Calling out to all gizmo lovers. Stored away in labs worth millions are the latest international technology products and gadgets. From over 600 products in the consumer technology space to high end laboratory equipments (many not found elsewhere in India), complex networking labs set up by Alcatel, Linux for the enterprise and Open Source front, these electronic wonders are sure to get any true techie’s pulse racing. Moreover, you get your hands on these products before they hit the market and are allowed to dissect them and suggest remedies for their shortcomings. Now imagine doing all this for a career!

Precisely what 4000 odd engineers are working on in a state-of-art office tucked away in Chennai, inside India’s first specialized technical support company: SlashSupport. If you raised your eyebrows at the word ‘technical support’, you are not alone. “We are not a call center,” emphasizes Shiva Ramani, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, to clear any such misinterpretations about the work carried out in the organization. “We do only tech support and we ensure its top notch.”

Headquartered in San Jose, California and spread over seven global centers, SlashSupport handles nearly 15 million requests a year (35,000 inbound requests a day as per 2006), servicing an impressive suite of international clientele over consumer technology, enterprise technology and Open Source space. They assist customers, either individuals or corporations, in resolving technical hitches experienced while using certain products.

Consumer tech support occupies the largest chunk of business—nearly 65 percent—handling technologies including networking base, VoIP, broadband and usually deals with less complex incidents like troubleshooting or setting the broadband right. Enterprise application and on the other hand, handle the more advanced EAP ((, IMS (Infrastructure Management System) or technology driven products like virtualization software and higher end networking & telecom solutions.

The Indian market is now understanding tech support domain better, explains Ramani adding that they are not into developing technology but helping technology run its course. “Developing technology is inspiring, but making that technology work is even more challenging,” he says.