PSA Software: Is There a New Player in Town?

MSPs are likely familiar with the names of the professional services automation (PSA) providers such as ConnectWise, Autotask and Tigerpaw Software. Now a Dallas-based company is looking make its way to the top.

Vorex has been in the PSA market since 2007, selling direct to small businesses including software development firms, but has never worked with MSPs. However, Vorex CEO Michael Salem told MSPmentor that working with managed service providers will be a priority in 2014.

"We have the infrastructure for it," he said. "The goal is by mid-year we'll be moving forward, and we'll be in serious talks with several reliable MSPs in the market."

Salem's goal is for 40 to 50 percent of Vorex's business to be MSP-related.

Salem said Vorex is pursuing this because of the opportunity created by vendors moving upstream. He said many companies are moving away from focusing on small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and toward the enterprise, and becoming less SMB-friendly in the process.

"It seems like the market is leaving a gap, a good sizable gap, behind them in the PSA world that's where we're coming in to fill it in a better way, at least in our opinion," he said.

Vorex is well suited to fill that gap because it is "targeted SMB in everything" from the very beginning, Salem said, adding that SMBs tailor the company's software.

The SMB focus helps differentiate the company from bigger players in online CRM solutions.

"Salesforce is great, but it's not easy," he said. "I mean, for a small company that's a lot of bells and whistles in it."

It comes with a "full-blown HR system" that includes time features like managing time off, benefits, pay raises, uploading documents, etc., he said. There's also a self service module, ticket tracking, a collaboration module and more.

Vorex is easier for small businesses to implement because it doesn't have two-year contracts, nor does it require a setup fee, he said. SMBs sign up for the service on a month-to-month basis — and its retention rate is more than 90 percent, Salem added.

Vorex only has 12 employees, but also works with outside contractors on a consistent basis. Salem said he expects the company to double its employee count by the end of the year. One of the companies newer employees may be a familiar name to some MSPs. Vorex hired former Autotask regional sales manager, Pamela Ivers, in October 2013.

Follow CJ Arlotta on Twitter @cjarlotta for further updates on the story above.