Stijn Wilms, Central Support Engineer
Stijn Wilms is a calm Central Support Engineer who doesn't easily get stressed. Stijn is always available for WPS customers and colleagues, but how well do they know Stijn? In any case, a lot better after reading this Q&A!
1. What is your biggest 'parking blunder'? Have you ever made a hilarious parking mistake?
S: I once had to go to a location for maintenance that required an hour and a half drive. Once there, it turned out to be an entrance without a screen and I had not brought a screen with me. Normally you can still access it via the network, but that was precisely the problem. Fortunately, a colleague was nearby, and he brought a screen. Otherwise, I would have had to drive all the way back to the office.
2. If you were a car, what type of car would you be and why?
S: I like the classic appeal of an old Ford Mustang. However, I also appreciate the practicality of an MPV, which allows for transporting many people and lots of luggage on long journeys. Ideally, combining the engine of a Mustang with the spaciousness of an MPV would be perfect.
3. What are three things you can't live without?
S: My wife and three children and of course our dog, Bobby.
4. What is your guilty pleasure?
S: Listen to Happy Hardcore in the car with the volume really high!
5. What is still on your bucket list?
S: Japan! I think it’s a very beautiful country and that bullet train also seems really cool. My children are fans of Pokémon, so we have to buy Pokémon cards there.
6. If you could swap jobs with a colleague for a day, who would you choose and why?
S: Arno and Ardjan, our outdoor technicians. Not behind the computer for a change but working outside. Although I’m really bad at this, my colleagues know that.
7. What can people wake you up for in the middle of the night, aside from a parking problem?
S: My mother's meatloaf or if anyone has problems. I really don’t want to be woken up for anything other than that.
8. Which everyday task would you like to magically make disappear with a ‘parking wand’?
S: I think bugs in the parking system, if I could make them disappear with a magic wand, that would be very nice
9. What gives you the most energy during your work?
S: That's an easy question! If I have helped people by finding the cause of a problem or preferably solving it. Especially if someone is on location at the customer and he or she can’t resolve the issue. If that colleague can then go home satisfied and the customer is happy, that gives me a good feeling.
10. Do you have a hidden talent that not many people know about?
S: As a child, I played tennis at a high level and also enjoyed football. Eventually, it became difficult to juggle both sports, forcing me to decide between focusing on tennis or football. I opted for football because I found team sports more enjoyable than the solitary nature of tennis. It was a decision I never regretted; I had countless fun experiences with my football team!
11. If you had a time machine and could travel to any period in history, where would you go and why?
S: To London, July 1985, when the Dire Straits played their 'Brothers in Arms' tour. Beautiful performances, beautiful music. I would have liked to have been there, but I was 1 year old at the time.
12. If you had to sing a song in a karaoke bar, which song would you choose and why?
S: I can't sing! Gosh...maybe I'm on fire’ by Bruce Springsteen, I like that song.
13. How would your friends describe you in three words?
S: I think friendly, calm and never stressed.
14. What do you want to achieve professionally?
S: I don't have an end goal, I just want to constantly improve and see what opportunities will present themselves. Learning new things every time is important to me, work should not become monotonous.
15. To whom do you want to pass on the 'Meet our Parking Experts' baton?
S: I would like to hand over the baton to Naomi Redman from the UK. She is always friendly to everyone, hardworking and wears multiple hats over there in the UK. Truly a ‘spider in the web’, which every company needs.
