Ruedi Bleisch is 59 years old. In the summer, he is a farmer near Bonaduz, more precisely in Scardanal, and in the winter he works in Mission Control. He has been working for the Weisse Arena Group in the winter since 1992. He started out as a ski patroller, then 11 years ago he moved to the operations center, the heart of the winter sports area – today's Mission Control. It's not just the name of his workplace that has changed over the years; a lot has happened as a result of digitalization and the conversion of the Crap Sogn Gion mountain station into Galaaxy. In this interview, Ruedi talks about how he likes the change and what special experiences he has already had at Galaaxy.
Ruedi, how do you like the redesigned GALAAXY?
It's really something new, and I think the restaurant is very well done. I also think Mission Control is great. I think it's really exciting for guests to see what goes on behind the scenes at the LAAX operations center.
What do you like most about Mission Control?
What I like best is that we are closer to the guests and, above all, that people can see everything we do. Before, we were hidden away, and I think some people thought it was just a normal office job. But it's so much more than that! We are the point of contact for almost everyone on the mountain and often have an advisory role. We coordinate the snow groomers, mountain railway employees, patrollers, and so on. There is so much involved, which is why I think "Mission Control" is a very fitting name. It is the heart of the LAAX ski resort.
What has changed in your work since the renovation?
Apart from the fact that we are more in the public eye, not much has changed. Journalists now come by and take an interest in our work. Recently, for example, SRF visited us. We now operate more screens. However, due to ongoing digitalization, there have been many changes in recent years, so we are flexible and adaptable. Just three years ago, I was able to do the work in the operations center on my own, but today it takes two people.
What is it like to work under the gaze of guests?
The guests walking by don't bother us at all. When we're focused on our work, we don't notice anything going on outside. I think a fight could break out right in front of the window and we wouldn't even notice.
Do you miss your old workplace?
Yes, I do miss something. At our old workplace, we could see two-thirds of the ski resort at a glance because we had a large window front. Now we have to rely on webcams. But otherwise, I think the change is positive.
What was the funniest thing you saw through the window?
Since Mission Control is right next to the hidden entrance to the women's restroom, we often see women wandering around, unable to find the restroom. Many of them simply use the men's restroom.
