Many MSPs and their customers may still not have heard or made use of the NETGEAR Business Pro WiFi team. In a nutshell, they provide end-to-end services supporting NETGEAR’s Total Network Solution, including design, product selection, training, troubleshooting and post-sales help.
But who exactly is this team of network superheroes? How did they get to those roles, what makes their day, and why do they think the team makes a difference to our channel partners and their customers? We spoke to a selection of the team who, between them, provide 24/7 support around the world.
IN THIS ARTICLE
We started by asking them: How you became part of the Pro WiFi team?
First up is Systems Engineer Andreas Ruether, who is based in Germany and also supports Austria and Switzerland. Says Andreas, “I’m both an electronics engineer and computer scientist, and I’ve been playing with technology since I was a kid in the early 80s. I have always been the person people turn to for IT and networking help. When the opportunity to join NETGEAR came up in 2019, I was already familiar with the company. Most technicians like me have a five-port NETGEAR switch in their bag: it’s like having a screwdriver in your toolbox. You have to have a NETGEAR switch.”
Keith Nielsen is a Senior Sales Engineer in North America, but his first career was a far cry from networking, as he explains: “I was a phlebotomist, but I was also the person colleagues turned to sort out IT issues. When the phlebotomy role ended, I returned to school, got my IT certifications, started working for technology companies, and became more involved in networking. That led to me joining NETGEAR in 2012, and I still love the job today.”
Netherlands-based Pre-sales Engineer Gillian Roseval, who also covers Benelux and the Nordics, says: “I was always interested in networking technology and previously worked for an ISP, a distributor, a systems integrator, and an MSP, gathering skills along the way. When the NETGEAR opportunity came along, it just had to be.”
Iphie Chen, Director of Product Management and located in San Jose, comes from an automotive engineering background. “I started my career at Volkswagen in China, collecting customer feedback and working with the internal team to resolve issues and enhance products. I realized that I enjoyed giving customers a better product and wanted to do more of that, so I moved to the US, did an MBA, and joined NETGEAR, initially as a product line manager.”
Technical Head for India, SAARC, and the Middle East, Manab Mallick, previously worked for a contact center that supported NETGEAR products. “When the company started operations in India, I was approached to join the team and have grown along with the company. I now lead a team of 15 staff, including contractors.”
Harsha Nagaraju, Director of Engineering for North America, worked for a diverse range of top technology firms before joining NETGEAR in 2013 and witnessed the company’s growth and evolution firsthand. “I have seen NETGEAR Business transition from a hardware vendor into a total network solution provider.”
So what do they do – and why do they think that matters?
Manab, India: “As a telco engineer, I mainly work on the design side to provide an end-to-end solution and assist customer deployments, which, because this is a large geographic region, means I travel a lot. What we do can make a lot of difference. For instance, we had a university customer with around 500 access points and was experiencing connectivity issues. We sent in an engineer for two days, and he found the problem was not our products but a firewall from another vendor. The issue was fixed, and the customer was happy.”
Keith, USA: “I support a large team in the US, and I am mainly focused on the design side, such as creating heat maps to help find the best places for access points and other devices. One VAR I work with says that our heat maps have helped his business grow in leaps and bounds because he already has a heat map and a detailed quotation by the time his competitors are catching up on an opportunity.”
Andreas, Germany: “Much of my time is spent designing networks. I think the Total Network Solution is a great idea and opens up the ability to build a wide range of networks, even very large ones. I am the interface that makes sure customers get exactly what they need. I also host a couple of webinars a week to help educate our integrators.”
Harsha, USA: “I lead the Pro WiFi design team, and I am proud to lead a team of highly skilled people: the Pro WiFi team is unique in the industry.” Harsha is also senior director of engineering for wireless access points and supervises an impressive cloud infrastructure software development environment based on DevOps, featuring automated virtual test labs enabling NETGEAR to simulate endless customer scenarios.
Gillian, The Netherlands: “My core responsibility is to support our VARs or MSPs so that they can keep focused on their business and servicing their customers. They shouldn’t have to study our portfolio to understand all our new products: that’s my role and where I believe we add value.”
Iphie, USA: “Every day is different, but it all comes back to providing our total network solution and offering excellent pre- and post-sale support. I manage a team across three different timezones, so between us, we provide round-the-clock service, giving our customers quick feedback, which in turn we can use to enhance our solutions.”
Finally, what do they love most about their jobs?
Harsha, USA: “Even though the company has grown so much, it still feels like a start-up, and I get to meet customers. Working for NETGEAR is very rewarding.”
Manab, India: “I enjoy meeting people and explaining the benefits of a brand that is not overhyped: it promises and delivers. Also, I have learned from my local and global colleagues that being customer-first is always what matters most.”
Gillian, The Netherlands: “I like the interaction with people and getting involved in new projects. We also have a lot of freedom within NETGEAR to develop new ideas. Also, we are a hands-on company, which directly translates into the success of our partners. And I have a good connection with my international colleagues – we can learn from each other.”
Keith, USA: “Interacting with people, having that human connection, is the part of my job I love the best. Being able to work with people, understand their standpoint and what they want all contributes to a great design. Ultimately, what we are looking for is customer satisfaction and if we get that, I’m happy with what we are doing.”
Andreas, Germany: “Speaking with people and then finding a solution is the fun stuff. And what we are doing with NETGEAR Business Total Network Solution is very cool.”
Iphie, USA: “In my previous job, I had already worked out what I wanted to do: make people happy with the best products and this job gives me that opportunity. It’s satisfying to see people recognize the value of our products and how those can make a difference to them.”
Well said, Iphie. You and your colleagues should be proud of your collective achievements as the Pro WiFi Team supporting the NETGEAR Business Total Network Solution. Click here to learn more about how the team can help you too.
