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I implement and optimize support systems for growing teams. Hands-on execution and strategy included. WHAT I DO: → Zendesk/Intercom setup, customization & workflow configuration → Support process implementation & team training → Ticket backlog cleanup & operational firefighting → QA program execution & quality monitoring → Knowledge base creation & documentation → Performance reporting & metrics dashboards RECENT WINS: - Cleared 300+ ticket backlog in 2 weeks for enterprise software company - Built QA framework improving team scores from 68% to 92% - Created 200+ training documents & SOPs for startup support team - Managed 60,000+ legacy ticket resolution (30% → 82% CSAT improvement) - Reduced resolution time from 72 to 48 hours across 200+ agent organization IDEAL PROJECTS: ✓ Zendesk/Intercom setup & workflow configuration ✓ Ticket backlog cleanup & queue management ✓ Training program development & team onboarding ✓ Knowledge base buildout & content creation ✓ QA spot checks & quality monitoring (ongoing) ✓ Process documentation & SOP creation ✓ Reporting dashboards & metrics tracking setup PLATFORMS I WORK IN: Zendesk (expert) • Intercom (expert) • Salesforce • Freshdesk • Help Scout • Discord • Slack WORK STYLE: Hands-on, minimal meetings needed. I can jump into your system and start delivering value immediately. Available for 20-30+ hrs/week across multiple clients. Perfect for short-term implementation projects or ongoing optimization work. SKILLS: Customer Support, Zendesk, Intercom, Customer Service, Technical Support, Process Optimization, Documentation, Training & Development, Quality Assurance

Most businesses don’t have a technology problem. They have an execution problem. I’m an Enterprise Program Manager and Technical Transformation Leader who specializes in helping businesses confidently deliver complex technology initiatives that are risky, highly visible, or just plain too important to fail. Throughout my career spanning 25+ years, I’ve worked with executives, product teams, and engineering organizations to lead enterprise-wide transformations involving ERP, CRM, HRIS, cloud, enterprise integrations, CMS platforms, artificial intelligence, and large-scale data migrations. Whether the goal is modernizing legacy systems, integrating a stack of siloed platforms, or bringing order to a chaotic delivery organization, my focus stays the same: reduce risk and help you execute with confidence. I don’t believe great programs are won by holding status meetings and managing Excel spreadsheets. Successful programs are built on smart technical decisions, realistic delivery plans, eliminating organizational roadblocks, and keeping the lines of communication open between the business and engineering teams. On any given day, I’m just as comfortable working with executives on strategy, budgets, and roadmaps as I am digging into the details with product owners, mapping integrations with architects, validating data migrations, configuring Jira workflows, or collaborating directly with engineers to unblock delivery. I’ve led initiatives ranging from small product teams to global enterprise programs involving multiple vendors, distributed engineering teams, and executive stakeholders. Some of the initiatives I regularly lead include: * Enterprise Program & Product Management * Digital & Business Transformation * Cloud Strategy, Migration Planning, and Infrastructure Modernization * ERP, CRM, HRIS, & Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) * Enterprise CMS Platforms, Website Migrations, and Digital Experience Platforms * Enterprise Data Migration and Systems Integration * Jira, ServiceNow, Agile Delivery, and PMO Process Modernization * Microsoft 365, Azure, AWS, Identity, Security, and Zero Trust * Artificial Intelligence Enablement and Business Process Automation I’ve had the opportunity to work with organizations like Dell, VMware, LG Electronics, Cox Communications, Enovix, along with many high-growth companies navigating major technology transformations. Some of the platforms and technologies I’ve worked with include Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP, NetSuite, Salesforce, HubSpot, Workday, Jira, ServiceNow, Azure DevOps, Contentstack, Drupal, WordPress, Evisort, DocuSign CLM, Databricks, AWS, Azure, Microsoft 365, and many more. I typically get brought into organizations when: * They need experienced leadership on a large technology initiative. * Multiple teams or vendors aren’t aligned. * Requirements are unclear and delivery has stalled. * Cloud, ERP, CMS, or enterprise platform migrations need clear vision and structure. * Data migrations or integrations pose significant business risk. * Leadership needs someone who can understand business objectives and translate them into actionable technical plans. I don’t come in to add another management layer. I come in to remove the friction that’s keeping your organization from delivering. If you think I can help with your technology initiatives, I’d love to hear from you.

