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• Employee Spotlight

Employee Spotlight! Enrique Hernandez

By: Sean

Content Writer

8 min read

It's the holiday season, and having gifts delivered to your door makes everything easier to manage. That's why our Logistics department is such a crucial part of the team at Abt—so that folks across the U.S. can have gifts delivered from Abt. Whether you're ordering an air fryer in Florida or a massive TV in California, you'll still get the Abt experience, and that's partially thanks to Enrique Hernandez, this month's Employee Spotlight. Enrique manages out-of-state shipping orders in Logistics, and helps to make sure our products get from point A to point B (and C, D, E, F and G if necessary).

An iPod, an Interview and a Family Tradition

Enrique's journey at Abt started with a gift. "I live fairly close to Abt, and my parents would always bring my brothers and me here when we were kids. My favorite memory is of them buying me an iPod Touch when I graduated eighth grade." And while Apple stopped selling the iPod Touch years ago, coming to Abt with his family opened doors for him. When we asked how he got started here at Abt, Enrique mentioned that a high school friend was an employee here—and got him an interview the day after he asked for one.

Enrique isn't the only member of his family who works here at Abt. "It's such a family-driven location. My mom works here, my little brother works in customer service, my aunt works here and my little cousin just started in the warehouse." And while they all have different positions, the goal is the same: to make sure customers get the products that they want and the service that they need, whether it's here in the store or miles away.

Between Appliance Service and Parts

Enrique has had a six-year career here at Abt, but it didn't start in Logistics. Last month we spotlighted the leaders of the Appliance Service and Appliance Parts departments, and that's exactly where Enrique began his journey at Abt. These are tough departments, but he enjoyed helping customers over the phone, working the service counter, and unloading inventory. Enrique is an incredible multitasker and even worked to train folks in Appliance Service.

He took his time in Appliance Service and Appliance Parts to learn as much as he could about Abt, then moved to work in our Dropship department. With Dropship, we have products sent from a third-party warehouse, like from the brand itself, straight to customers. Instead of products being shipped all the way from our warehouse in Chicago, Enrique could arrange an electronic to be shipped from one side of a customer's town to another. Enrique's first foray into Logistics via Dropship helped warm him up for what would be the rest of his career at Abt. Even now, Enrique still works on Dropship projects while handling work on the Logistics team in the Abt warehouse.

Making Logistics Look Easy

If you've ever been to Abt in Chicagoland, you'll know that we're famed for a few things—including our high service standards. When Enrique was brought onto the Logistics team, he moved to a department that services not just Chicagoland, but folks from across the country. And that involves a lot of problem-solving. "We may be delivering to someone's second home, where we need to bring a large truck up a dirt road. There's a lot that goes into it. We strive to give customers the service that we provide locally. The good thing is we have good carriers." Our third-party carriers are strictly vetted and need to live up to our own standards. While it might not be an Abt truck pulling up to your home in Texas, our team of Logistics experts like Enrique ensure that you're getting electronics, appliances and other Abt products delivered by true specialists. "It can be tough, but it's manageable." The entire Logistics team is passionate about improving our nationwide service—even during a busy time like the holidays.

When we asked Employee Spotlight Enrique what he enjoys about his job, we loved his answer. "I love the support my management team gives me. They allow me to be creative in problem-solving and give me support when I have to make the tough calls." That's when Logistics assistant manager Mike Stolarski hopped into the conversation. "I have to say, he handles it. He takes care of business, and while he may ask for advice in tough situations, [Enrique] sees things through from start to finish. He's a great employee."

While Enrique is an amazing force on the team, he pointed out that nothing would be possible without the folks in the warehouse. "Nothing would be possible without the team on the floor. It all connects. It's not just one person, it's about connecting all the dots." Between Enrique and everyone on the Logistics team, Abt has created a machine that runs like clockwork; all to get products from us to you in a seamless manner.

Arriving in Time for the Holidays

We chose Enrique as the December Employee Spotlight for a good reason: it's the holiday season, and online gift delivery is essential. Abt's business and our customers are relying on the department to have everything delivered on time, and that's where Enrique comes in. "Being a retailer around Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be tough. We had some of our biggest numbers of the year." And the Logistics team is at the ready, whether we're flying products via Abt Air or sending them on trucks. Below, we have a chart dedicated to holiday shipping deadlines, and Enrique and his team are dedicated to getting products up and out of warehouses so they arrive on time for the holidays.

December 24th marks Enrique's sixth year here at Abt, and we're celebrating a lot of things all at once. With many family members at Abt and a supportive team in the Logistics department, we know Enrique can only fly higher from here. He and the rest of his team work hard each day to provide the full Abt service experience to customers all across the country. Know that if you're hoping to order products from us and aren't in Chicagoland, our team can have it shipped to you thanks to Enrique and his team. We wish you a happy holiday season, and a happy Abt anniversary to Enrique!