Advisor Customer Service en Coach Customer Service
Advisor Customer Contact
Customer Service
Works in Leeuwarden and from home
Lives in Leeuwarden
At VodafoneZiggo since 2022
Advisor Coach Customer Contact
Customer Operations
Works in Leeuwarden and from home
Lives in Leeuwarden
At VodafoneZiggo since 2017
Peter Bijlsma is full of determination. And so is Lotte de Graaf, his coach at VodafoneZiggo. Together, they searched for a place in the company where Peter could give his best, despite being paralysed on his right side. "We were both very keen to make his role a success."
"When I first met Peter, his enthusiasm and positive attitude made a deep impression on me," says Lotte. "From day one, Peter and I were determined to bring out his qualities here on the work floor. VodafoneZiggo is an employer for everybody, which takes an open mind and the courage to do things differently. Such freedom is precisely what we get, and that fills us with energy."
Following his successful application, Peter started at Vodafone's customer service. "I'd never done telephone work before, but I was given the confidence and took the leap." Lotte: "We looked carefully at his workspace needs, arranged custom training and offered him a work schedule to match his capabilities." Customer contact soon proved to suit him just fine, Lotte recalls. "He really knows how to win people over."
Peter: "Callers with technical problems can sometimes be unhappy, or even angry. I make sure they understand that I'm there for them. Making a connection and putting a smile on people's faces, that's what I'm all about. Just last week I had a lady with a disability on the line. 'Grab a chair,' I said, 'and we'll take a good look at your remote control together. We'll take all the time you need.' The lady eventually solved the problem herself. 'You see,' I said to her, 'you can do it!'"
Nevertheless, Peter noticed that something was holding him back. "I found the system I had to work with difficult, as well as finding the right answers for customers. After a lot of struggling, I seriously considered throwing in the towel. Lotte and my People Lead, Maartje, helped me to keep going. 'Trust us, it'll work out,' they said. 'We'll find a place for you where you can shine, and solutions to all the obstacles. Please, keep at it a little longer!' Thanks to this kind of pep talk, I managed to pull through."
Behind the scenes, Lotte and her colleagues were working on a switch. Lotte: "A new plan for Peter! At Ziggo's customer service, they use a different system that shows the answers on screen immediately. We thought Peter would be able to use that more easily." And they were right. Through one-on-one training, Peter was taught all about Ziggo's systems and products. With a smile, Peter continues: "So in addition to mobile, I now know all about internet and TV, too. I'm really at home here now, and it feels great."
Peter's drive and positive outlook on life are amazing. This developed when he visited the Johan Cruijff Foundation as a teenager. "I saw how people with disabilities were treated as equals, and included in society. That made a big impression on me." In turn, Lotte is impressed by Peter. "He wants to do what others do and uses every opportunity fully. That's a very inspiring quality that reflects on those around him. Because we all face challenges. Life's all about how you deal with them, and Peter is very good at that."
