The commercial integration landscape is undergoing a massive platform shift. Between rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and a fluctuating economic climate, systems integrators are looking for stability and smarter tools to manage their businesses.
In a recent deep dive into business resources, Dan Ferrisi, group director of content and editorial at Emerald, sat down with Nate Gardner, CEO of Solutions360. Their conversation shed light on a pivotal year for the software company, highlighting how a major private equity investment and a focus on AI are set to reshape the Q360 platform for the future.
Fueling Long-Term Infrastructure with Strategic Investment
For Solutions360, this past year was defined by a significant partnership with private equity firm Northrim Horizon. While investment news is common in the tech sector, Gardner emphasized that the nature of this partnership is distinct.
Northrim Horizon operates as a long-term capital partner, a move that Gardner explains liberates Solutions360 from the pressure of short-term sales cycles often associated with traditional investment holds.
“We won’t have to sell the business in any near-term time period,” Gardner said. “This allows us to make major long-term infrastructure investments that you just wouldn’t be able to do in a traditional investment hold.”
This infusion of capital is being directed specifically toward building for the future, a critical strategy as the industry navigates the current technology platform shift driven by AI.
Evolving the Q360 Ecosystem
The Q360 platform has long been recognized as a market leader for integrators, covering workflows from initial quotes to recurring revenue management. However, the company is now looking to expand its capabilities by adopting a “play well with others” mentality.
Gardner outlined a strategy to integrate Q360 with top horizontal applications across the business ecosystem.
While Q360 will continue to build out industry-specific functionality directly within the platform — meeting the unique needs of AV, security and fire integrators — it will leverage partnerships for broader business functions.
Key areas targeted for integration include:
- Accounts Payable Automation: Streamlining financial workflows.
- Payment Processing: Enhancing accounts receivable reconciliations.
- Data Fluidity: Ensuring seamless data movement between applications to strengthen the customer experience.
Navigating Economic Uncertainty with Profitability Controls
The conversation also touched on the economic headwinds facing the industry, including fluctuating interest rates and potential tariff changes. Ferrisi highlighted the need for integrators to “optimize their internal operations” to maintain a strong profitability posture.
Gardner agreed, positioning the Q360 platform as a vital tool for weathering these uncertainties. By offering deep visibility into labor utilization and cash flow forecasting, the software allows integrators to see exactly how well they are deploying resources.
“Obviously you always want to run a very profitable, well-optimized business,” Gardner said. “But when there’s economic uncertainty… it becomes more and more important.”
The platform’s focus is on providing real-time notifications of key data. This empowers users to make immediate decisions as project scopes shift or labor forecasts change, ensuring that projects remain profitable from start to finish.
The Role of AI in Reducing Manual Workflows
Perhaps the most forward-looking portion of the discussion centered on AI. Solutions360 is actively investing in AI not just as a buzzword, but as a practical tool to eliminate manual drudgery for integrators.
Gardner described a future where AI handles the heavy lifting of data entry and routine tasks. The goal is to move away from manual logging entirely.
Key AI initiatives include:
- Automated Data Logging: capturing data from phone calls and job site photos automatically.
- Workflow Automation: Using AI to perform repeated tasks that were traditionally manual.
- Predictive Decision Making: Helping users anticipate project hurdles before they impact the bottom line.
This shift allows integrators to focus on “working on their business” rather than getting bogged down “working in their business.”
Looking Toward 2026
As the industry prepares for the coming years, the partnership between software providers and integrators will be crucial. With a stable capital foundation and a roadmap heavily influenced by automation and integration, Solutions360 aims to be the partner that guides integrators through the AI transition.
As Gardner concluded, “Leaning on a partner to get you through these times is really important.”
