CAREER SPOTLIGHT: PLAYER SUPPORT

As we head towards the Women in Games Careers, Development & Networking Expo, we take a look at one of the less discussed roles within the industry, namely Player Support. We spoke to Joanna Winczura, Project Lead at our Corporate Ambassador Testronic to find what her work entails…

What was your background before working at Testronic?
In the past I was working in marketing, but after a while I realised I wanted something else. Three years ago, I decided to look for a job and I found one as a Support Agent at Testronic. I found great pleasure in helping other players. Being a player myself makes it way easier for me to understand them. In fact, one of the biggest components of my day-to-day job is to be empathetic.

After a while, I was promoted to Associate Lead, and sometime after that I became a Project Lead. Since I was really into the job, I performed well and was very proactive to take on additional tasks. For example, I was backing up for the Project Lead at that time. My interactions with the client also went well, so the transition into my new role was very smooth.

Were you looking for a job in support when you applied at Testronic, or was it a coincidence?
I was specifically looking for a job in the video games industry. But sadly, I am not a programmer nor an artist… I wanted to look for something where I could use my skills to help other players. Therefore, getting into player support was an obvious decision.

Tell us a more about the job. What does it entail? What does an average day or week in your life look like?
Most of my time is divided between the client and the Support Agents. It is my responsibility to oversee and manage our services for the client. I talk with the agents a lot, it helps me to get a better understanding how we can improve our services. One of the most important things for me is to treat other people as human beings.

The agents in my team are a mix of gamers and non-gamers. Not all gamers have the right skills to be a player support agent, and sometimes it’s actually more important to have good customer service skills. However, I always spend time with the non-gamers to help them understand issues from a player’s perspective. For example, if you are not a player, it’s hard for you to understand that losing progress is a pain. I’m always there for my agents to help them find the best solution for the players.

As far as the client is concerned, I really love working with them because they involve me a lot in their decision-making process. If there is a new update in the game, they not only ask what feedback the players are giving, but they ask for my opinion as well. Since I’ve been working with them for three years, they know that I can bring something to the table.

Do you think an agent can deliver better support if they are a gamer themselves? Being a player helps, but it is not a must-have. I can teach agents all they need to know. However, like I said before, if you are not a player it’s hard for you to understand certain aspects of gaming. At Testronic we pay special attention to this, as we strongly believe that understanding the players greatly influences their happiness with the support we provide.

What advice would you give to someone considering a similar career?
I’m tempted to say that being proactive is extremely important. It greatly helped me to grow my career. Make sure that you deliver high-quality work and be willing to help others. Show that you care about your client, and always be open to learn more.