a justification of expense. If you are in a position of influence, a person that may dictate what your officers have for gear, consider looking at such an outside of the box product line. Ask your people if they would be able to effectively use Tac-Tote products inside their Armored Vehicle, Response Vehicle, or even on the inside of their patrol cars. Can the products make them more effective? Would they be more organized thus be able to respond more quickly? Would they be able to transport a wider variety of equipment that they normally would not take because of the lack of storage options?
I know the answers to those questions. Many others have learned those answers as well. That said, the time to learn those answers is not during a gun battle. Take care of your folks, they are a justified expense.
