Interview with Andrey Pyatigorsky

When users need technical help with the program, advice, or want to pass an idea to the developers, they most often turn to Planoplan Support. We spoke with Andrey Pyatigorsky, the head of this department, to introduce you to the team, show you the inner workings, and explain how everything is set up for your convenience.

Path to Support and Philosophy of Help

 — Andrey, your journey at the company didn’t start in support. Tell us how you came to this role.

It was an evolution. I joined the team as a tester and simultaneously started helping users with technical questions. Gradually, this work captivated me — there was a thrill in solving non-standard tasks. For example, I was actively involved in implementing and configuring a new system for handling requests when we were transitioning to the current solution. When the company decided to make support a separate dedicated direction, I gladly took the lead.

— Which skill from your past experience turned out to be invaluable here?

The ability to teach and explain patiently. Before IT, I was heavily involved in employee training and customer service. That cultivated patience and the ability to find common ground with anyone, which is the foundation of our work.

— The main stereotype about support is “robots with templates.” Do you agree with that?

Absolutely not. Templates are just a framework for speed, but every request is unique. Our stance: a dry, templated response is a failure. We always adapt the response to the situation and the person because our task is to help, not just to reply and move on.

— What’s the most challenging part of being the “voice of the company” to the user?

Balancing empathy for the user’s problem and honesty on behalf of the product. Sometimes you need to gently explain that the issue isn’t a bug but, for example, the correct, though non-obvious, behavior of the program. What helps is deep product knowledge and a sincere desire to get to the bottom of things.

— Your personal way to blow off steam after a tense conversation?

(Laughs) Push-ups. 20-25 reps — and I can get back to work with a clear head.

The Team Inside: How Those Who Help You Work

— Please introduce your team.

We’re a small team right now, just two people, but we cover all communication channels. On the front line is Stefan Nikolić. He’s been with us a little under a year but has already become a true “walking encyclopedia” of Planoplan. Stefan understands the program’s nuances perfectly, stays calm, and is always ready to help. My role has shifted more towards strategy, process management, and handling the most complex, non-standard cases. We constantly exchange knowledge and back each other up.

— How do you find such people? Do you have an internal “detector”?

Since I’ve done a lot of hiring in the past, I trust a combination of experience and personal impression. We look not only at skills but also at soft qualities: the ability to listen, conflict avoidance, and a genuine desire to solve problems, not argue. My “detector” hasn’t failed me yet — we look for like-minded people.

User Guide: How to Communicate with Support Effectively

— Let’s set the record straight. Where and how should you write to get your issue resolved as quickly as possible?

It depends on the type of question. Let’s break it down:

Problems with your project, bugs, questions about tariffs, personal data — only through the built-in chat in the program or via email at support@planoplan.com. Here, we can immediately prioritize the request and, with respect to your data, securely access the project for a detailed analysis.

Why is this important? First, full context (ID, screenshots, step-by-step description) lets us resolve the issue much faster. Second, we automatically detect your tariff and follow the response priority set on the “Pricing” page. Users on the “Expert” and “Business” tariffs pay partly for speed, and we are obliged to provide it to them.

— What can a user do right away to help you help them?

Three golden rules:

1. Check the Help Center. The answer might already be waiting for you in an article.
2. Describe the problem in detail. Instead of “nothing works,” describe your steps and actions in the program sequentially, the device you’re using, and provide a screenshot highlighting the issue. If needed, we’ll request log files in further correspondence, explaining exactly where to find them on your computer.
3. Provide your User ID and Project ID. This is the key to instant access to the right context.

— What’s a non-obvious life hack in Planoplan that you love to show?

Oh, the zero-height wall! It’s used to create openings in floors and ceilings, zone coverings, form niches, pool contours, double-height spaces, and other architectural solutions. These walls aren’t visible in 3D view, but in 2D they allow you to precisely set boundaries for objects and zones. We have a separate article about this in the Help Center. But once, a user in our community shared a brilliant practical application — outlining heated floor contours for accurate area calculation. It’s a perfect example of how the community and support together uncover the program’s capabilities.

 The People Behind the Questions

— What moments at work give you a positive charge?

When a user who just asked a question immediately writes: “Never mind, figured it out myself!” We genuinely rejoice for them. Or when they send photos of an interior realized based on our visualizations. That’s the best thank-you, even if marked “not for publication”.

— How do you feel your work influences Planoplan’s development?

We are an important sensor. We categorize and analyze every request. This analytics is a direct input into the product. Many improvements and fixes start precisely with your messages to support. We don’t “hunt” for bugs in the code on purpose — that’s what developers and testers do. But sometimes we are the first to notice them, document them thoroughly, and pass them on to the team so the fix is precise and quick.

— If your team had an internal, heartfelt motto, what would it be?

“Only Planoplan”. It’s about our fan-like love for the product and our focus on it.

Lightning Round for Andrey

— Chat or email?

The best option is contacting us via the in-program chat. Such requests are automatically assigned to us, and we get the corresponding notifications. But there’s one nuance: if a user clears temporary files on their computer, the chat history isn’t preserved. So, if keeping the correspondence history is important to you, it’s better to use email. Messages to support@planoplan.com are processed in queue order based on the tariff plan.

— Coffee or tea?

Coffee. No question.

— Emojis in correspondence, yes or no?

Of course, yes! They ease tension and make communication more human.

— Cats or dogs?

(Laughs) A toughness test! Historically, I’m a dog person, but I dream of having a cat. For now, we have a dog, fish, a royal python, two adorable rats, and a gecko at home.

— The ideal user is...

...someone who proactively looks for answers in our materials, isn’t afraid to ask questions when they genuinely have them, shares their experience and feedback, sees real people behind the screen, and writes with respect. I want to thank every user for their trust, questions, and feedback — Planoplan is getting better thanks to you too. Personally and on behalf of the support team, I promise: we are here, we hear you, and we are always ready to help you figure things out, even in the most complex situations.