If a customer has a problem with their Wi-Fi, the solution is close at hand. VodafoneZiggo's WiFi Crew - a team of technical go-getters who don’t let go until everything is fixed - is always ready to help. WiFi Crew adviser Mitchell Hellemond proudly tells us about his job. "Whatever happens, we’ll fix it."

In his free time, Mitchell writes catchy choruses as a singer-songwriter. In the WiFi Crew, he is a jack-of-all-trades with boundless interest in everything computers and tech. He talks to us about his work with infectious enthusiasm. “I love helping people the way I’d like to be helped myself. Mostly because this requires empathy. If a customer has been struggling with a problem for a while, they may not be as chipper as someone who is calling for the first time. You have to sense that and, above all, respond with understanding."

As well as empathy, you obviously need technical knowledge, Mitchell adds. “We’re a team of nerds and IT people. Many of us have a gamer background and understand computers and devices. That’s a valuable addition to the training and systems that are provided to us. For example, we work with a programme that allows you to read very complex signal values from modems. This is technically very challenging, but we are well trained in it."

Range of possibilities
 To detect a Wi-Fi problem, Mitchell starts by checking the main signal that is received at the meter cupboard. "If everything is working, I go deeper and deeper into the house, so to speak. With the customer's permission, I can even watch via a video link, or read the data from a modem." All sorts of problems can come into play, Mitchell explains. "Lead in the walls can block the signal, there might be cable damage in the meter cupboard or somewhere in the neighbourhood, there could be interference from the neighbour's network, an old printer can get in the way of the software, or it could just be a brand-new TV with a broken network card. Anything is possible."

This job is all about problem-solving. "If we’re not able to fix it during the first phone call, I can remain a client's regular contact person. This enables me to guide people towards a solution and to finish what I started. But I’m not alone in this task. To begin with, I exchange a lot of knowledge with my colleagues. In addition, a community of experts from across the company is on hand to help us. There is also a Tech Desk with experts who can dive really deeply into the systems. If the Crew sees that there are problems in the network, we escalate it to Network Management. So, as you can see, there is a healthy company culture that allows us to consult each other to find a way forward."

Rewarding work
 Mitchell loves that he really gets to help customers. "Serious problems sometimes take weeks to fix. For example, if the issue originates in the architecture of a house. Especially in these cases, it is very valuable for customers to speak to the same person throughout." Mitchell's desk is testament to the impact of his work, as it hosts a collection of thank-you cards from customers. "I even have a handwritten letter here sent by a customer with a tricky router problem. I approached the right experts and got the poor guy optimally connected again, within two days. He was very thankful for my help!"