“Yes.”
“What is it?” he held the outlet high above his head.
“It’s an outlet,” I ventured.
“It’s a fricking outlet!” he bellowed. “NOT A FRICKING SWITCH!!”
He turned his fury back on the helper. “All I wanted from the store was a switch; one white switch!!”
To call Tom a tyrant would be fair. He rules his company with a combination of oppression, cruelty, and malice. In fact, the reason I wasn’t sure of his helper’s name is because he goes through helpers like Donald Trump goes through hairspray.
So you can imagine how he treats his vendors.
The best you can do with Tom is to exceed his expectations on a daily basis and hope his screaming will only last a minute or two. He is so demanding that we frequently talk about closing his account.
But, despite his tyrannical nature, Tom is a great customer—sales wise, at least. He does high-quality renovation work that requires high-end materials. He expects perfection from everyone, including himself, which means his purchase orders are precise and detailed. His clients love him (of course, he never shows his dictatorial tendencies in front of them). He also pays promptly, often hand-delivering his payment.
So while Tyrant Tom is hard to get along with, he is still someone we want to keep on the books. Therefore, I had ventured out to the jobsite that day with a mission to somehow win him over on a personal level. I wanted to break through his tough exterior, get to know him as more than just the guy who yells like a lunatic every time we are out of stock on something; find out what’s inside the man who once lectured one of our drivers for wearing his hat backward; just have a friendly chat about friends, family, and life in general with the maniac who was still berating Jimmy (if in fact that was his name) for making a mistake at the store…
“If you can’t remember what I need, write it down!” Tyrant Tom was still yelling about the outlet. “You do know how to write don’t you?”
On second thought, I have enough friends. I backed away slowly, quietly got in my car, and drove away while Tom reviewed the alphabet for his helper.
Tom is a loyal customer—he frequently reminds us we are the only yard that comes close to not utterly disappointing him—and he does excellent work for great clients and pays his bills on time. What else do I need ILLUSTRATION: to know about him?
Tad Troilo is a manager for Cranmer’s Kitchens by Design in Yardley, Pa. 215.493.8600. E-mail: tadtroilo@mac.com
