Interview – Simon Stoel (Technical Coordinator)

From time to time, we will interview an ACS employee. This way we hope to give you a better insight into who we are and who are our people. We ask them both work-related and personal questions. In this issue our Technical Coordinator Simon Stoel is interviewed.

Age: 25

Job title: Technical Coordinator

Number of years working for ACS: 5 years

     1. What did you do before you started working at ACS?

Before I started working for ACS, I successfully completed my study in AV and Event Technology at the Media College in Amsterdam. During that period I completed two internships at ACS, each six months long. Following those, I started working as a technician at ACS and in three years I have grown to my current position as Technical Coordinator.

     2. Which three qualities make you a good Technical Coordinator?

As a Technical Coordinator you work a lot with people and that is exactly what I like to do. In addition to this I am calm, helpful and can think on my feet. This comes in handy when I have to plan jobs beforehand and manage them on location. I know how to keep a cool head in the event of setbacks and I am able to anticipate last minute changes.

     3. What is the main reason you came to work for ACS?

During my studies I enjoyed my time as an intern at ACS. During this period I found out that ACS is a fun organisation with great colleagues and assignments within the conference and events market. The varied work of large and small jobs in combination of working with freelancers and permanent colleagues, really appealed to me. In addition, it was the colleagues themselves who recommended me to work at ACS, which is of course a great compliment for someone who had just completed his studies.

     4. What does an average working day look like for you?

Let’s be clear that my days during this COVID-19 situation look very different, but normally I spend 30% of my time in the office and 70% on location. In the office I am mainly participating in preparing the production. This involves making and monitoring different schedules, like looking at which equipment is suitable and what is available.

On location I am usually the manager of the crew. I ensure a clear division of tasks and that everyone preforms them. The rest of my work depends on the size of the assignment. For small assignments I am a working foreman and I help with the construction myself. For larger jobs, I need that time for contact with the customer and the location.

     5. Where do you get the most satisfaction at work?

When an event has been successful and the customer is happy. It gives extra satisfaction if your own ideas at the start of the process eventually become reality. Especially when the job is done with nice people and without any problems.

     6. What is the most challenging project you have faced at ACS so far? And how did you approach this?

Although every project is challenging, my most challenging job was at Hotel Okura Amsterdam two years ago. At that time I had just grown into the position of Technical Coordinator. It was one of my first assignments as a manager of the crew, while at the same time it was the biggest job of the National Branches in terms of turnover.

It was a customer who wanted everything to be clear and specified. Coordinating with people from different countries sometimes made this difficult. Also challenging was the fact that several changes of rooms and walls had to take place during the event. As a result, many standard setups were not possible to implement. This happened in the evening, which meant that there was a lot of changes in the technical personnel.

Fortunately everything went well and the customer was very satisfied. For that reason I often think back to this challenging and successful event.

     7. What is your best experience at ACS so far?

There are plenty of great memories to think back on when working within such a close team, but the best moments are after a job, when you go out for a bite to eat with colleagues and talk about things that are not related to work .

     8. Why would you recommend working at ACS?

ACS is an excellent learning opportunity. Because of the varied work, the courses that are offered and the possibilities to grow into positions with more responsibility, I learn every day. You will work in a very close team full of people who are always ready to help each other. Fun is a certainty.

     9. What makes you very happy outside working hours?

In my spare time I enjoy doing things together with friends and family. I enjoy ballroom dancing which I have been doing for more than ten years.

     10. What else do people really need to know about you?

I have been passionate about photography since childhood. Nowadays I do too little with it, but I really enjoy doing it. I still take my big camera with me when I travel. However, my interest in photography has ensured that I have come into contact with the AV world. During the open day of the Media College in Amsterdam, where I actually went to look for a Photography education, my interest in AV was awakened. Before that, I didn’t even know that there was a separate market and study for it. For example, no one in my family works in this industry. Funny how things can turn out.