From Tennis and teaching Czech to satisfied customers: David Baláš in Sloneek 🎾

Sep 12, 2023 3 min reading

Sloneek introduces himself – Nr.3 David Baláš

David is the main character in our happiness team. He was also the first to master, understand and set up Sloneek in 2 days. So it is living proof that our application is not that complicated 😊. Moravák in soul and body. As a former professional tennis player and coach, he knows more about customer service than you might think.

How did you get to Sloneek?

In fact, before I started at Sloneek, I knew basically nothing about him. But I came across his job offer and was very impressed with the style in which it was written. I thought I’d just give it a shot, even though I met virtually none of the requirements for the position. I think that if someone other than Milan was sitting on the other side, I’d probably be hanging on some internal bulletin board as a sample exotic. But Milan and I sat together and it clicked.

You are a former tennis player. How did you actually get into a “classic” job?

Good question. After the end of the competition, I taught Czech for some time privately and coached tennis. But I never fully respected the boundaries of the field, that it should somehow define a person. I was looking for an energetic team with a vision, startup positions that will have drive.

What are you actually responsible for at Sloneek as a customer happiness manager?

When I first saw my position officially spelled out, I knew I was going to sweat explaining it. 😊 I really make sure that customers have a smooth onboarding. I guide the client through the entire process, give him the necessary support, help with setting up the application and so on. At the same time, I collect feedback from customers, which I evaluate and pass on to colleagues from the product.

At the same time, it is daily care for our existing clients. My KPIs are calculated based on how satisfied our clients are.

So you are the first line, the first bumper, whom the customer pokes?

Exactly. 😊

What do you think a company should do to have satisfied customers?

To be able to create a feeling towards the customer that we are there for him. It sounds like a cliché, what is written in a website claim, but you really need to listen to their needs. And also shape the product not only according to what we as a company want, but also to a certain extent according to the customer experience. This should not be something artificial or forced, it should be a natural process. And I’m glad that people in our team feel the same way. I believe that customers feel the human approach. When we create HR software, it is necessary to respect the requirements of HRists and HRists.

Will you also use something from your coaching and teaching career in your work?

It may sound absurd, but I think learning Czech or coaching tennis gave me a pretty good foundation for a support position, even though it may seem like a completely different area. Above all, I learned patience and communication with a wide variety of different people with different problems and needs.

You will be at Sloneek for a year in September. What do you enjoy most about it?

I am very excited about the wonderful people I have around me, from whom I can learn something every day and with whom we can inspire each other. I enjoy the company culture – mutual trust, selfless help, that we can rely on each other and it is not something forced, but simply something that is done. And that’s really great.

So do you manage to keep the team spirit, even if you each work on a different side of the country?

I would say yes. And I think it’s thanks to the fact that we all come from different backgrounds and put together an interesting mix, and together we create a motivating environment that drives our product forward. Everyone tries to give a little more than they might have to, and it shows in Sloneek’s development.

What do you do in your free time? Do you pee sometimes?

I pee in the ball all the time, every day. I am still involved in coaching. Otherwise, I love learning about new cultures. I have visited many countries, I like to remember Tanzania or India, for example. I’m a little sad that my hitchhiking years are probably behind me. But my greatest passion in life is probably chess.