Every family, every person, every home has a centerpiece, that one place where everything and everyone comes together. For some, it’s a playroom filled with kids’ laughter. For others, it’s the backyard where memories are grilled into every summer day. And for many, it’s the kitchen – where stories are shared, meals are created, and memories are built.
At The RTA Store, our people are that centerpiece. As a family-owned and operated company, the team behind the scenes is what truly builds the heart of the home for every customer we serve. And really, what’s more important than that?
In this month’s The Heart of Our Home spotlight, we’re featuring Cynthia Murray, our Customer Account Manager, so you can get to know the heart of The RTA Store.
Cynthia: Hi!
Melissa: Hello! Thank you for doing this! It’s a great way for us to get to know each other, but also for everyone to get to know Cynthia.
All right, let’s do it. So, Cynthia, how did you get started in your field?
Cynthia: I was just ready to get a new job and my actual boyfriend at the time saw the ad on Facebook actually. So, the rest is history.
Melissa: What actually is your exact title?
Cynthia: I’m a customer account manager.
Melissa: How would you describe that to someone who knows nothing about it?
Cynthia: I do everything post-purchase. So, from payments to edits, really just making sure that you’re where you need to be if you need a small truck shipping or anything specific, delayed shipping, anything. It’s not something we just have available on the website.
Melissa: So essentially a customer places an order and if they need anything you take care of them afterwards-post purchase.
Cynthia: Yeah. Say they forgot a cabinet or they ordered the wrong cabinet, I can go ahead and edit all that.
Melissa: That’s awesome. I feel like that’s a really important aspect of what we do and especially something, you know, with customer service and that we take pride in is like we don’t just leave you once you place your order, right? We’re there in case you need something. We can help not only with what you need, but we’ll know what you need.
Cynthia: Yeah. We also try to catch mistakes too. So if we notice this is a finish that requires a toe kick or a side panel, we are also emailing customers about that to make sure they’re not having to spend extra money on a supplemental order.
Melissa: Oh, that’s awesome. That’s actually extremely helpful! And what is it about cabinetry that you love?
Cynthia: I’m always just drawn to the kitchen. I love looking at cabinets! My phone algorithm just shows me all cabinets and such. It’s on my Pinterest, it’s on my Instagram, it’s on my Facebook. It’s just everywhere!
Melissa: Is the kitchen your favorite place in your home?
Cynthia: It’s 50/50 with my living room!
Melissa: Nice! I totally get that. And what is your favorite part about working at The RTA Store?
Cynthia: It’s very family oriented. When I started it was much smaller and we were all in the office, so we got really close to everyone that was there, and we would see Samantha all the time. Everybody just knew everyone! Now we’re remote, but still family oriented.
Melissa: Yeah, that’s something that I noticed off the bat. Not even just family oriented in support as a working parent or support in you having your own family and family time etc. But even just the general support that everyone shows for each other throughout the company and especially as you said, it’s harder being remote with that. But I’ve had several remote jobs now over the years and this is the first time that I can actually feel the support and collaboration from everybody.
Cynthia: Yeah, absolutely!
Melissa: And so the next series of questions are what we’re calling rapid fire.They have nothing to do with working in cabinets or The RTA Store unless that’s how you feel!
This is a really fun one, so if you had a non-obvious choice for cabinets in a room, like a baker pantry corner or a book nook, something out of the ordinary in a room of yours, what would it be?
Cynthia: Oh, that’s really hard cuz I’m a big reader, but like also I’m a big baker. So, both of those I would want.
Melissa: Me too on the baking! What do you love more baking or reading, or reading baking cookbooks? (both laugh)
Cynthia: I’d say the baker’s pantry! Only because I have a lot on my Kindle so I can save this shelf space and use it for my baking supplies.
Melissa: Ever since working here, one thing that I would love to do is a bigger pantry because I have got all the glass jars for all my flours and different things that I bake with. And I like to keep certain things on hand!
Cynthia: Oh, same! Same here.
Melissa: So if you were stuck on a desert island, what would your food of choice be?
Cynthia: Oh, I don’t even know how to answer that! I guess if it was a desert, I would want something cold, but you only get one choice.
Melissa: That’s valid! Well, so it could be a general food item versus a tiny specific one like just pizza in general, but not a specific type of slice.
Cynthia: I mean, it would be pasta. I love pasta!
Melissa: Right?! (laughs) That would be mine, too, actually. What’s your actual favorite pasta dish? Do you have one?
Cynthia: In the summer time I just like a pasta salad, you know, with cheese, olives, pepperoni, kind of like an antipasto mix.
Melissa: Classic! Big question then – have you made pasta from scratch?
Cynthia: I worked at a French restaurant, so I did pasta there actually!
Melissa: That’s so awesome! I love making fresh pasta at home, I wish I could eat it all the time. And if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Cynthia: That’s rough. Anywhere in the world?
Melissa: Anywhere!
Cynthia: That’s really hard. I’ve never really thought about leaving New York! I feel like Colorado only because it’s so beautiful.
Melissa: It is very beautiful!
Cynthia: But if it’s anywhere in the world, I like Switzerland.
Melissa: Why Switzerland?
Cynthia: It’s just beautiful! My husband’s sister lives in Switzerland and it’s really hard because she doesn’t speak English at all and we have to use a translator to talk to her.
Melissa: Wow!
Cynthia: But I always loved that for birthdays, they don’t say happy birthday, they say congratulations.
Melissa: You know, in Greek, the phrase that’s used for birthdays and pretty much any type of celebration or milestone just means “many years.”
Cynthia: Oh, that is interesting too!
Melissa: We use it at weddings, anniversaries, baptisms, birthdays, anything like that. It’s just a wish for many years in whatever you were celebrating. It’s interesting to see how the different cultures look at celebrations.
Italy would be my choice, it should probably be somewhere different because I have been to Italy multiple times when I was a kid because I’m half Italian, but that is where I would live if I could live anywhere in the world, in a heartbeat! The culture, the language, the history, the food.
Cynthia: Yeah, can’t go wrong there! (both laugh)
Melissa: 100%, you really can’t! And this is actually the final question, but it’s probably in my opinion, especially since I wrote the questions, this is the most important one. What or who is the heart of your home?
Cynthia: Me!
Melissa: I love that answer! Tell me more.
Cynthia: I just keep it all together honestly!
Melissa: You’re the glue.
Cynthia: Yeah, I definitely am.
Melissa: Someone is the heart of every home, you know, there’s always a place if we’re talking physical house. For me, it’s the kitchen. I’m a foodie! It’s where all the conversations are had. Even if you’re not sitting in there, it’s where you tend to congregate. I grew up that way, and I’m still that way. But it’s always a person, too, that ends up being in the heart of the home. A person or people, so I feel that.
This was such a fun way not only to get to know each other, but for everyone to get a little sneak peek, behind the screen, on who works at The RTA Store. And we say how family oriented the company is, but even just so far, everyone in general, individually, is also super family oriented at the company!
Thank you for taking the time today! I really do appreciate you being candid and open, and it’s good to get to know you too!
Cynthia: Yeah, absolutely. It was fun!