I drive delivery. As a hands-on program manager, product owner, and business process lead, I turn complex technology and operations work into shipped results, and I move the work forward in days, not months. I have spent five years as one of Upwork's Expert-Vetted consultants, the top one percent of talent, with a 100 percent Job Success Score and more than $600,000 earned. Before consulting I was a software engineer, then a technology executive at Fidelity Investments and Discovery, where I coordinated a $90 million technology budget and led global teams of up to 70. You get a delivery lead who has also sat in the executive seat, so the hard calls get made and the work still ships. Much of that work now involves AI. I help companies find the high-value AI use cases, put the right governance around them, and ship them into production rather than leaving them as pilots. I am a business-side AI leader who translates the use case, manages the delivery, and keeps it accountable to real outcomes. What that looks like in practice: - Rebuilt a medical device startup's delivery process and engineering culture, cutting product dry time about 35 percent and lowering cost of goods - Stood up PMO governance over an entire company project portfolio as VP of the PMO, spanning several acquired businesses - Added machine learning to an IoT medical device so telemetry that once needed manual review is processed automatically - Built AI match-day reporting for Major League Soccer production that consolidated crew surveys into a single summary, with governed AI search now underway for the US Department of Education - Led a US Census Bureau system through FedRAMP authorization to approval readiness I work with teams that want an operator, not a theory. Whether it is a product to build, a program to deliver, a process to streamline, a PMO to establish, or an AI initiative to get into production, tell me what you are working toward and I will tell you how I would get there. Ian Ratner Business Consultant | Upwork Expert-Vetted | 100% Success | $600k Earnings

I help companies deliver complex projects — on time, within budget, and with high-impact results. With certifications in PMP, Agile (PMI-ACP), and Scrum (CSM), I specialize in leading complex and high-value Technology and Operations projects. My work spans enterprise and digital transformations, and projects ranging from SaaS implementations, AI/GenAI, and mobile/web development to workflow automation, strategic planning, and team development. Whether you're a startup or a Fortune 100 company, I bring a hands-on approach to: Understanding your business goals - Defining and tailoring requirements - Building the right team - Leading the successful execution of your project(s) or program 💡 Highlights: - 100% Job Success Score - Executive-level experience across industries - Proven results with remote cross-functional teams - Strong focus on quality, communication, and accountability 🔧 Project Types Delivered: - AI & Generative AI Integrations - SaaS Platforms (CRM, ERP, ATS, HRMS, etc.) - Process & Workflow Automation - Software & Mobile App Development - Cloud Migrations & Data Migrations - VoIP, Call Center, and Network Infrastructure - Payment Systems & Financial Tools - Survey Platforms & Custom Integrations - Talent Development

I'm a hands-on fractional CTO/CIO who doesn't just advise. I build. I help companies fix the expensive technology and operations problems slowing them down: writing the software, standing up the AI, re-engineering the broken process, and steering the strategy. Startups to Fortune 500, on time and on budget. A few recent results: • Designed and shipped custom software end-to-end, including the world's first open-source brewery production management system. • Built an optimization engine for a translation service provider, saved $16.4m/year, in a $104K, 696-hour engagement. • Architected a knowledge-graph database for an ML initiative. Client: "clearly an expert at what he does." • Served as virtual CIO/CISO through a high-stakes situation. Client: "We will hire Blake every single day of the week." Where I create value: • Hands-on software development. I write production code, not just specs • Fractional tech leadership (CIO/CTO/CISO): strategy, roadmaps, cost reduction • AI/ML strategy, knowledge graphs, model evaluation • Optimization & process engineering: Lean, SPC, mathematical modeling • Enterprise architecture & systems modernization Background: 15+ years building for startups to the Fortune 500, always with my hands on the keyboard. Expert-Vetted and Top Rated Plus. Flexible on scope and budget for the right fit. If you've got a problem, let's talk about whether I can solve it.

Most organizations don't fail at AI because the technology doesn't work. They fail because they treat it as a project instead of a practice. I've spent 25 years inside companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Dropbox watching that pattern play out. Leaders adopt tools without governance. Run pilots without purpose. Chase automation while losing strategic alignment. I founded Rafer Consulting to change that. I work with founders and C-suite executives to bring structure, clarity, and defensible decision-making to their AI strategy. My work typically falls into three areas: AI Readiness Assessment. A structured diagnostic that surfaces where your organization actually stands: governance gaps, shadow AI risks, data classification issues, and readiness to scale. Most clients use this as the starting point before any other AI investment. Executive AI Strategy. Working directly with leadership teams to build a roadmap tied to business outcomes, not technology trends. This includes governance frameworks, executive alignment sessions, and the change management scaffolding that makes adoption stick. Fractional CAIO Engagement. For organizations that need ongoing strategic oversight without a full-time hire. I serve as an embedded advisor, keeping AI decisions accountable and aligned as the landscape shifts. I've delivered programs for organizations including Hard Rock International, and I publish regularly on AI governance and trust. My frameworks, including the Clarity Cycle and Architecture of Trust, are built for practitioners, not theorists. If your organization is moving from AI experimentation to something that actually holds up under scrutiny, I'd like to talk.