Ravichellam P. - IT Team Lead

Title: IT Team Lead and Systems Administrator
Location: Chennai, India
Joined: 2013
Preferred Pronouns: He/Him/His

As a global coordinator of all things IT, Ravi continuously strives to achieve a high level of performance while also enjoying the people that he works with. He’s the consummate Grouponer.

Tell us about your job! What do you do?

I am the India Team Lead and Systems Administrator for IT Support Services. I’m responsible for the day-to-day IT operations of both Bangalore and Chennai locations and serve as lead providing global coverage to our employees. As a Systems Administrator, I partner with the Global Help Desk and key business stakeholders to identify opportunities to automate processes, thus streamlining the way we work and simplifying daily life.

What’s your favorite Groupon memory?

There are so many of them! Meeting my managers—Karin and Kelly—when they visited the Chennai office in 2013 is one of them. I also really loved my first visit to the Chicago office. Finally, I loved meeting my current manager Brian Burden and our Global IT Head Iain Phillips when they visited both Chennai and Bangalore offices in 2018.

What’s been the most challenging thing you’ve worked on?

I have worked on a lot of projects, all of which have posed different challenges. My most recent challenge has been helping to lead the Windows 10 1709 upgrade. The project involved a lot of reporting, cross-departmental collaboration, and coordination amongst local team members. After a lot of hard work and energy, I’m happy to report that we successfully upgraded over 2k computers globally!

Who inspires you?

Both of my managers. Karin Swanson for when I was a helpdesk analyst and Brian Burden, my current manager.

What was your first impression of Groupon as an employer?

That it was very open and friendly.

How does your work impact Groupon’s mission of building the daily habit in local commerce?

Groupon IT provides the systems, servers, and networking which are the backbone of any IT organization. Our work enables all teams to do their daily jobs effectively and connect with local businesses.

Where were you before you joined Groupon? How did you get here?

I was a Systems Administrator at Syrma Pvt Ltd. where I worked on the night shift. While I was watching TV, I saw an ad for Groupon. When I searched Groupon, I saw there was an opportunity in IT available, so I applied for it. I was interviewed by the US recruiting team and after interviewing with some IT managers over video, I was selected, and boom I am in Groupon.

You probably have a life outside Groupon; what are you up to when you’re not at work?

I like to play XBox, watch ghost and crime stories, and I also have a stamp collection.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be and why?

I have three answers for this because it has changed three times during my life. When I was a kid I wanted to become a military officer. Then, when I was a teenager I wanted to become a cricketer. But now I am happy with my current role and would like to move higher up in the IT ladder.

What’s your favorite local business?

Ice cream shops

IT obviously exists at other companies…so what makes your role at Groupon unique?

You don’t get a team which is so friendly just anywhere. Our managers support us in every way so we can move to the next level. That is the difference.

Can you write a Groupon haiku?

Groupon is the place —

Managers are Fun —

I would love to work for them

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

I am not always satisfied even when others are very happy with the final result of a project I do. I have a certain level that I want to achieve. That is me.