Rahul JR
Life at Zoho
Describe your current role in the organization.
Currently, I am a Senior Product Manager for Zoho Desk. I handle the core modules of Zoho Desk and spearhead the Radar app (a mobile app powered by Zoho Desk) overseeing the entire SDLC process. My role involves leading a team of design architects building a whole new design system, and mentoring a pool of product managers, PM associates, and content writers. My current focus is on creating and nurturing an all-inclusive platform everyone could use by following a web-accessibility approach for our products and services.
What role does Zoho’s company culture play in your identity and the work that you do?
As a brand, we’ve changed shapes, moved different places, and grown leaps and bounds, but the ethos and core culture of the company have remained the same. The best part of Zoho is the freedom to express our thoughts and to take ownership of given opportunities. This has helped me identify and balance a customer-centric and a product-centric approach toward building world-class stuff. No matter what heights we achieve, we are grounded in the roots, and that ethos is our identification, which resonates in all my work.
At Work
Is there a project or an accomplishment at Zoho you’re proud of?
The 2016 Zoho Desk launch was a critical milestone in my career. I was the product manager responsible for the release of the new version. We were focused on delivering a new context-aware help desk solution for businesses with various customer service needs. The product launched on November 18th, 2016, in a small town called Tenkasi (South India), and it is an important accomplishment for me in my career.
Your most embarrassing blunder?
I was handling a customer escalation without realizing that he wanted to speak to the supervisor of a pizza shop. Finally, I connected the customer with the pizza folks on another line!
Another embarrassing moment was receiving a call during my presentation at a Partner Summit. The partners and audience asked me to answer the call on the stage. The session stumbled, and it took a while for me to get things back on track. Blunders and failures are the steps for learning. I take every moment of it to further my own knowledge and then help educate our team and peers.
Tell us about a time you overcame a challenge you didn’t think was possible.
Being a product manager, connecting the dots between the teams and releasing things on time is a big challenge that I always cherish on any given day. The recent release of Zoho Desk’s new version was one such challenge we overcame within the stipulated time as a team. Given that it was a comprehensive client technology revamp, the implementation of the new version, and our new design system (DOT) made by our own in-house Zoho team, the challenges were humongous. However, the whole team, the product managers, marketers, designers, developers, and testing and support specialists, worked as a cohesive unit and made it possible.
Getting Personal
Any memorable moments of your journey captured?
There are many memories from my 14 year journey. Playing badminton at the Velachery office, fancy dress competition during our DLF Days (where I dressed up as a Gladiator), the flash mob at Amistad, the stage performance at Chennai trade-center, and participating in Chennai Amistad representing Tenkasi as a village singer in the concert. I continue to enjoy every bit of such moments, and I’ve hit the stage on every occasion whenever there is a celebration at Zoho.
What are some of your favorite activities outside work?.
Going out on unplanned trips with my friends and peers.
What are the top three books that you recommend?
The Design of Everyday Things - Donald A. Norman
Business Model Generation - Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur
The Customer-Driven Playbook - Travis Lowdermilk & Jessica Rich
Words of Wisdom
“Trust” is the money to earn, and “Time” is the wealth to gain.
“Fail fast to learn fast.” Count everyday as a new start and welcome each challenge as an opportunity.
Persistence, adaptability, and curiosity are elemental to broadening our comfort zone.
Responsibility and ownership are the self-motivating mantras to achieve more.
Think as a customer, learn like a fresher, and act like a product owner.
Gallery
My leader—Sridhar Vembu, mentor—Mani Vembu, manager—Rakeeb Mohamed Mubeen, and senior—Rajaram in a single frame.
In 2013, the day Zoho Invoice turned five. This is the predecessor of Zoho Books. Sivaramakrishnan Iswaran, my previous manager, honored me to celebrate the occasion.
Moments after the public release of Zoho Desk in 2016.
