Employee Spotlight: Jose Perez
In August we've nominated Jose Perez for the month's Employee Spotlight. Jose works as a manager in Abt's warehouse and handles pricing changes for display and returned products. For example, if a refrigerator was returned, Jose and his team inspect, clean, and price it fairly so it can be resold. Thanks to their work, customers can save money on high-quality returned and display products, and Abt minimizes waste. In the Floor Model room, Jose manages a team that cleans displayed and returned products to ensure they’re perfect for the customer. And it all happens behind the scenes.
Jose's Start at Abt
Jose's Abt journey began at Maxwell Restaurant nearby, a favorite of Bob Abt's. Jose even remembers his order: "He loved the tuna salad." Bob spoke with Jose when he worked at the restaurant, and mentioned that he was hiring here at Abt Electronics. "I went to apply for a job and had the privilege of working beside a wonderful person who taught me everything I know, Mr. Abt."
Bob Abt had Jose start during a late shift in the warehouse pulling products for the delivery trucks. After just four months, Jose moved to the floor model room where he began working to ensure that products look their best by the time new customers were ready to purchase them. From there, Jose moved up the chain of command to become a manager of the team. Every day, he ensures that our products look and perform at their best. But between his first day and becoming a manager, there was a lot of work to be done.
23 Years of Hard Work
With an Abt career that began in the early 2000s, Jose has worked hard every day right up until closing. From the start he often worked beside Mr. Abt, who would catch up to him and ask, "Are you leaving? Let's take a quick walk." They would "do the walk", making sure that the store looked its best and that products and rebates were priced appropriately before the doors opened the following morning. Between late nights and early mornings, our Employee Spotlight developed stronger friendships (and more impressive skills) every day.
Jose's Favorite Moments at Abt
With a career as long as Jose Perez's, it could be hard to pick out a favorite memory or moment. But when we asked what his was, Jose immediately thought of his family. "I remember when my kids were younger. They would come to Abt to enjoy everything that the store offers. They would take me to lunch just to come back and continue to shop around." From the fish tank to the fountain to the Dave Abt home theater, there's lots to love here for families—and Jose isn't the only one who brings kids by to explore Abt. Some schools even bring students by to get a better look at Abt, while high school classes sometimes arrange a behind-the-scenes look at our warehouse and training spaces like Abt University. Here, they see where individuals interested in pursuing a trade can invest their time and energy to develop a true career.
A Friendship with Bob Abt
From the moment Jose began his career at Abt, he was close with Bob Abt. Mr. Abt found time to create a lasting and genuine friendship with Jose. The two often worked late together to take care of the store, and Jose valued his relationship with Mr. Abt.
When Bob passed in 2015, many employees shared their thoughts with a memorial for Bob Abt, including Jose. Jose wrote the following:
When You Purchase a Display Appliance...
The next time you buy a return or display appliance from Abt, you'll know that Jose and his team of appliance experts have thoroughly examined, prepared and priced your soon-to-be refrigerator, washing machine or wall oven. Our Employee Spotlight has spent decades cultivating his expertise in what comes into and out of Abt, and with a steady team of hard workers, Jose helps to keep Abt running every day from behind the scenes. Between smiles, jokes and pats on the back over accomplished tasks, his team brings a positive attitude to every day—one that Jose shares. We're proud to have him as the month's Employee Spotlight!
