Raj Vadukul: IT Service Manager

What is your role at Pick Everard?

I’m Pick Everard’s IT Service Manager, managing and supporting our IT Helpdesk Team. My role is focused on ensuring colleagues at Pick Everard receive the best IT support available from our team. On a day-to-day basis, we support hardware and software enquires. I am often communicating with various departments with any IT issues, changes, and upgrades. My role is challenging but rewarding as I am constantly on the go and ensuring expectations are met to a high standard.

As an IT Service Manager, I supervise the team in their day-to-day duties, tasks, and responsibilities, including ticket assignment, managing new starter requests and hardware allocation.

What inspired you to pursue a career in I.T?

I have always been fascinated by technology and how things work. From a young age I was very keen to open a computer and upgrade it. While studying for my GCSE’s I used to advertise on Facebook, where I posted about computer repairs, I received messages where I would take on basic IT Support for family and friends. For my IT career, I completed an IT apprenticeship in 2012 and began my first role as a Service Desk Analyst in Birmingham. I gradually progressed in various companies and last year I started my career with Pick Everard as an IT Service Manager. One of my main objectives is to offer the best customer service and a high-quality service.

What attracted you to Pick Everard?

I wanted to progress further with my career, and I came across an opportunity at Pick Everard. Not having much previous managerial experience, I thought this would be the right time to apply and see where I would land. After three successful interviews I was offered a role and I was over the moon. Pick Everard are a highly well-regarded company, and I felt in safe hands immediately.

What is your Pick Everard highlight to date?

There are a few Pick Everard highlights for me; One of them is going to all the different offices and putting names to faces. One of the other highlights I would like to mention is that since starting I have built strong relationships with colleagues and ensuring expectations are met to a high standard. Another highlight was ensuring the Christmas broadcast was successful without any IT issues as this was hosted by the managing partner of Pick Everard.

You recently won the regional and national Being Pick Everard awards for Being Driven. What does being driven mean to you?

Being driven to me means exceeding expectations and delivering the best of the best. In IT I always respond to tickets, emails, and messages within a timely manner, and make sure I go the extra mile by asking if there is anything else I can help with. Exceeding expectations is always a must for me. If I do only what is required, its not always enough, so therefore I always want to go above and beyond and this keeps me driven.

How does your role impact the wider work of Pick Everard?

IT is a crucial part of any business in 2023. Without IT support, who would be supporting colleagues with AutoCAD, Revit, and various Office Apps? We are becoming more and more technologically advanced over time, and without the help and support of an excellent IT department, we would find the smooth daily running of Pick Everard very difficult.

As an IT Service Manager, I ensure my team keep on top of IT tickets. As a team, we also all work together producing ideas which helps us perform efficiently to solve problems. I ensure communication is key so that our wider audience is aware with what is happening within the business.

What are you most looking forward to in 2023?

There are many tasks and challenges to look forward to 2023. I will carry on trying to exceed high expectations and meeting business values. Hopefully this year I can be even more successful by being nominated for another award. In terms of my career in IT, I would like to progress my skills further into management and provide an exciting and rewarding place for my team. In the next few years, I would like to progress to become IT Director.