Sabeer Bhatia, co-founder of Hotmail, the enormously successful free Internet e-mail service, today announced the launch of Arzoo.com, his latest venture.
Arzoo, which means "heart's desire", provides companies with web-based access to a global network of technology experts who offer real-time problem-solving assistance for engineering, IT and tech support applications.
Bhatia found inspiration for Arzoo in his own Silicon Valley ventures—past and present. Both organizations, he said, were typical in their insatiable appetites for skilled engineering professionals in exceedingly tight job markets.
"We are pleased to create the single most trusted resource for expert engineering talent for companies in need of technology-related solutions and support," said Bhatia. "Arzoo.com will provide companies with unprecedented access, reach and cost effectiveness."
With Arzoo, start-up and established companies alike have quick, convenient access to engineering professionals worldwide—without making a long-term investment. Corporate subscribers pay only a flat monthly rate to receive unlimited assistance from technology experts in the Arzoo network. These are select engineers and developers whose credentials are independently verified, and who have passed a customized testing module that confirms their expertise.
To receive technology solutions and support, subscribing companies simply post questions on the Arzoo website as the need arises. Experts with the appropriate skills and experience are invited to respond, and answers are delivered rapidly - sometimes instantly - by way of live chat with the selected expert. More intensive responses and supporting documents can be delivered to a private Arzoo account for convenient access. Arzoo pays premium fees to experts each time they answer a question successfully.
Clients are invited to review experts' work for accuracy, speed and overall quality of service – and the results are posted immediately in the form of ratings and feedback, said Rajiv Grover, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. Underlying these measures is Arzoo's commitment to being "not an Internet company, but a customer service company," Grover asserts.
Arzoo.com is powered by the proprietary Arzoo Surfboard, a free browser plug-in that provides clients and IT professionals worldwide with the ability to chat live anytime from anywhere on the web. A simple 200k download installed in less than a minute (with a typical 56K modem) provides a virtual high-tech safety net – or lifeline, if necessary, Bhatia said.
When Bhatia sold Hotmail to Microsoft in December 1997, he expected to stay for two or three years, but quickly got bored. "I couldn't make decisions the way I could when I was independently running Hotmail. I missed the excitement of living and working on the edge."
With his newest venture, Bhatia has recaptured the excitement of working on the edge while addressing some of the stress associated with it. "Somebody out there has the high-tech solutions rapidly growing companies need—the trick is finding that person, not tomorrow or next week, but right now.
"Arzoo.com opens the door for companies to tap the knowledge of expert tech consultants from around the world," he said.
