Wilhelm Kolb

How long have you been with Pyramid?

I did my training as an IT specialist for system integration at Pyramid from 2010 to 2013 After that, I worked at another company for three years. When I saw that a position was advertised here in technical customer service, I applied for it and came back.

I never knew that you’re one of our returnees. That’s so interesting! What made you decide to come back?

There were several reasons. I had liked it very much at Pyramid. Unfortunately, there was only one position available after I completed the training. It went to a colleague, and so I switched to another employer. However, things weren’t going so well there. I looked around and saw that Pyramid was looking for someone to work in customer service. I quickly wrote my application and luckily, it worked out.

What are your responsibilities at Pyramid?

My responsibilities include technical support. This means that I respond to the inquiries that customers send to Pyramid via e-mail, telephone or our ticket system. I’m also the contact person for the other departments, for example, if they have technical questions about our products, or if they need information about the support procedures. In addition, I take care of customer complaints. Finally, I’m the deputy head of our team of 6 and trainer for the profession of IT Systems Electronics Technician.

Does your department have a classic workday? If so, what does it look like?

We do. First, I review and sort my e-mails and tickets. Since the goal is to respond to support requests within 2 hours of receipt during business hours, these are prioritized. After that (or sometimes in between), I deal with requests by colleagues and trainees. Next come returns: I test and inspect them and, if necessary, replace the hardware. In between, I also have to attend meetings and take care of administrative tasks.

Can you give me an example of a customer inquiry right now?

They’re all quite different. A few days ago, a customer who had purchased self-service terminals from us asked which cleaning agents they should use to clean the surface of the touchscreens. With our servers and industrial computers, there are often questions about compatibility, for example, when they need to upgrade a PCIe card.

And you guys always have an answer?

Not always, but often. If we don’t, we get the information for the customer from the manufacturer of that component. If the request concerns spare parts that are being discontinued by the manufacturer, we coordinate with the purchasing department. Can we still procure the part, or do we have to come up with a work-around? This can be challenging when it comes to products for customers who depend on a very specific hardware configuration, for example, to maintain backward compatibility with an older software application they still use.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Working with the hardware! We handle a wide variety of systems, both in the server and in the kiosk area. This means we’re confronted with all sorts of different tasks, and we have to be flexible to be able to solve them. Variety is the order of the day when it comes to testing, installing and replacing. Some problems can only be solved through teamwork, with everyone contributing their experience.

You mentioned experience. . To what extent is experience important for your work?

For new employees in Customer Service, it’s a big advantage to have some technical knowledge. However, most of the knowledge you need at our company comes from working with our hardware, handling the systems, and maintaining and repairing them. Over time, you develop something like an intuition for where the problem might be. Every newcomer is thoroughly trained by us, and of course he or she can ask questions of the team at any time. In this way, they pick up the know-how over time with the support of colleagues. Newcomers should also have a certain dexterity in handling tools.

Raphael in Sales recently told me that his customers repeatedly praise Pyramid’s customer service. Some of them ask for a specific colleague My question is: How do you do it? That kind of customer satisfaction doesn’t just happen.

One of the things that are very well received by customers is that we offer “unlimited” e-mail and telephone support. Even after the warranty has expired, a customer can contact us free of charge. Of course, customers also appreciate our helpfulness and reliability. . We always try to help as best and as quickly as we can, and we stay on top of the issues. We have colleagues here in Customer Service who have been on the team for many years, so we can draw on a wealth of experience. Even across departments. And, as already mentioned, we also respond quickly. Some manufacturers have a response time of 24 or 48 hours, but here it’s much less.

Last question! What three words would you use to describe Pyramid?

Competent, reliable, adaptable.

Thank you, Wilhelm, for the insights into your job! I wish you a good day at work!