In this month’s Spotlight On, we sat down with United Trimen National Multi-Unit Account Manager, Todd Rae, who shared invaluable insights from his 30+ years in hospitality. His people-first approach stems from a genuine appreciation for the industry relationships he’s built over the years, and a personal investment in their success.
From small to large-scale hospitality account management, Todd has done and seen it all. Over the past 30+ years, he said, it’s the people who make the difference in this industry.
“People in the hospitality industry are at a whole different level. There’s so much more value in people and interactions, less cut-and-dry numbers.” Todd mused over his decades in the field, “It’s interesting how people keep resurfacing, customers, suppliers, vendors, brokers, they may be in different roles, but the people don’t change.
They’re good people who typically have the same attitude I do; they’re always asking, ‘How can I help others out?’”
When it comes to helping his own customers succeed, Todd said he doesn’t shy away from rolling up his sleeves and “jumping in with both hands, and both feet.”
“I’ve helped out in new hospitality openings more than once, to keep things running smoothly, because you start to take a lot of what you do personally. You want your customers to be as successful as possible.”
Todd’s biggest motivator as an account manager at United Trimen?
“It all comes down to the people. You try to give them all you can to set them up for success.”
The Finishing Touches Make All The Difference
Beyond a hands-on approach to customer success, Todd offers a keen eye to refine an opening order.
When asked what the most critical item is on the order before a new restaurant opens, he said, with a knowing smile, “It’s the one that’s not there.”
Todd shared an example, “Say you’re opening a bar and grill, and everyone says that your beer glass is the most critical item. Well, if you’ve already stocked it, it’s no longer critical. At that point, it’s the glass racks for stemware that you forgot to order, so they didn’t show up in time for opening day.”
He went on to emphasize the importance of not only ordering the often-overlooked items but also stocking enough of them.
“So, say an operator did purchase those glass racks for stemware, but did they actually purchase enough to fit all the stemware in rotation? It’s one of the last things people think about, yet it’s one of the most critical.”
Todd shared the multiple risks of understocking on essentials, “You’re spending a ton of money on this beautiful glass stemware to put in front of the customer. If you don’t invest in enough glass racks, you won’t have the proper ability to wash them, and you’ll create more breakage and challenges for your staff as they try to figure out how to get the product cleaned and back out in service again.”
Save Where You Can, Invest Where It Counts
Todd spoke to the importance of choosing the right items for the specific scenario or kitchen it will be used in. Knowing when and what to invest in is key, and that’s Todd’s specialty.
“It all depends on the customer and their needs,” Todd explained, emphasizing his appreciation for the consulting side of his role at United Trimen. “Operators prioritize different products depending on affordability and the budget they’re working with, and I’m always happy to weigh the pros and cons with them.”
In this realm, he underscored the trade-off between cost and quality:
“Say you’re looking to purchase aprons, or another item that might get lost, damaged, or thrown out accidentally. Going with a better price is in your best interest because you’re replacing them more often. But when you’re looking at basic pots and pans, deciding between an economy pan or heavy-duty stainless steel, you are better off investing in quality. When you buy stainless steel, you may never replace it for the life of the restaurant.”
Todd understands that every operator has different priorities and enjoys finding custom solutions tailored to their needs, giving customers the information they need to make informed decisions. “You are better off spending the money once instead of replacing the product every two and a half years. You need to change your mindset to the type of environment you’re ordering for, then build around that.”
It’s that blend of practical know-how and personal investment that defines Todd’s approach, whether he’s sweating the small stuff on an opening day or helping an operator stretch a tight budget. After 30+ years, his philosophy hasn’t changed: the details matter, but the people matter more.
