Employee Spotlight! Sue Cekic & Ruby Escamilla
It's almost Thanksgiving, and while we have a lot to be grateful for here at Abt (like our incredible customers), we'd like to shine this month's Employee Spotlight on Sue Cekic and Ruby Escamilla! These two ladies manage two of the toughest departments of Abt: Appliance Parts and Appliance Service. When a customer's appliance breaks, they call the Appliance Service department to see how our team at Abt can properly service their appliance. Sue's team then reaches out to Ruby's group in Appliance Parts. Once they get the proper parts in stock, we can fix what's broken as quickly as possible. And the two women work together like a well-oiled machine.
Sue Cekic: Appliance Service
Sue's Abt journey began first as a customer. She and her husband bought appliances here for their growing family, which would include four kids, and she saw an opening for a part-time position 18 years ago. "I started out as a call taker when my kids were two and three, and then I grew into the position of a trainer, then a supervisor and now a manager. Now I'm doing all kinds of things, like interviewing." Her children that were two and three when Sue first started here have now had their own Abt experiences in the warehouse. "I have two little girls that are 13 and 14 and they want to work here too." For Sue, it's truly all in the family when it comes to what motivated her to start at Abt—and as her children grow to work here as well.
One thing that isn't always easy? The day-to-day work in her department. In fact, Appliance Service is known as one of the toughest places to work at Abt, period. "Appliance Service has brought me such fulfillment. As tough as it is, many of our customers become friends, calling and checking in to talk to us."
What makes the Appliance Service department difficult? The calls. While a customer who walks in the front door to purchase a new refrigerator might be excited to shop for a new high-tech appliance, no one is happy when that refrigerator breaks down for seemingly no reason. That's when a customer's call comes to Sue's department.
Unlike Any Other Call Center
Sue is truly proud of the work her team accomplishes. "We're not like any other call center. Being family-owned, the level of customer service that we can deliver is high—and there's an expectation for it. Calls, emails, chats, it's a little bit of everything. And I always say to my team, treat a customer's emergency as your emergency." She mentioned that they take every call seriously; someone who has a broken dishwasher may need to sanitize baby bottles, and that's a necessity. "We take that on from beginning to end. We don't have a customer talk to five different departments, that's our job and we're the point of contact."
Sue is a big source of support for her team of Appliance Service call takers. Whether they have a question or it's time to train someone new, Sue has been in their shoes, and is ready to coach them through tough calls. Another tough factor? "Since Covid, we haven't been getting as much assistance from our manufacturers. We're not getting parts in time. Something we could rush before in a day or two now is taking weeks." To make up for any gaps in service from the manufacturer, "We work together with the Appliance Parts team to take care of customers and hold our manufacturers accountable."
Even if it's hard to get parts in, Sue and the Appliance Service department are constantly pushing to get customers better and better service. "When it comes to our customers, we do whatever we have to to take care of them."
When we asked Sue what her favorite part about being a manager was, she smiled. "I love seeing people grow and move throughout Abt. It's so satisfying. Now they're in accounting, now they're in sales. Even though this is such a tough department, it's great to see people move on and grow." She mentioned one of her sons, who's now a driver here at Abt, as an example. Her department has several former drivers who can no longer do the heavy lifting it takes to move and install—but they're still experts in their field. They're an asset everywhere, and with their kind of training, they're the perfect fit for Sue's team.
Ruby Escamilla: Appliance Parts
Our second employee spotlight is Ruby Escamilla, with a role that's just as important as Sue's—and even more behind the scenes. Ruby began in the Parts department as a call taker and processing orders nearly 12 years ago. "There's something about working with parts—solving problems, tracking down hard-to-find items, and helping customers and technicians get what they need—that’s kept me committed to this department." Since she first began at Abt, she has moved from a supervisory role, keeping an eye on daily operations and training new team members, to managing the department.
"Today I’m the Parts Manager, responsible for multiple areas within the department, including returns/RTV, inventory control, receiving, and ongoing workflow improvements." While some people jump from accounting to sales and beyond, Ruby has stayed in the same department. Her goal? "To keep everything running smoothly from receiving all the way through to returns."
This is one of the busiest times of the year for both departments. Ruby described it well: "Service is the front end, we try to get issues solved today so that a part can go out to them tomorrow. It's a tough job and you have to have thick skin, but the Parts and Service teams both work as one to try and get problems solved as quickly as possible." That can be hard during the holidays—if customers are expecting to host a massive Thanksgiving party and their double oven breaks down, it's Sue and Ruby who will be helping you through your nightmare.
Supported by a Family at Abt
We asked Ruby what her favorite memory was during her time at Abt, and it wasn't of a good day—it was of a bad one. "My favorite memory at Abt is the moment I realized I wasn’t just working with coworkers, I was surrounded by family. It wasn't a big event; it was one of those tough days where everything was going wrong, and the pressure was high. I remember feeling overwhelmed, trying to keep everything together, and before I could even ask, my team stepped in. People were jumping in wherever help was needed—receiving, scanning, pulling, organizing—without being told. Someone else told me, 'We got this, don’t worry.' And we turned what felt like an impossible day into one of our strongest ones ... It’s a memory I hold close because it reminds me why I fight so hard for my team."
Ruby gets the same level of support from Sue—and vice versa. Since their teams are so intertwined, these two managers are always checking in on each other, making sure that they're doing okay on a tough day and asking how they can support each other and their teams. When they work together, it helps make tough jobs easier and helps solve customer issues faster.
A Position With Purpose
Ruby's career in Appliance Parts is about more than just solving the next problem. It's where she's seen her personal and professional growth. "Parts is where I learned how to handle pressure, solve problems, and keep going even on the toughest days. It’s where I found my confidence and my voice." The sense of responsibility that Ruby finds in solving problems means a lot to her, and working together with a team to solve problems gives her strength.
When asked what she loved about her job, Ruby said "More than anything, it’s the people. My team has become like family. We’ve shared long days, stressful moments, laughs, and victories."
Two Moms, One Goal
Both Ruby and Sue are mothers, and spend much of any time off they get with their families. When we asked what they like to do outside of work, the answer was unanimous—make room for family time. And when they come to work, they spend time with the families they've made here at Abt in the Appliance Service and Appliance Parts departments. Whether it's handling a family's broken oven or a microwave for a senior, they treat every emergency as if it were their own.
'Tis The Season for Appliance Care
Like any retail store, the holidays are a busy time for Abt. But they're especially busy for our Appliance Parts and Appliance Service departments. That's partially because many leave maintenance to the last minute—and when it's time to tackle a task like oven cleaning, there's a higher chance of something breaking. And with Thanksgiving and other holiday gatherings around the corner, that gives Abt less time to get new parts in stock. We know we're all on a timer. Our advice? Take care of your appliances ahead of time if you can, whether that's a task as simple as changing a refrigerator's water filter or running a self-cleaning oven cycle at the beginning of the month. If you're hosting a Christmas gathering, we suggest running a cycle at the start of December. We don't suggest rushing a last-minute self-clean cycle in your oven right before Thanksgiving—the chances of something breaking are higher, and with many people doing the same, our specialists and the proper parts might not be able to make it to you in time for a fix.
To learn more about appliance care for the holidays, check out our holiday hosting tips post. Know that if you do have issues, Sue, Ruby and their top-notch teams will be here to help make your holiday season merry and bright. Don't forget that we have a collection of our top gifts of the season, too!
