Meet the ASQS Support Heroes: Interview with Bernd Schönbauer

Interview    /    October 11, 2024

Ever wondered what makes the iQSMS customer support so exceptional? We’re giving you an inside look! This week, we caught up with Bernd Schönbauer, Head of our Customer Support Team, for a virtual coffee chat.
Bernd leads a team of 12 talented professionals, spread across Vienna, Calgary, and Bangkok. Together, they provide expert assistance to over 370 iQSMS customers worldwide. In 2023 alone, they handled an incredible 8,078 support tickets—a whopping 40% increase from the previous year! 

And they do it fast, with an average response time of just 1 hour and 20 minutes. The team offers support in German and English, and collectively speaks over 10 languages, ensuring a smooth experience for all our customers.

  • Bernd, can you walk us through a typical work day?
    Sure! Mornings are all about getting a head start. I review new support tickets, coordinate with the Bangkok team during our daily support meeting, and make sure everything is in sync. By noon, we aim to have tackled high-priority requests, leaving room for a well-deserved lunch break.The afternoon is just as busy. I’m usually in meetings with other departments and management, ensuring everyone’s on the same page. You’ll also find me in our online “town square” guiding and supporting our support staff. Whether it’s answering process questions or providing insights on iQSMS, I’m here to help them shine. Twice a week, we have a late afternoon catch-up with the Calgary office, ensuring seamless support across time zones.Beyond these core activities, there’s also plenty of internal work like feedback analysis, providing input on new developments from a customer service perspective, and gathering data for our support statistics.

  • What motivates you most about being part of the ASQS team?
    Without a doubt, it’s the amazing people I work with. Every day, I’m surrounded by colleagues passionate about pushing themselves and delivering the best customer service in the industry. That’s an incredibly inspiring environment!

Bernd Schönbauer

”Customer support isn’t just about resolving tickets. It’s the heart of every great experience — it’s where care meets solutions.”

  • When building a strong support team, what qualities do you find most valuable?
    “Sleuth skills” are key! Our team thrives on being resourceful investigators, constantly curious and driven to find solutions and answers.
  • What brings you the most satisfaction in your role?
    Seeing customers leverage iQSMS to its full potential. Helping them succeed and achieve their goals is the ultimate reward!
  • Finally, how do you measure the success of the ASQS support department?
    We have a two-pronged approach. One involves hard numbers like response times and ticket resolution rates. But equally important are qualitative measures – ensuring genuine support that empowers our customers to achieve their goals.

  • Let’s get personal! Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere?
    Anywhere with fantastic surfing! Catching waves on pristine beaches is a dream of mine.
  • So, coffee, tea, or something else to fuel your day?
    Lately, I’ve been hooked on Thai iced milk tea, but being in Vienna, coffee is a close second.
  • Any favorite aviation movies you’d recommend?
    “Hot Shots” or “Airplane!” always make me laugh. They portray aviation with hilarious accuracy!
  • Lastly, how do you unwind after a busy week?
    Music is my ultimate stress reliever. Whether it’s listening to my favorite artists or jamming on the guitar and bass myself, music helps me recharge and come back refreshed.
  • Is there anything else you’d like to share?
    Actually, we’re in the midst of rebranding the Support Department. We’re aiming to make the different roles and functions within our team more visible. We’ve just started internally, so details are still under wraps, but I’m excited to share more as we progress.
  • Sounds exciting, we look forward to hearing more about it and thank you for talking to us today.
    Absolutely! Stay tuned for updates, and if you’re interested in joining our growing team, check out our careers page here.