The problem solver
On duty for the Geberit IT Service Center
Forgotten passwords, dubious e-mails or broken hardware: the Geberit Group IT Service Centre handles around 29,000 requests from around the world every year. For IT expert Carola Bosler, it's a job full of variety, exciting encounters – and a borderline experience.
19 July 2024: a faulty update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike caused computers to crash worldwide. At Geberit, too. Carola Bosler remembers this day well: a blue screen in the entrance area of the Geberit IT Service Centre in Pfullendorf (DE) was the first sign that this would not be a normal day.
First point of contact
As a member of the service hotline team, she and her colleagues are the first point of contact for all Geberit employees with IT problems. “On 19 July 2024, we were working flat out,” she recalls. The phones were ringing non-stop and the mailbox was flooded with requests. It was a real challenge for the 13-strong IT service team working in Pfullendorf and Rapperswil-Jona (CH).
Fortunately, most days are less hectic. Nevertheless, with 29,000 requests per year – around 120 per day – the IT service team faces new challenges every day. These range from helping people with forgotten passwords to dealing with a telephone that has been run over by a forklift truck.
Between gratitude and frustration
Carola Bosler likes the unpredictability of her work – and she enjoys interacting with Geberit employees from all over the world. “The vast majority is very grateful for the support. Some even express their thanks effusively.” These are the moments that motivate her.
Of course, there are also situations in which the person she is dealing with is frustrated, for example if they are annoyed about an update that starts a few minutes before an important meeting. But Carola Bosler has a solution for this too: “Stay calm, show understanding and solve the issue professionally.”
There's no such thing as a standstill
Carola Bosler's ability to work well with people is no coincidence. Before she entered the world of IT, she completed an apprenticeship in retail. “I like being able to help someone directly,” she says. However, she was increasingly struggling with IT problems at her previous employer. “I wanted to know how I could solve the problems myself.” After a second apprenticeship as an IT management assistant, she joined Geberit in 2021. And because constant learning is essential, particularly in the IT sector, she completed further education to become an IT service technician the year before last, alongside her job.