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Results-Driven in the Future of Work: PRO Unlimited Acquires MSP Leader GRI

Solution ProvidersTechnology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on

For nearly the past two years, PRO Unlimited has revolutionized the way the contingent workforce solutions market operates. Through its mix of proprietary software, Wand Vendor Management System (VMS), longstanding Managed Service Provider (MSP) solutions, and a mix of exclusive partnerships and key acquisitions, the integrated workforce management platform provider has been perhaps the most aggressive in the industry since mid-2020. Through its unique “platform approach” (as an “Integrated Workforce Management” platform) towards extended workforce management, HR, and talent acquisition technology markets, PRO Unlimited continues to deliver on its ultimate vision.

This morning, the company announced that it entered into an agreement to acquire fellow MSP offering Geometrics Results, Inc. (GRI). GRI has long been an innovative and powerful solution in the MSP landscape (most recently evaluated as a “Market Leader” in the Ardent Partners/Future of Work Exchange MSP Solution Advisor report) through its robust Managed Direct Sourcing (MDS) offering, coupled with one of the industry’s deepest intelligence engines (Envision Analytics) and a dedication to a variety of key market verticals.

GRI is currently owned by MSX International, a technology-enabled business process outsourcing firm, which is a portfolio company of funds managed by Bain Capital Europe. GRI has 150 customers across the world, representing over $4 billion in spend under management (particularly concentrated in the United States, the UK, and India).

The GRI acquisition, according to PRO Unlimited CEO Kevin Akeroyd, is a multi-faceted move that will help the solution expand on many of its forward-thinking goals for the greater industry.

“Our mission is to be the centralized system of record and a truly holistic platform for the extended workforce,” said Akeroyd. “M&A activity is a key piece of our mission, and when we think about satisfying the many “flavors” of how work gets done, including managed services, end-to-end software, data and intelligence, payrolling, and the worker experience, this acquisition firmly supports that vision, allowing us to deliver something very special for the marketplace.”

The GRI acquisition will allow PRO Unlimited to continue expanding its growing market, particular within additional industries that GRI has long specialized and served, including automotive and light industrial. In addition, GRI’s long list of large and mid-market clients will be a nice addition to PRO’s Global 2000 portfolio of customers.

From a solutions perspective, the Future of Work Exchange believes that PRO’s acquisition of GRI is an ideal and complementary piece to key areas within several of the solution’s Best-in-Class offerings, particularly direct sourcing (DirectSource PRO) and data and intelligence. GRI’s Envision analytics tool is one of the industry’s deepest and most powerful, a “gold standard” for total talent data and insights across the workforce management solutions industry. PRO’s agile reporting functionality will benefit from GRI’s on-demand, Envision-driven data and intelligence, which helps users better understand the impact of the extended workforce and how to maximize it by using predictive modeling and scenario-building.

“GRI will harmonize PRO’s analytics and intelligence capabilities, which are already the largest data-led offerings in our space,” said Akeroyd. Pointing to its recent acquisition of PeopleTicker, its stout RatePoint offering, and the “jewel” of the Workforce Logiq acquisition (ENGAGE AI), Akeroyd said, “Envision fits really nicely into all of that and what we’re offering from a total talent intelligence perspective and will be a nice boost to that critical aspect of our solution.”

With the GRI acquisition, the PRO umbrella of solutions will account for over $22 billion in spend under management, a figure which would make them one of the three or four largest MSPs in the workforce solutions marketplace.

“This acquisition will continue to enhance our overall vision, with GRI serving as yet another extension of the end-to-end platform,” said Akeroyd. “Many of the best brands in the world rely on GRI as a world-class MSP; we now have the opportunity to help enable these household-name organizations with world-class workforce management services, worker experience solutions, technology, and total talent intelligence.”

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Key Providers for 2021: GRI

Solution Providers by Christopher J. Dwyer on

The Background:

The Managed Service Provider (MSP) model has long been a powerful solution in the workforce management industry, its longevity owed to decades of success in transforming how companies think about their talent, how they structure contingent workforce management (CWM) initiatives, and how they ultimately drive value from their extended workforce.

Today’s MSP offerings have evolved mightily in recent years to provide their clients with a slew of services designed to facilitate end-to-end management of SOW/services procurement, direct sourcing, payrolling, talent acquisition, and more. In fact, many leading MSP solutions are reimagining their services suites to reflect the dynamic changes occurring in the greater world of work and talent.

GRI is one of those solutions.

Why They Were Selected:

Many of the globe’s market-leading managed services offerings have a similar slew of products that are only slighted differentiated based on such attributes like service model delivery and sector-specific aspects. One key differentiator of those MSPs that stand out from the pack is the ability to provide its customers with not just traditional value, but true workforce and business agility through a focus on talent, technology, and transformative thinking.

Geometric Results, Inc. (GRI) has long been a household name in the MSP space, and for good reason: its Envision Analytics is a self-service portal that blends powerful business intelligence with real-time talent data. Predictive analytics, neural machine learning models, and hundreds of data sources position Envision Analytics as one of the contingent workforce industry’s deepest, most robust reporting-led offerings.

In addition, its “Managed Direct Sourcing” approach allows customers to build flexible direct sourcing programs and strategies that traverse beyond simple talent pools; GRI’s MDS product is one of the market’s most forward-thinking direct sourcing offerings and positions clients’ direct sourcing programs with a 360-degree brilliance of agility through a strong convergence of industry expertise, human-led processes, and Best-in-Class automation.

In Their Own Words:

GRI works exclusively for our customers and transcends the industry standards. The client comes first and our role as an exclusive advocate is absolute and unbiased.  We are the only MSP that is (1) singularly focused (2) vendor-neutral, (3) free of all channel conflict, and (4) not controlled by a staffing company.

GRI focuses solely on delivering innovative, Best-in-Class workforce solutions as an independent MSP provider. And in an industry that largely lacks transparency, and is steeped with channel-conflict, no other workforce solutions company can back up this claim!

We offer a direct sourcing solution that is native to our MSP. It creates meaningful cost savings and reduced time-to-fill beyond the typical program while improving worker quality. It works well because we are motivated and incentivized by its success; no other MSP can confidently stake that claim.    

We actually innovate — it’s not just an overused and largely misunderstood word at GRI. The ‘box’ doesn’t direct us, and therefore it’s much easier for us to think outside of it. And to think instead about technologies, talent acquisition models and processes as well as the collective ecosystem that will most benefit our clients.

The Outlook:

GRI is positioned as an MSP that will thrive in the years ahead due to its commitments to flexibility, innovation, and the Future of Work. Its unique Managed Direct Sourcing offering balances the necessary human elements with a deep technology stack and platform ecosystem, while its Envision Analytics tool is one of the industry’s finest talent intelligence solutions.

As the world of talent and work continues to evolve and adapt and require talent- and intelligence-led offerings, GRI will continue to establish itself as a preeminent source of workforce management innovation.

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