Pankaj Raina

Operations Associate

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India12 yrs 8 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

Expert in managing high-severity technical escalations.
Proven track record in customer satisfaction and retention.
Strong mentorship skills with junior engineers.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Networking Infrastructure Specialist with expertise in Technical Support and Escalation Management.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Customer Escalation ManagementTechnical Leadership & MentorshipEscalation Management & Incident HandlingRoot Cause AnalysisSwitching TechnologiesNetwork EngineeringEnterprise Switching

Other Skills

Cross-Functional CollaborationCustomer Relationship ManagementPacket AnalysisControl Plane DebuggingTACPacket-Level AnalysisNetwork Design RecommendationsL2 Network SupportVLAN ConfigurationSpanning Tree ProtocolsCross-Functional Collaboration (Engineering, TAC, Product Teams)Customer Relationship Management (CSAT, CAP, CDP)ENCore (Enterprise Networking Core)ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library)Consultant Development Program Foundational (CDPF)

About

🌟 Inspire | Empower | Transform 🌟 Passionate about driving positive change, I thrive on solving challenges and fostering collaboration to create meaningful impact. With a commitment to continuous learning and growth, I embrace innovation and teamwork to inspire others and build unity. I believe in the power of shared knowledge and strong partnerships to unlock new opportunities and achieve greater success. Whether leading projects, mentoring teams, or tackling complex problems, my goal is always to empower those around me and make a lasting difference.

Experience

Cisco

3 roles

Escalation Lead – High Touch Technical Support (HTTS)

Promoted

Apr 2022 – Present · 3 yrs 11 mos · Bengaluru, Karnataka, India · On-site

Leading escalations for high-severity (P2) cases related to switching and P2 technologies, ensuring timely resolution of complex technical issues.
Managing CAP (Customer Assurance Program) cases, driving cross-functional coordination with engineering, TAC, and product teams.
Providing technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers, guiding them through case handling, troubleshooting, and professional development.
Acting as a primary point of contact for stakeholders, including customers, internal teams, and leadership during escalations.
Conducting deep-dive technical investigations, root cause analysis (RCA), and contributing to permanent fixes for recurring issues.
Supporting process improvement initiatives, knowledge sharing, and internal documentation to enhance team efficiency and customer experience.
Recognized for maintaining high customer satisfaction (CSAT) through consistent communication, expert handling, and ownership of critical cases.

Customer Escalation ManagementTechnical Leadership & MentorshipCross-Functional CollaborationRoot Cause AnalysisCustomer Relationship Management

Escalation Engineer

Promoted

Jun 2019 – Mar 2022 · 2 yrs 9 mos · Bengaluru, Karnataka, India · On-site

Acted as a critical escalation point for high-impact and unresolved network issues involving Cisco switching platforms.
Led deep-dive troubleshooting across Layer 2 and Layer 3 technologies, including STP, MSTP, HSRP, VRRP, VLANs, and routing protocols (EIGRP, OSPF, BGP).
Collaborated directly with TAC, development, and engineering teams to investigate software defects, hardware faults, and performance-related cases.
Conducted packet analysis, control plane debugging, and crash/log investigations to drive resolution for complex customer issues.
Participated in war-room and P1/P2 bridge calls, ensuring real-time updates and technical direction during critical outages.
Supported post-mortem analysis and RCA documentation, contributing to knowledge base and process improvement.
Played a key role in customer retention and satisfaction, providing expert-level guidance and reducing case resolution time.

Escalation Management & Incident HandlingRoot Cause AnalysisPacket AnalysisControl Plane Debugging

Network Engineer

Apr 2017 – Jun 2019 · 2 yrs 2 mos · Bengaluru, Karnataka, India · On-site

Provided technical support and troubleshooting for Cisco’s enterprise customers, primarily focused on switching technologies (Catalyst platforms).
Handled Layer 2/Layer 3 network issues, including VLANs, STP, VTP, HSRP, EtherChannel.
Conducted packet-level analysis and log reviews to identify root causes and resolve complex network issues.
Worked closely with TAC and engineering teams to address product bugs, feature enhancements, and escalated cases.
Assisted customers with IOS upgrades, configuration audits, and network design recommendations.
Contributed to knowledge base articles and internal documentation for recurring issues and best practices.
Ensured high levels of customer satisfaction through timely updates, accurate solutions, and professional communication.

Switching TechnologiesTACPacket-Level AnalysisNetwork Design RecommendationsNetwork Engineering

Collabera

Network Engineer

Oct 2015 – Mar 2017 · 1 yr 5 mos · India · On-site

Worked primarily on enterprise switching platforms, focusing on configuration, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.
Performed L2/L3 network support, including VLAN configuration, trunking, spanning tree protocols, and port-channel setups.
Assisted in network upgrades and migrations, ensuring minimal downtime and seamless transitions.
Analyzed switch logs and monitored network health to proactively address issues and maintain high availability.

Enterprise SwitchingL2 Network SupportVLAN ConfigurationSpanning Tree ProtocolsNetwork Engineering

Company: it support desk limited (rommon technologies)

Technical Trainer

May 2013 – Sep 2015 · 2 yrs 4 mos · Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Delivered in-depth training on CompTIA Network+, Cisco CCNA, CCNP, and MSTP (Multi-Service Transport Platform) to a diverse group of students and professionals.
Designed and maintained customized course content, labs, and practical scenarios to align with real-world networking and infrastructure needs.
Conducted hands-on lab sessions covering routing, switching, WAN technologies, IP addressing and troubleshooting.
Mentored and supported students through certification preparation, with a strong success rate in global certification exams.
Facilitated both in-person and online training sessions, ensuring engagement and clarity across various learner profiles.