Growing up a football fan, working for Chelsea will always be a highlight for our newest member in the UK. Ravi joins the team as our new Implementation Consultant, ready to help build upon our expansion into the UK market.
Was sport always a big passion in your life?
RJ: For me, I’ve always been a football fan. It started with grassroots football in the UK, I was quite young when I started playing and have loved it ever since. As I’ve grown up, I’ve developed a passion for sport in general and I branched out into different continents and leagues. When you work for a football club and you follow football, I felt like I had to find another sport to break it up, that began my love for both the NBA and NFL in the US.
How does the US compare to the UK in terms of sporting events?
RJ: I think they are both similar and both definitely know how to put on a show. Watching the Superbowl this year in the new stadium was amazing, everything around it is such a monumental effort from a team of thousands. The influence is massive as well, I was just in Barcelona and there are still remnants and little influences from the 1992 Olympics and the basketball which is amazing.
Did you always want to work in the sports industry?
RJ: 100% I truly believe that if you follow your passion, you’ll never work a day in your life, and this first week with the EngageRM team has proven that. Working at Chelsea really solidified that passion within me, and I knew that I always wanted to work in the industry, wherever that may be, no two days are the same and I love that.
How did you end up working with CRM platforms?
RJ: My first job out of university was with an asset management real estate firm who were using the Microsoft Dynamics CRM platform, that was my first exposure to the system. I learnt the ropes of the platform there and then moved to Tony Blair’s Institute for Global Change where I worked on a data migration project and pushed all of their data on to Dynamics. Then I started at Chelsea and was there for 3 years as a Data Analyst and they were also on the Dynamics platform as well.
You were with Chelsea FC for 3 years, what were some of the highlights from your time there?
RJ: Definitely working with the commercial team to try and source new partners and supplier deals. I was lucky that as a Data Analyst I got to work with multiple teams and departments from premium hospitality to ticketing and sales. When the pandemic began in 2020 and the stadiums doors shut, different teams relied on me to provide them with data to help them pivot to the new normal which was a great challenge. Also meeting some of the players, experiencing home matches were top moments as well.
How did you find out about the open role at EngageRM, and what drew you to it?
RJ: After I was approached, I had a little deep dive on the EngageRM website to learn a little more about the company and my role in it. When I looked at the role I thought ‘this suits me and my skillset well,’ and the platform suited me as well. It’s based off Dynamics, which I’ve worked with it my whole career and the ability to jump back into the sports and entertainment industry was a no brainer for me.
What are you aiming to achieve with the work that you do?
RJ: I always want to ensure that all the customers’ needs are met and working to keep a long and happy relationship with the customer. The baseline of it all is just making sure their needs are met in a timely manner.
What excites you both personally and professionally at the moment?
RJ: Personally, I’m off to Italy for my brother’s wedding in a few weeks which I’m really excited about! Professionally, I’m excited to build upon my skillset and earn some Microsoft qualifications and getting to know the entire EngageRM team.
