The Functionary lands on MES Midmarket 100 list for AI QA work

MES Computing named The Functionary to its 2026 MES Midmarket 100 list, recognizing the company’s AI QA & Optimization work for midmarket firms and managed service providers. The nod underscores growing demand for tighter workflow visibility and quality controls as organizations push AI into live service operations.

Why it matters: - Midmarket companies and managed service providers are under pressure to use AI without breaking existing service operations. - The Functionary’s recognition reflects demand for AI tools that improve quality control, workflow visibility, and consistency before automation scales.

What happened: - MES Computing, a brand of The Channel Company, highlighted The Functionary on its 2026 MES Midmarket 100 list. - The annual list recognizes technology vendors with deep knowledge of the IT needs of midmarket organizations. - The Functionary said its submission focused on AI QA & Optimization for teams running IT and service operations inside existing client environments. - The announcement was dated July 14, 2026, from Aubrey, Texas.

The details: - The Functionary’s AI QA & Optimization solution is designed to help service leaders improve visibility across tickets, workflows, escalation paths, and customer interactions. - The offering is aimed at organizations moving quickly on AI while their workflows, documentation, and quality controls may still need work. - The solution is meant to broaden QA coverage, identify performance patterns, and support workflow improvement without disrupting day-to-day operations. - The Functionary says the approach helps clients build structure, QA, and workflow visibility so AI can create measurable value inside work they are already running. - David Hostetler, vice president of service delivery at The Functionary, said the company uses AI to give teams better visibility, better coaching opportunities, and a clearer view of customer service quality. - Hostetler said QA helps make sure AI-assisted workflows improve the customer experience, not just speed up work. - Sam Darwish, founder and CEO of The Functionary, said AI creates financial value when it lowers cost, improves consistency, and scales without adding unnecessary overhead.

Between the lines: - The recognition points to a broader market shift: buyers are rewarding AI tools that sit on top of operational discipline, not just automation features. - The Functionary is positioning QA as a prerequisite for trustworthy AI in customer-facing service environments.

What's next: - The Functionary directed readers to a blog post, AI Needs QA Before It Reaches the Customer, for more detail on the approach. - The company is likely to continue marketing AI-assisted service optimization to midmarket organizations and MSPs managing complex operations.

The bottom line: - The MES Midmarket 100 recognition gives The Functionary a platform to argue that AI in service operations works best when QA comes first.