Sales and marketing, CSPs

WorkRails: Faster Time to Revenue for SaaS Companies, Professional Services Firms

Steve Schneider
Steve Schneider
James Droskoski
Jeff Leventhal

Call it the great divide: Businesses want to procure and activate SaaS-based applications. But they often lack the expertise to do so at scale. At the same time, SaaS companies want to generate more recurring revenues. But their applications often are too complex for end-customers to fully consume. Enter WorkRails, a startup that closes the gaps between SaaS companies, internal professional services arms, external IT consulting firms and end-customers.

The WorkRails platform, deployed behind the scenes, essentially accelerates the SaaS consumption cycle. Moreover, it potentially creates a win-win-win scenario for (1) SaaS providers, (2) internal professional services teams and third-party professional services firms that manage the post-implementation services, and (3) end-customers that crave rapid ROI from SaaS deployments.

Here's a typical scenario explaining how WorkRails is designed to speed SaaS deployments and time to value/revenue for all parties:

  • Step 1: A SaaS company embeds WorkRails' technology on their website -- perhaps on a partner page or within their application itself.
  • Step 2: New or existing customers...
    • A new customer visits the SaaS provider's site to shop for an application. In addition to purchasing a SaaS subscription, the customer loads associated professional services into the online shopping cart.
    • An existing customer while using the application, visiting the partner page or browsing anywhere a link can be embedded, is presented with a customized UI to book an appointment or purchase an item from a services catalog.
  • Step 3The SaaS provider can choose to deliver those professional services directly or can route the opportunity to a certified partner — a vetted consultant — for review.
  • Step 4: Customers and consultants collaborate on project goals, statement of work and budget.
  • Step 5: Payments and ratings happen at the conclusion of a project.

WorkRails: The Names to Know

Founded in late 2015, WorkRails raised $2.3 million in seed funding last year. The WorkRails team has extensive experience with e-commerce and talent management systems. Among the names to know:

  • Co-founder and CEO Jeff Leventhal; his earlier startups include OnForce and Work Market.
  • Co-founder and VP of Business Development Steve Schneider has previously worked on various equity trading and sales trading systems.
  • Co-founder and Sales Lead James Droskoski previously was VP of sales and technology services at Work Market. Earlier he held VP- and executive-level positions at multiple technology companies.

WorkRails is designed to become "the shopping cart for services," asserts Leventhal. While Amazon mastered the logistics for shipping stuff, WorkRails is mastering the logistics for accelerated service delivery, he asserts.

So what's the next WorkRails move? We'll be watching the Huntington, N.Y.-based company closely.

Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri is co-founder & editorial director of MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E, the two leading news & analysis sites for managed service providers in the cybersecurity market.