Textkernel’s support and customer success team connect with customers and help them to resolve issues. Semantic search and matching technology can be used in many different ways and with technical consultancy and support we aim to set up optimal environments from the get-go. Support and customer success are an essential and important team in this process. That’s why we talked to Andrea Bravo Balado, who leads the team, to give us some more insights into her daily work.
By Andrea Bravo Balado
When did you start working for Textkernel and how did you find out about the company?
I started working for Textkernel in October 2014. I had an interview with a different company and while checking the LinkedIn profile of the person who was going to interview me, I saw she had done an internship at Textkernel. So I took a look and applied. A few months later she also came back to Textkernel, so I guess I made the right choice!
What does a typical day in your team look like?
It’s hard to describe a typical day because in most cases, no day is like the next. I work mostly on ad-hoc tasks since I lead the support team but I also have deadlines that I need to meet for planned work. In general, we’re always busy but we have a nice atmosphere and joke around while we work on cases and help out customers. We also get to work with almost all other teams in the company so it’s really challenging and interesting.
What do you like the most about your job? What’s your favourite task?
I love my job! I like that I can have very technical tasks but I also get to talk to a lot of different colleagues and customers. It’s a role that really combines technical and social skills. The atmosphere is great, everyone is open to new colleagues and willing to help you find your way. No day passes by without laughter and some jokes.
What tools do you use to manage your day-to-day tasks?
We spend most of our days between our email inbox, Git and JIRA as well as various tools within the Linux command line. But of course we also use the phone!
How do you handle multiple competing priorities in your team?
Each team member is very independent, so for the most part the priorities are set individually, of course always aligning with the whole team, which happens during our daily stand-up meeting, when we discuss and adjust the priorities for the day together.
What kind of skills are essential to succeed in your position?
Communication skills are very important: you need to be able to speak with all kinds of customers and colleagues. Furthermore, you definitely need great problem-solving skills and be the kind of person who doesn’t stop until the root cause is found and is also not afraid to reach out for help when needed.
What did you want to be when you grew up? Is your current job your dream job?
I wanted to be a pre-school teacher or a journalist. In the end I chose a very different career (Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence) and I’m very happy I did! I don’t think I could have dreamed of being a software engineer because I didn’t have any role models for it, so I could still say this is my dream job!
Are you curious about the support team? We are hiring! Have a look at our career website!
About the interviewee
Andrea Bravo Balado is from Venezuela and came to the Netherlands in 2010 to study Artificial Intelligence. She fell in love with Amsterdam and started working for the Professional Service and Support Team at Textkernel. In her free time she enjoys singing, dancing, great conversations, board games and swimming. In September she will participate in the Amsterdam City Swim event.
