From Front-of-House to Firehouse with Business Development Specialist, Tom Plant
Tom Plant, United Trimen Business Development Specialist, Heavy Equipment, sat down to chat with us for this month’s Spotlight On. Tom shared his extensive hospitality experience, sojourn into firefighting, and how he’s incorporated both into his current role at United Trimen. His commitment to customer service, teamwork, and honesty shines through his every word, and we’re excited to share his insights with you.
Making Customer Connections That Last
Drawn to the camaraderie and (occasionally) controlled chaos of bartending, Tom started out in hospitality as an energetic 18-year-old. That’s where he uncovered the core of his customer service mindset. Tom largely credits bartending for his ability to read people, build relationships, and handle customer interactions in his day-to-day at United Trimen, “It’s all relationships. Bartending, I knew hundreds, or even thousands of people. I might not remember their name, but I’d recognize their face, and I’d know their drink.”
Tom still treats sales conversations similarly to serving a regular at the bar, focusing on forging long-term trust and comfort rather than pushing a hard sell. “Being a bartender helped me with honing my customer service skills, but also building familiarity with humanity; I got to know different types of people from all different walks of life. They were all just looking for a cold drink and an escape from their problems for a moment in time.”
He spoke to his love for the grind and solidarity in hospitality, “When you’re eight people deep at the bar, and you and the girl beside you are getting slammed with drink orders, you look over, smile, and just keep going. In hospitality, you’re all in it together.”
Calm Under Pressure
Always cool-headed, Tom credits more than a hectic bartending past for his even-keeled personality. After graduating from high school, his mom encouraged him to find a plan B to bartending. Tom decided to attend a fire academy and began working as an oil field and forest firefighter. Even after he became a firefighter, the teamwork, community, and friendships of the hospitality scene drew him back for part-time shifts at the bar.
Although he found firefighting rewarding, after six years of juggling both roles, Tom realized that it was time to put his late-night lifestyle to bed. “Closing the bar at 3:00 a.m. is just not practical when you’re married and have a family. That’s what brought me to hospitality sales.”
When speaking of his role at United Trimen, Tom shared, “There’s so much opportunity here. Every day with United Trimen presents a new challenge, which I’m very happy about.”
Tom has found additional meaning in his work, especially with healthcare and senior living clients that rely on government funding. These facilities often have limited money to provide a good, nutritious meal to their tenants. Tom enjoys using his experience to help facilities save where they can, “My favourite part is using my industry knowledge and experience about equipment and technology to help with labour savings. I want to make sure that a roast that goes in at 17 pounds comes out at 17 pounds so they can use every little bit of it.”
Putting Himself in the Customer’s Shoes
Tom prides himself on looking out for the customers that come to him for help, “Some people really try to push being a salesman. For me, I do not. I just treat it like another conversation at the bar top. ‘What are you here for? How can I help you?’ I just talk to them like a real human. I say, ‘What’s your budget? What do you have set aside for this?” He takes the time to get to know their needs and review options that won’t break the bank, but are still a good investment in the long run. Tom emphasized the importance of finding the perfect balance between budget and long-term goals.
This is especially true for new business owners who are looking to open their doors for the first time or expand their operations. Tom spoke to a common scenario with restaurant owners who are just starting out, “I don’t want to sell them $100,000 worth of equipment if it’s going to put someone in a hole. I talk to customers as if I were in their shoes.”
Tom credits much of his customer service success to his approachability, transparency, and honesty — even when the customer may be hoping for a different answer. “It’s all about staying calm under pressure and being authentic. I don’t lie to customers. If the lead time is six weeks, it’s six weeks. There’s no sugarcoating it. If I were the customer, I’d want the honest estimate. I always want to go above and beyond for the customer whenever I can, but I’m not going to lie and say ‘Oh, I’ll try to get it for you fast’ if it just isn’t possible. I aim to be upfront and honest with the situation, so even if they don’t give you the order, at least they have the truth behind it.”
He elaborated on the additional benefit of being upfront with customers, “So, when my competitors lie and get the order, but it takes the same amount of time that I told them, then they’ll come back and say, ‘Well, at least Tom was upfront and honest about it.’ So ideally it’ll always give you another opportunity.”
Tom went on to underscore the common undercurrent of customer service throughout bartending and sales, “At the end of the day, the job is to have the customer come in, work with you one-on-one, and leave with an overall good experience, right? A packed bar or delayed shipping times are out of everyone’s control, and both can derail a customer’s plans, but I can be sure to shake their hand, remember their name, and build a solid relationship. That’s the best part. Knowing that the trust I built keeps them coming back to work with me again and again.”
United Trimen’s team of specialists is ready to help you build the right equipment package for your operation — whether you’re opening your first restaurant or auditing an existing kitchen.
Contact us at sales@unitedtrimen.com or call 800-461-0000.
