Meet Joachim,

As a Senior Support Engineer, I work at the customer’s site. There I am responsible for supporting important end users, among other things, because I can keep a cool head and communicate with VIPs in a professional manner. The questions I get asked are very broad, ranging from computer problems to specific questions about smartphones – just about anything to do with IT.

First of all: to be empathetic. As a support person, you always have to ask yourself: how would I like to be helped? If you have that attitude, then it’s very much appreciated by the customer. I provide support to a wide variety of people, from those who have an affinity for IT to those who are complete laypeople when it comes to technology. So it is important to be able to communicate clearly at all these levels. You also have to be able to react very quickly, because customers want to be relieved of their problem immediately. Finally, you must remain professional at all times. If someone has lost all their data, then you have to be able to respond quickly and, above all, stay calm.

I already knew about Cheops when I was still working for a previous employer. After working in Brussels for a few years, I moved to Antwerp and looked for something closer to home. Cheops was right there on my shortlist of interesting employers.

I especially remember the warm welcome and the job interview going smoothly. Cheops stood out for me. They also took into account my preference for working in Antwerp. Today I cycle to work every day.

I have seen Cheops grow enormously over the past few years. We are now firmly on the map. It is great to be part of a company that is constantly evolving and be able to do a job that I really love doing. The technical aspect is important – I make sure I keep up to date with new technologies – but the people aspect is the reason I want to keep doing this job. I enjoy helping people. As for my personal ambitions, my Japanese studies are very important to me. My wife and in-laws are Japanese and I want to communicate better with them. After five years of study, I am pleased with my progress. At home we now only watch Japanese TV.

“En garde” means being ready for whatever comes your way. In my position, I see how this term applies to me. Fencing is about precision, reacting quickly, always staying focused and wanting to go for it. And being proactive. In the IT world it is best to solve problems before they become visible, without the customer even noticing anything.