The managed services provider (MSP) space is highly competitive and rapidly growing. As businesses large and small invest in IT infrastructure, adopt new technologies, and strengthen cybersecurity, they become more and more complex. That means the IT support they require must evolve, too.
With many IT businesses competing for the same clients, it can be difficult to stand out. But the opportunity is huge: the overall MSP market is forecasted to be worth more than $350 million by 2026. MSPs must adapt to stay ahead of the curve, just like companies across North America have had to adapt to hybrid and remote work.
CMIT Solutions is one of the most innovative MSPs operating in the United States and Canada. For more than 25 years, we’ve focused on providing our clients with proactive managed services—not just reactive break-fix services. This helps us differentiate ourselves from franchise competitors and build a reliable client base. We even surpassed $100 million in system-wide revenue more than a year ahead of our goal, placing us in the top 25 MSPs nationwide.
Here’s how our franchisees succeed today—and how we’re positioning our system for even greater achievements in the future:
1) Specialize in a slice of the market. We don’t try to be everything to everyone. Instead, we focus on the small to medium-sized business (SMB) market. Companies with fewer than 500 employees make up nearly half of all U.S. economic activity and account for more than 49% of private-sector employment. Worldwide, small businesses account for a whopping 90% of all companies—and register 16 times as many new patents per employee as larger companies.
That’s why CMIT Solutions supports numerous verticals within the SMB market. Our franchisees are small business owners themselves, making them perfectly suited to help with IT challenges and smart growth strategies.
2) Focus on client service. CMIT Solutions diagnoses, prevents and minimizes tech problems before our clients notice them. We do not just show up when computers break or systems fail. This flips the typical IT support model on its head. Instead, our clients think of us as their strongest line of defense. We are protectors of productivity and efficiency enablers, not just “IT guys” who try to fix complicated issues.
This level of customer service generates peace of mind and ensures smooth day-to-day operations. In short, our clients count on us—and we deliver.
3) Emphasize cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is a growing concern for businesses of all sizes. Any MSP that emphasizes its ability to deliver robust security solutions will stand out from the crowd. Most importantly, CMIT Solutions understands that cybersecurity is not a one-size-fits-all, check-the-box arrangement.
Cybersecurity means different things to different businesses. We offer multiple layers of protection, all customized to meet the needs of each client:
· Proactive monitoring and maintenance
· Regular security assessments
· Vulnerability detection
· Software updates
· Data backup and much more
4) Provide affordable services—and accrue recurring revenues. Our business model has a long track record of win-win success. Clients can rely on outsourced managed IT services delivered at affordable, consistent monthly rates they can budget for. And franchisees can rely on recurring revenues to build a structured stream of income that offers predictable long-term planning.
Years of industry research and careful financial analysis demonstrate that this model offers businesses the greatest chance of success on both ends of the MSP market.
5) Leverage a strong overall brand. CMIT Solutions has developed core values and a collaborative culture that’s unmatched in the MSP space. Based on our unique franchise structure, we’ve established systems, products, marketing tools, and business operations that standardize client services while empowering new franchisees.
Our North America-wide network of more than 250 locations and 900 technicians recently received additional investment from a leading private equity firm. It’s all part of CMIT’s aggressive strategy to double system-wide revenue to $200 million by 2028.
6) Rely on local trust. That said, CMIT Solutions still runs on the spirit of independent entrepreneurship fostered by our local franchisees in metropolitan markets across North America. We believe that independent business owners do the best job of serving their clients and building long-term trust. As any local business owner will tell you, they like to do business with other small companies in their community.
That means our franchisees are not just viewed as IT service providers but as trusted professional advisors to their longtime clients.
7) Strengthen industry partnerships. Because of our collective size, we cultivate long-term relationships with international tech giants like Dell, Microsoft, Intuit, Datto, and Barracuda, among others. Again, that’s a win-win for both clients and franchisees. Each benefits from competitive leverage, quantity discounts, enterprise-level support, rigorous systems of market research, product development, and strategy implementation. And, as always, it’s all backed by a local business owner at a price you can appreciate.
8) Invest in marketing and sales. Many MSPs and IT providers view marketing as diametrically opposed to their technical expertise. Some even choose to ignore it. But not CMIT Solutions. We understand the power of marketing and sales, empowering our franchisees with turnkey playbooks and smart, affordable strategies.
We provide messaging, targeting, and communications assistance that aligns with the overall brand while giving you space to define your market and your value benefit. Sales training is baked into our pre-launch training so that every franchisee starts at CMIT Solutions equipped with the tools they need to succeed.
9) Rack up the accolades that matter. CMIT Solutions stands out in the crowded MSP space and allows aspiring entrepreneurs to maximize their chances of success. And we keep winning the awards that matter. For the 12th year in a row, CMIT was recognized as one of the top 500 franchises on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500®. That’s the world’s first, best, and most comprehensive franchise ranking.
The Franchise 500® is a purely objective ranking of businesses. It ranks the franchise model based on financial strength, stability growth rate, and size of the system—not a sponsored ranking that requires a “token sponsorship fee.”
At CMIT Solutions, we value the entrepreneurial dream. Our franchisees come from a variety of backgrounds, including but not limited to marketing and sales professionals, business leadership and project management, as well as those with a background in tech. In the end, they were individuals who wanted to start their own business, and our MSP business model allowed them to achieve that dream.
With a low initial investment and a clear path to rapid success, CMIT Solutions is an appealing franchise opportunity for an aspiring entrepreneur. Contact us today to see if our business model could work for you.
