Vulog’s Tech Talks gives you exclusive insights into what drives our tech and mobility experts at the world’s leading shared mobility tech provider.
NICE. November 4, 2021 Welcome to our new “Tech Talks with Vulog’s Tech Experts” interview series! Here we delve into the personal insights of our very own Tech Experts, where they talk about their journeys working in the tech and mobility industry. Are you ready to get inspired?
Introducing our Tech Expert
Introducing Pankaj Pulikkul, Project Manager at Vulog, responsible for onboarding new Vulog customers as well as integrating their project into Vulog’s solution. Project managers are in charge of the entire project from the beginning to the end while prioritizing and caring for the customer. So let’s get to know Pankaj, Vulog’s go-to guy for managing projects!
Favorite tech person?
P: Being an Indian myself, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, is someone I look up to, mainly because our upbringing is quite similar. Hailing from Madurai in South India, he was born into a south Indian family. It would be fair to say that having a difficult childhood ultimately prepared him for his career, which is notably a remarkable one. It’s everyone’s dream to work for a company like Google, and Sundar Pichai showed that no matter what you do or where you come from, dreams can become a reality. Having seen his interviews where he shares his experiences, in addition to his deep passion for technology, I’d say it’s his humility that has helped him reach where he is today, and this is truly inspiring.
Favorite app?
P: I think my favorite app, without a doubt, would be Instagram. I would say it’s the one app I spend most of my time on. It’s not only a place to share photos, but Instagram has grown so much in the last few years that it has become a great news source as well (as long as the source is fact-checked!). We can get the latest news from all around the world (videos, photos, etc.), plus, it has helped a lot of people grow their business with free marketing. It’s also become a tool that has allowed people to express themselves in a better way. With the endless reels and various trends going around the app, some of them can help us relax and distract our minds from our own realities.
Where did you study?
P: Born and brought up in Dubai, I did all my schooling in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. I then moved to India to pursue my bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. I then flew down to Toulouse to do my Master’s in International Air Transport and Operations Management from the École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile.
What are some examples of your previous work experience?
P: I started my career as a Quality Assurance Engineer in Cognizant Technology Solutions in 2014. Even though this was completely off course from what I had studied, I mainly wanted to have a gist of what corporate life looked like. My next job was in 2017 with Amadeus, where I started as an Interline E-Ticketing implementation engineer, and I later got promoted to manager of the same team. Following this, in 2021, I started my role as an International Project Manager at Vulog.
What drew you to work in the tech industry?
P: When you work in the tech industry, no day is the same, and what’s more, it pushes you to be the best version of yourself. I am someone who would never be happy living a monotonous life. What’s more-
The tech industry is a place where you learn things every day, and you know that what you do in your daily work will positively impact someone’s life. That is undoubtedly the best reward we could ever ask for working in the industry.
Pankaj Pulikkul
Project Manager, Vulog
What inspired you to work at Vulog?
P: Coming from the aviation industry, the shared-mobility concept was relatively new to me. Having done a little bit of research, I understood how important and interesting this is for the future. From the first time Vulog contacted me to my first interview and the follow-up processes, I felt it was a very transparent, honest, and open company. It’s not often you get those vibes from day one. Vulog is a company filled with people from all around the world. I began to understand that people at Vulog, no matter their differences, have this brilliant ability to work together towards a common goal.
What is your favorite project that you have worked on at Vulog? Or a project that you are particularly proud of?
P: As a big fan of Teslas, I was very excited when I learned that I would be working with customers who have already infleeted Teslas into their fleet. Currently, we have customers in Vienna, Geneva, and Norway who have the Tesla 3, Tesla S, and the Tesla Y as part of their family. It was fascinating to see how these vehicles have boosted the revenue of these customers. Comfort and luxury joined with shared mobility, is the main driving factor for these customers.
What is your strategy when it comes to keeping customers happy?
P: My strategy when it comes to keeping customers happy is quite simple. We treat our customers how we would like to be treated as a customer. I find my role is easier when I put myself in the customers’ shoes. I have found that being honest and transparent with our customers improves the relationship in many ways. I always try my best to involve my customers in every process and provide them with the maximum amount of information on subjects discussed. Customers sometimes don’t need solutions on the spot, but they need to understand that their requests have been taken into account.
Where do you see mobility technology heading in the future?
P: I see that mobility technology has a bright future ahead. We can already see that shared mobility is doing exceptionally well compared to 20 years ago with today’s numbers. There are, of course, various reasons for this. The attitude of the new generation customers plays an important role as well. People tend to want less responsibility for owning a car, and mobility technology solves that issue. When talking about bigger cities, parking is becoming a huge problem, and what’s worse, the expenses that come with it. Mobility technology does go in parallel with the public modes of transport, but the main advantage is that it also allows the customer to be more flexible. Using shared mobility might soon become as simple and common as streaming music!
The Tech Industry is Moving: is now your time to dive in?
After hearing Pankaj’s tech insights, are you interested in learning more about our roles at Vulog? Look no further: check out our Careers page! We are always looking for new innovative thinkers to join our team, whether in France, Germany, or Canada! Vulog is built by an international team hailing from dozens of countries, and that’s a big part of what makes us so unique. And we value diversity because it drives innovation, enriches our own company culture, and helps our business grow!
We love what we do at Vulog and strive to create a great working environment so that, together, we can change the world, one vehicle, and city at a time. Do you want to be a part of the shared mobility revolution?
Vulog is the world’s leading tech mobility provider: we are committed to building a greener future, one city at a time.
