MSP 501 Digital Innovator Integritek Invests in UCaaS ‘to Keep Telephony from Becoming a Commodity’

Not all managed service providers own the technology they offer. Not so at Integritek, winner of the MSP 501 Digital Innovator of the Year award. The Austin, Texas-based company is blazing trails with an internally developed, open-source UCaaS platform for SMBs and even fellow MSPs.

“We’re like a Zoom competitor,” says CEO Brett Paulson.

The difference with IntegriTalk, Integritek’s voice, video and messaging service? It’s personal.

“Our clients are so important to us but 50 users are not very important to RingCentral or Zoom,” Paulson says. “We own their network and firewalls. We can own the quality of service of your phone. Zoom and RingCentral don’t own the network. … For us, it’s bringing the phone company, local, back.”

Integritek (No. 279 on the 2020 MSP 501) launched IntegriTalk in August 2019. Prior to that, the MSP supported a Vonage-like platform (it still does for the clients with contracts left to play out). But it wanted to add video and messaging to the mix. So, Integritek found open-source software that fit its requirements and built a unique user experience on top of it. Consider this: Almost any UCaaS platform integrates with Microsoft Teams. Yet who gives a dial tone out of Teams? IntegriTalk does.

Integritek’s Brett Paulson

“Most MSPs sell Microsoft stacks,” says Paulson. “But how many are letting you call out of Teams with a direct phone number?”

Look for more SMS and MMS integrations from Integritek for IntegriTalk, all with a business number. That way, IntegriTalk users can interact with clients, or potential customers, over Teams, Slack and other chat channels. After all, more people making purchasing decisions want alternatives to picking up the phone when it comes to vetting products and services.

“SMS is becoming a very powerful tool, especially for SMBs,” Paulson says.

On top of that, the number works from anywhere, and that goes for employees located somewhere other than the corporate office.

The Key to Success? Co-opetition

All that flexibility and usability appeals to potential users – and to other MSPs. Which stands out as another area where Integritek is innovating.

“We’re also looking to sell this UCaaS platform to other MSPs,” Paulson says. “We want the other MSPs to have access to this type of telephony, too. So we’re developing programs accordingly.”

Powered by IntegriTalk remains in the prototype stages with some other MSPs Integritek doesn’t own.

“We want to support the MSP community and make all SMBs more successful and more efficient,” says Paulson. “We want to make money, too, but we aren’t in every single city.”

Opening IntegriTalk to peers only strengthens the whole MSP sector, Paulson says.

“Zoom just has an MSP package. It doesn’t give you this happy feel that we care about you. We care about all clients because it is our brand. …We care about MSPs and small businesses. That to me is super innovative.”

Talking Security and the Coming Year

But as most everyone in the channel knows by now, UCaaS can’t just facilitate communication. It’s got to have strong security. MSPs, for one, will demand it. Without rigorous safeguards, “Zoombombing” hits meeting rooms – and the headlines. Zoom has suffered both brand and stock repercussions as hackers have uncovered illicit entry into conferences and peppered users with graphic, often horrifying, content. MSPs cannot afford the risk of similar breaches happening on their brands. Therefore, for Integritek, cybersecurity is paramount – not just for IntegriTalk, but all around. That’s why its focus will turn heavily to cybersecurity in 2021.

“We’re doing everything we can to protect our clients,” Paulson says. “We’re really ensuring we are shoring up infrastructure for our clients so they can feel safe.”

COVID-19 amped up that emphasis for Integritek as organizations around the country …