Shop Profile: Rhino Truck Accessory Center

Jude Moyal immigrated to the US in search of greater opportunity. And that’s exactly what he found when Rhino Truck Accessory Center (RTAC) was established in San Diego, CA 25 years ago. His ticket into the aftermarket was being named one of only a couple dozen spray-in bed liner dealers worldwide, specializing in consumer, commercial, and industrial applications.

Moyal and his partner were pulling business from Vegas to LA and beyond, eager to provide customers with a quality product they could trust and equally motivated to achieve incremental growth within their own business structure. Sales grew steadily and consumer demand resulted in the expansion of another store location five years later, this time in El Cajon City, CA.

But Moyal noticed some fluctuations in the market before the 2008 recession. Now with two locations, “I didn’t want us to depend on one (niche) product,” commented Moyal. “RTAC lost nearly 60 percent of its business because of the economic downturn, but we saw a need within the market and started to add truck accessories even though spray-in bed liners remained the majority of the sales,” he added.

New Opportunities for Rhino Truck Accessory Center

Aftermarket diversification helped Rhino Truck Accessory Center rebound, keeping the doors open and leading to professional relationships with well-known accessory suppliers, trusted distributors like Keystone Automotive Operations, Inc., new dealership partners, and other opportunities within the shop. “The addition of truck accessories allowed us to build that bridge with local dealers. Keystone is one of the reasons why we’ve grown faster and better. Next-day delivery is imperative to our growth and they make it easy for us to do that. So do tools like e-Keystone, which give us the convenience to order even after hours, and events like the BIG Shows where we take advantage of the deals and promotions to stock up,” said Moyal.

Another reason for success: reliable, knowledgeable employees who know the industry can differentiate the brands and educate consumers about thousands of products in the marketplace. “Steve Porter, General Manager, has been with us for 22 years. Jason Self is a 15-year sales consultant; he provides tech support for Rhino Truck Accessory Center,” said Moyal. In fact, the owner attributes much of his business success to the commitment and professionalism of his staff.

One-Stop-Shop

During the course of 25 years, RTAC has expanded to become a full fledged one-stop-shop for every kind of vehicle but continues to specialize in truck and Jeep modifications. While e-commerce poses a threat to any brick-and-mortar business, RTAC remains price competitive and chooses to upsell its customer service and quality handy work. “Get them in the door and sell the value of face-to-face. Then upsell other items and push the installation capabilities,” said Moyal.

Consumers trust the experience of aftermarket installers, confident in their ability to take an expensive stock ride – something that’s already beautifully functional – and transform it into a personalized investment. Rhino Truck Accessory Center has access to thousands of brands through its partnership with Keystone. And Moyal has figured out a thing or two about aftermarket customers over the years.

“Customers don’t like to drive from one place to another to purchase (aftermarket accessories) like a running board here, window tinting there, etc. We do A-Z right here” to maximize sales and ensure convenience for the customer, said Moyal. “It’s not uncommon for them to ignore dollars and cents of the project. They want everything done in one place at a fair price as quick as possible and done right the first time. We don’t cut corners and always do everything
we can to complete it within the customer’s requested time frame,” continued Moyal.

What the Consumer Wants, the Consumer Gets

So, just how much dough is being dropped? “Most customers average between $2,500-$4,000. But we’ve had some spend upwards of $40,000-$50,000 on aftermarket upgrades. BedRug, bumpers, grille guards, and running boards are very popular for us,” and Moyal doesn’t foresee a stop sign in sight. “The more trucks that dealers are selling, the busier we are,” he added. New truck models equal profit potential and with Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Titan XD, Honda Ridgeline and the new 2017 Ford Super Duty hitting lots by the thousands, aftermarket sales look promising for RTAC.

As for Edon Moyal, the owner’s son and VP of Sales at RTAC, he’s been tasked with a development project—a formal Jeep division. “Edon is very knowledgeable. We’ve seen a 180 degree change since he joined in 2015,” said Moyal, who is always in search of well-rounded professionals to complement the business’ ambitious goals.

Looking Ahead

What’s certain is that Moyal and the team at RTAC continue to peek around the corner, staying abreast of industry trends and anticipating the next big thing, but the formula for success remains the same, commented Moyal: invest in good employees; foresee impactful market trends; partner with a strong distributor like Keystone to ensure access to the broadest and deepest inventory coverage with next-day delivery; maintain a fair pricing structure; upsell the value of doing business face-to-face by providing the best possible customer service; and remain open to the creative process by implementing proven marketing strategies and visibility through effective social media platforms.