Thinking outside the box Bomgar Corporation goes global
Even though Joel Bomgar’s entrepreneurial venture has exploded from a one-man cubicle in 2003 to one of the nation’s 10 fastest-growing software companies in 2008, with plans to conquer the world in 2009 and beyond, he remains refreshingly humble.“Our success last year is largely attributed to our keen focus on developing and delivering a remote support product that not only meets this challenge for IT support organizations, but exceeds expectations from a security and ROI standpoint,” said Bomgar, CEO of Ridgeland-based Bomgar Corporation.
Still in his twenties, Bomgar has already branded his name nationally to be practically synonymous with the computer industry’s appliance-based enterprise remote support software, which he developed to address problems he faced while studying at Belhaven College and working as a technical support engineer.
"It was technology I just couldn't keep to myself," said Bomgar.
In 2008, Bomgar Corporation reported its fifth consecutive successful year, increasing its market penetration with new clients such as Novell, MIT and PlumChoice, and platform upgrades by adding BlackBerry support and HP integration. The company also picked up several coveted industry awards. For example, it ranked No. 28 on the 2008 North America DeLoitte Technology Fast 500 and Fast Company named it one of the 2008 Fast 50 Reader’s Favorites.
“The focus for businesses right now is shifting from customer acquisition to retention,” said John Ragsdale, vice president of the Service & Support Professionals Association (SSPA). “Therefore, companies are becoming dependent on innovative IT support technologies as a method to improve customer satisfaction. Bomgar’s remote support software is especially attractive to companies that require almost immediate ROI, in addition to enhanced IT customer support.”
Bomgar Corporation wowed Inc.’s editorial team, which recognized it as one of the 10 fastest-growing software companies in America after measuring revenue growth from 2004 to 2007. Only U.S.-based, privately-held companies that are not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies and reported a minimum of $200,000 in revenue in 2004, and $2 million in 2007, qualified for the Inc. 500 list. Bomgar Corporation’s revenue jumped 1,282 percent, from $873,002 in 2004 to $12.1 million in 2007.
"If you want to find out which companies are going to change the world, look at the Inc. 500," said Inc. editor Jane Berentson. "These are the most innovative, dynamic, fast-growing companies in the nation–the ones coming up with solutions to some of our knottiest problems, creating systems that let us conduct business faster and easier, and manufacturing products we soon discover we can't live without. The Inc. 500 list is Inc. magazine's tribute to American business ingenuity and ambition."
Bomgar Corporation was selected among Gartner 2008 “Cool Vendors,” described as “representative of companies that highlight the fact that global innovation is alive and well. One indication of this trend is that sourcing continues to be dominated by a growth in job opportunities in India and China.
In addition, employees from the U.S. and Europe are increasingly applying for jobs in India, as much of the IT work moves in that direction. Investors see these trends as opportunities to seek out innovative companies and products wherever they may be."
Before 2008, Bomgar Corporation was on the radar of national industry benchmark setters: Network World named it one of the Top 10 Security Start Ups to Watch in 2006. That same year, it made Fast Company’s Fast 50 Reader’s Favorites, and was a Red Herring 100 Finalist for 2006 and 2007.
Bomgar Corporation provides the industry’s only appliance-based remote desktop software for universal tech support, which allows service technicians to securely access and control multiple devices on demand, such as Windows, Mac, Linux and Smartphones. Its flagship product, the Bomgar Box, which TMCnet selected a 2008 Product of the Year award winner, is uniquely positioned in the IT support marketplace with an appliance-based platform that minimizes the cost of overall IT support and helps companies better handle the impacts of a sluggish economy. The products easily integrate into existing IT infrastructures and strengthen the security of support organizations with an ROI typically realized in three to nine months.
“Today, more so than ever, companies need technologies that enable staff to do more with less,” said Bomgar. “And since computers rarely malfunction while sitting within walking distance of the support desk, the need for remote assistance continues to grow.”
Last year, Bomgar Corporation expanded its product portfolio to include a virtual appliance, introducing the B300v, which runs in VMware ESX server environments. It also introduced the latest version of its remote support software in the fourth quarter, featuring BlackBerry mobile device support and out-of-the-box integration with HP Service Manager.
“Bomgar Corporation doesn’t ‘do’ actual tech support,” Bomgar explained. “We’re not a services company. We just provide the technology via our product that enables our customers to do technical support anywhere in the world much more effectively by connecting securely to the end-user’s computer over the Internet.”
Last summer, Bomgar Corporation expanded into Europe through a partnership with U.K. reseller Connectology, an independent provider of IT and network services in European markets. With Connectology providing consulting and services to enterprise business units deploying critical IT projects, and using Bomgar’s appliance-based tech support software to its European clients who need to provide help desk services to remote offices around the globe, the collaboration enabled companies located in those regions to easily expand their business internationally.
"Connectology's approach is built on the pillars of customer satisfaction, problem ownership, people development and technical excellence as core strategies for growth and success," said Jonathan Wagstaffe, CEO of Connectology, one of the U.K.’s fastest-growing companies. "The company's services are complemented by partnerships with key vendors such as Bomgar, providing clients with fully operational multi-vendor solutions. These cover the range of technologies required to deliver fully operational network solutions to clients."
Bomgar’s products have been adopted worldwide, from smaller IT shops supporting clients around the country to large enterprises that need to support remote employees. The latest product release includes additional language packs for Simple Japanese and Dutch.
To accommodate Bomgar Corporation’s phenomenal growth, the company celebrated its new expansion and grand opening, with Gov. Haley Barbour dropping by to applaud Bomgar for demonstrating that “entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Mississippi” and noting the company has been “incubated, funded and supported by companies within the state of Mississippi.” Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company and former U.S. Ambassador to Portugal John Palmer of Gulf South Capital, also founder of SkyTel, provided Bomgar $20 million in early capital funding.
Bomgar Corporation employs 125 people who serve more than 4,500 corporate customers in every U.S. state and 48 countries worldwide, and plans to continue to an aggressive hiring program throughout 2009.
You may contact Lynne at lynne.jeter@gmail.com.