Keystroke

About Keystroke

Keystroke presents a compelling case of strategic evolution, transitioning from a general technical services firm to a dominant force in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) market. Founded in 1994 by Ken Quigley, the company initially focused on regional technical sales and services. A pivotal shift occurred in 2004 when leadership recognized the growing importance of specialized database and web solutions, choosing to endorse and build expertise around the Act! CRM platform. This specialization proved to be a critical growth driver.

Ken Quigley's journey reflects a keen understanding of market dynamics; faced with the rapid commoditization of computer hardware in the 2000s, he strategically pivoted the business towards the higher-value CRM software and consulting space. This foresight allowed the company to not just survive but to thrive, leveraging its networking experience to deploy and host customer databases. This led to Keystroke becoming the Master Distributor for Act! in Canada and eventually, through a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, the #1 Act! reseller in the world by 2015, a title it has retained since.

The company's business model is centered on serving small to medium-sized businesses with a comprehensive suite of CRM-related products and services. Revenue is generated through expert consulting, deployment, hosting, ongoing support, and the development of proprietary software solutions. Keystroke has aggressively expanded its offerings through numerous acquisitions, including Handheld Contact (a mobile solution for Act!), DesignR1, and the addon product lines from TopLine Results, ASDS, and Effective Solutions. This has resulted in a portfolio of over one hundred software solutions, significantly expanding its addressable market.

Beyond reselling, Keystroke is a significant developer of addons and integrations that enhance the core Act! product. Their offerings include industry-specific solutions for wealth management, mortgage brokerage, and real estate, as well as productivity tools like the Linktivity.net suite, which adds lead generation, online appointment booking, and web form capabilities. The company also provides a range of professional services, including website design, hosting, marketing automation, and technical support, positioning itself as an end-to-end solutions provider for its clients.