New Faces of Bamboo: Introducing Zak Ali

Editor’s note: You’ve probably emailed or talked to a member of our Support staff on the phone at one point and may have been curious about who the person on the other end is. Well, there are even more of them now – as Bamboo has expanded, our Support and Services team has grown as well. In this edition of our continuing “New Faces” series, we will be spotlighting newly added members of our Support and Services team. So without further ado, let’s get to know your new in-house problem-solving masterminds!

When did you join the Bamboo Solutions team, and what is your role?

I joined the Bamboo Solutions team on August 21, 2013, as a Support Engineer.

What are your personal goals regarding your position for the next year? 

My personal goals as a Support Engineer are to provide excellent customer service while learning all I can about the Bamboo Web Parts and applications.

What’s your professional background?

My gateway into the IT field began at BAE Systems, a defense contracting company, where I worked at the Help Desk providing customer support for up to 100,000 employees and over 1,000 external users.

What prompted you to join the Bamboo team?

The desire to expand my knowledge of what I believe is going to be a business necessity in the future, which is Microsoft’s SharePoint.

What were some of your first impressions of working at Bamboo?

Right away, I knew that I was working with hardworking and dedicated colleagues. Everyone here is friendly and, more importantly, shares my love of food) And to make an already enjoyable work environment even better, the customers we work with are both knowledgeable and cooperative.

With over 70 products to learn, do you feel overwhelmed?  What’s your strategy for getting up to speed?

I can’t say that I was overwhelmed. 70 products is a lot, but the amount of knowledge base articles that we have available for each product helps a great deal. My strategy is to take notes…lots and lots of notes…

Other than your deep and abiding love of extending SharePoint, what interests or hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?

When I’m not busy learning how to extend SharePoint, I enjoy a good drink with good company. Last summer I visited the UK and had a blast, so I definitely foresee some more traveling in my future. I’m really interested in politics and current events. Also, I am an avid Wizards fan, so look closely, and you might see me in the stands.