A talk with Casper & Temel

At Tchai we aim to work together. Instead of a job title, we all have one or more roles and thrive on getting the best out of each other. To illustrate how this works, we sat down with Casper de Boer and Temel Yilmaz to talk about their high five moments, challenges and ‘only needing a few words’.

When a few words are enough
After finishing a degree in Industrial Product Design, Casper de Boer started the job of project supporter at Tchai. Now, 13 years later, he coordinates a wide range of projects and is a very reliable guide for his clients. He enjoys seeing projects being implemented and he gets his energy from solving problems and making solid and rewarding connections with people. And he is just truly passionate about the business: “I have to admit that while shopping, I can’t ignore the product presentations, furniture and materials!”
According to Temel Casper is always positive and if he asks him something, he’ll organise it! “Besides the many retail projects, we join forces on, we also organise the Tchai BBQ together by exchanging the famous words: “Casper will you do the music? Temel will you do the meat? Done.”

Hailing from Turkey, Temel started at Tchai with a holiday job 22 years ago without speaking a word of Dutch. Soon after, he got a steady contract and a language education at the same time! Now, he runs the metal department. “I just love a challenge and persevere until I have made it possible.”
Casper says that Temel only needs a few words to know what to do. “I never have to ask him twice and he doesn’t stop until the job is done. Sometimes, I worry that I ask too much of him. I believe Temel runs the extra mile for everybody, he has a warm heart for the whole company.”

Having a break is heart-breaking
Every year, Temel visits his family for 5 weeks. Casper has to organize his work differently during that time. “I’m always happy when he’s back. If I hear he’s staying an extra week, I feel like fetching him myself.” Temel agrees “If Casper isn’t there, I miss him. But, of course, other colleagues and I find a solution to make sure the projects all run smoothly.”

Biggest high five moment this year
“With the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S10, we thought of something that seemed impossible,” says Casper. “A huge ‘S’ made out of metal to present all the Samsung phones on. With the help of Temel and our colleague Thomas we found a solution.” “Now it’s even on display in the headquarters of Samsung,” Temel adds. “A real high five moment!”

Facing challenges
At Tchai we work closely together with no fixed rules or guidelines. One thing is vital in the company, ‘keep your word’. What happened to this duo when they faced a big challenge together? “We haven’t had any major screw-ups,” both said immediately. If you ask Temel his slogan, you’ll hear that “problems are not problems if we can solve them”. And according to Casper his colleague and buddy truly live by this expression; Temel really sees every challenge as a shared problem, one that can be solved together. Casper: “Lots of things come up during a project so we need to be flexible and find synergy through teamwork”.

“You must be yourself, but being open, independent and reliable are key values for working in our company.”

Life-changing or easy to handle?
Both were in the company before the introduction of the new Tchai philosophy 3 years ago. Tchai created a positive environment in which everyone can maximize their personal potential. Temel works mainly alone in his department. “Due to the changes in the company structure, I have a better overview because of our new overall transparency. I got to know my colleagues on a new level.” For Casper the work didn’t change, but how he works did. “We are more flexible and quicker at making decisions. We are also more motivated to think about our own goals and personal growth became an important topic. Now, it is natural for us to explore feelings, ways of working and the qualities of ourselves and others. This has resulted in a better understanding of each other. This is how we energize our growth.”

Energetic vibe of Tchai
According to Casper, Tchai is a young, creative and vibrant employer. Opportunities are up for grabs. “You must be yourself, but being open, independent and reliable are key values for working in our company.” Also Temel experiences the positive vibe at Tchai. “If you work here you feel important. For me it feels like a second home. You can make projects your own and explore your own ideas.”