Interview with a Support Agent

Can you tell me a little bit about your background? Who are you?

Manuel: I’m Manuel, a HAK (commercial academy) graduate. After that, I spent some time looking for work and did all sorts of things. I worked on a ship, then for a supplier, and for a car salesperson – really a wide range of things. So, I wasn't necessarily active in this industry, and I’ve been here at world4you in Customer Care as a support agent for a good 5 years.

How did you come to world4you back then?

Manuel: Basically, I was looking for a new challenge and world4you was brought to my attention through a leasing company. I had an interview right away and did a trial day. I really liked it from the very start. That was that.

How did you prepare for your first interview?

Manuel: I looked at the website a bit, just to have a basic understanding of what the field actually is. To be honest, I didn't know world4you at all before. I had maybe heard of it once or twice, but I didn't really know what the company did.

I just read up on it shortly beforehand. Interestingly, I was lucky that a friend I talked to about this job interview was already a world4you customer at the time. He told me even more about it. If I know a little bit about the company, I can already hold a conversation about it. That’s all I really need. That’s probably not a bad thing in Customer Care, being able to start and potentially lead a conversation spontaneously.

You just spoke about a good trait of yours for Customer Care. Why do you believe you were hired? Which of your qualities do you think were particularly advantageous?

Manuel: It's important to have a certain amount of charisma. Personally, I don't consider myself the ultimate "charmer," but I think I have at least the necessary amount, and I also have relatively good technical know-how. I mean, yes, I had no industry-specific experience before, but I have a general interest in this field. Of course, that helps a lot in this case, and I believe that came across quite well during the first interview. Also, during the trial day, I showed that I had some intuition and interest. I was told later that this was the reason I was hired.

When you think back, how was the start at world4you for you? What stuck with you?

Manuel: The start was pretty cool. That was the first time – since I’ve had several different jobs – where I felt very comfortable right from the beginning. Partly because this was an industry that I was already interested in beforehand.

On the other hand, the working atmosphere was great from the start. You knew: if any question comes up, there is someone who will help you. That meant it was relatively easy for me to integrate into the group immediately, both personally and professionally. And that, of course, made it much easier for me. That had often been a problem in the past because it wasn't that easy at other companies. Or rather, the structures weren't necessarily suitable if you didn't already have experience in that area. You have to teach yourself everything, and that is just demotivating.

If you don't have anyone to teach you and you have to learn everything yourself, you also learn the mistakes because you can't know everything. That was the good thing here (at world4you). When I had a question, I knew exactly that this person has the experience or knowledge, and I can ask them. That simply helps immensely and gives you security. And you need that security when you’re talking to a customer, for example. That was simply there from the start, and it also worked out very well that everyone I started with is actually really cool. This means you also have a great group that you identify with. It just clicked for me.

We’d like to have a little insight into your daily routine. What are your areas of responsibility?

Manuel: Basically, that has changed a bit over time. Now I am responsible for domain support, which means: if someone wants to register a domain, for example, and a question arises or some formality needs to be clarified so that the domain can be registered, it comes to us first. We contact the customer if, for instance, the zip code of the place of birth is missing – which is necessary for a French domain, for example.

There are various requirements for domains, and we help the customer so they know where any potential problems with the registration lie. Or if, for example, a registry still needs missing data. That’s one part. Then we also have contact with the domain registry; if necessary, we check with them what the problem might be at the moment. Those are the main things we are confronted with. Of course, we are also on the phone, where we get inquiries from A to Z. As domain support, we are always the first point of contact. We can answer most of it; if necessary, we connect them to the technical department. That is actually the main part of what I’m doing at the moment. Initially, I was in the billing department.

What happens when an inquiry comes into world4you support via the ticket system? What is the process here?

Manuel: The customer sends an inquiry and can, of course, specify the category of the request. If the category falls under domain support, it comes into our queue. We read through what the customer needs and what the question is, and then we have to figure out what is causing the problem or what the solution could be. It’s not always 100% certain that we know immediately what the problem is because sometimes there are different solution paths. And it’s not always 100% one solution or the other.

This means we usually first give the customer the answer: "This and that is the problem. A could be the solution, try that." If it doesn't work, the customer should contact us again, and then we pass the problem on to the domain registry and ask what the issue could be here. That is actually the main course of action at the moment. Of course, there are often things that can be answered and solved quickly. But usually, that is the process.

What do you enjoy most about your daily tasks?

Manuel: In the end, it’s probably problem-solving. So, when someone has a problem and comes to us, I really enjoy it when I can help them. Whether it's obvious or complicated – that doesn't necessarily make a difference to me. It’s simply that I like being able to help someone. When they then write back "Thanks for the help..." or something like that, I’m very happy about it. Although I’ve been here for over 5 years, that is still what I enjoy the most: knowing that I could help.

What challenges you most in your job? What do you find most difficult?

Manuel: Sometimes the most difficult thing is making your own standpoint clear. To both the customer and colleagues. It’s often the case when a problem exists that we can't solve at all because, for example, there is a technical limitation. Then you have to explain that either to your supervisor or a colleague from another department. If we can't solve it at all, it has to be explained to the customer. That isn't easy at all. It’s simply hard sometimes to admit that something isn't possible in exactly that way.

What comes particularly easily to you?

Manuel: I get along great with the vast majority of customers. I find it very easy to know when a customer has a problem. On one hand, realizing what the problem is in the first place. On the other hand, how the customer can best reach the solution or how I can explain the solution path to them. And that I give the customer the feeling that they are being heard and that we want to help them. Those are the things I can convey quite well. I also find it quite easy because I really want to help the customer. The customer notices my engagement here. I think those are the things I find easiest.

What motivates you most in a job? And to what extent does world4you fulfill that?

Manuel: I’ve already touched on that briefly. For me, it’s simply important that I can help someone or that I notice that I can achieve something and that someone else can achieve something as a result. That’s something I generally like to do, and that is easiest to facilitate in the position I’m in at world4you. I have the direct feedback from the customer as to whether something worked. That’s probably what I enjoy most about work in general and generally with us as well.

What keeps you busy in your free time? How do you like to spend your time?

Manuel: Football, I like watching football. I love gaming. Those are the two main things. But I also enjoy having a beer every now and then.