Csilla Szikoi is a Front Office agent in the Customer Support department (CS). She studied tourism during her Bachelor’s and master’s degree with very different approaches, so she has quite a holistic view of the tourism industry.
“I love my job in Customer Support and when I think of the future, I would love to explore more opportunities and become a Business Analyst. That is what I learned during my studies, but I know that I need to get more practice for that. Right now, I am learning data analysis through small projects at Kiwi.com in my free time,” mentioned Csilla.
Read on to learn more about her work in Customer Support: responsibilities and skills she has gained while working as a Customer Support agent, the culture and atmosphere in this department and more.
Hi Csilla, tell us something about yourself.
I would describe myself as a curious person, because I always want to understand the reasons behind things that happen in the world. I also love to learn new things, and I always have an ongoing project, either work-related, or in my personal life.
Interesting facts about me are that I did synchronized swimming for 6 years when I was a teenager, later I wanted to become a fashion designer, so I learned how to use a sewing machine and I sometimes make clothes for myself. I am also passionate about sustainability and eco-friendly solutions so I am trying to live a minimalist lifestyle.
What are the responsibilities in your current role as a Front Office agent?
I take calls in Hungarian and answer Helpdesk messages in English. I am also a stand-in manager, so whenever my manager is off or not available, I help my team with cases or do the administrative tasks. In the meantime I am also a certified SME (Subject Matter Expert) which means that in the second part of training where newbies have to work on real cases, I help them with solving the cases and finding their way through the processes.
I participate in product testing as well: I tested the Case Management, Amazon Connect and the AI chatbot answers. I recently joined the project of a colleague of mine, where we have meetings with experienced agents from the whole Customer Support department. There we try to establish better communication and understanding between the different lines of business.
Working in Front Office can be quite demanding, however, it is quite rewarding when you can help a passenger with their issue and they are grateful for your efforts. I like the challenge of solving complicated cases, figuring out what went wrong, and coming up with the solution to that.
In your opinion, what makes a good Customer Support agent?
I think the most important skill of a Customer Support agent is to be able to keep yourself calm. By the time passengers call us, they can be upset, so being able to explain all the processes with a calm voice is essential.
After that, the second most important skill is knowing the processes well. Not only to be able to explain them to the passenger but also to spot when there was an error in the system and to be able to come up with solutions for the customer.
And lastly, listening to people is a very useful skill because some people do not really need the solution as much as they just want someone to listen to them.
What are the most important things you’ve learned as a Customer Support agent, and what skills have you improved?
When I started in this position, I thought that I would not be able to control my emotions when a passenger is angry. However, I learned how to stay calm and to be empathetic but straightforward at the same time, and patiently explain everything to the passengers.
What is your definition of a dream place of work?
My dream place of work allows me to grow both personally and professionally and supports me in my journey.
What role does Kiwi.com culture play in your dream place of work?
I am very happy that I have a lot of opportunities to learn in the company. There are many interesting webinars, access to learning sites, and the Kiwi to Kiwi Mentoring Program. I am actually part of the Mentoring Program for one year already, where I am learning data analysis, which is a completely new skill for me. I also met people from all over the world thanks to the international environment and I made really good friends here.
What’s important to you in the workplace?
For me the atmosphere and the mentality are the most important at work. By atmosphere, I mean, no matter how bad a day you have, your colleagues can always cheer you up a little. And regarding the mentality, I like to see when people listen to each other and are open to new solutions and suggestions. And I think Kiwi.com is good at both.
Are you interested in boosting your career at Kiwi.com Customer Support? Check our open positions and don’t hesitate to apply.