North American businesses rely on technology to achieve their goals and grow their revenue. From point-of-sale terminals in retail stores to laptops used by remote employees and smartphones leveraged by technicians in the field, technology is critical to everyday success. It helps businesses streamline processes, improve efficiency, and maintain a competitive edge.
Where reliance on technology exists, IT support is a must. The IT services sector is forecasted to top $440 billion in 2023, growing 6.25% annually through 2027. Since success with tech requires a certain amount of specialized knowledge and expertise, it takes a reliable partner to help businesses realize their full potential. But many cost-conscious small businesses neglect IT resources and others view it simply as a necessary evil.
The Shortcomings of Reactive IT Support
What is reactive IT support? The break-fix kind that’s only called upon when something breaks and needs to be fixed. This could be computers freezing, email going down, or software failing to work. Many businesses count on savvy employees to deal with IT emergencies like these. If that doesn’t work, they call a small IT firm that might not be able to deliver high-quality support—but is available when they’re needed.
When things get really bad, some companies will bite the bullet and hire a full-time IT expert. But a backlog of user complaints can quickly overwhelm this individual, forcing them to perpetually work in “react” mode and never get ahead. None of these scenarios deliver the kind of IT support that today’s businesses need to survive and thrive.
The Managed Services Revolution
Around a decade ago, a radical change in IT support philosophy swept the industry. Managed services providers (MSPs) discovered they could deliver greater efficiency and productivity to businesses with proactive IT protection delivered at a predictable cost. This coincided with a rise in digital threats like malware, ransomware, data breaches, and phishing, all of which require enhanced cybersecurity protection.
CMIT Solutions, an IT services franchise, has developed a new MSP model that addresses the most significant needs of businesses while empowering aspiring entrepreneurs to leverage our business model. With more than 250 independently owned and operated offices across North America, the CMIT Solutions network now specializes in:
• Proactive monitoring and maintenance. To help prevent and recover quickly from cyberattacks.
• Regular data backups and disaster recovery plans. To make sure businesses do not lose important data if a disaster were to occur.
• Cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications. That make it easy for hybrid employees to collaborate
• Hardware support that extends from purchasing to installation to ongoing patch and update support.
Enhanced layers of protection complement these key layers of cybersecurity protection, including:
• Endpoint detection and response (EDR). This advanced cybersecurity tool gives trusted IT providers the ability to monitor every potential entry point to a company’s network.
• Antivirus, anti-malware, and advanced firewalls. These tools can create a protective “umbrella” around your systems.
• DNS filtering. This tactic allows you to fine-tune web access policies by IP address and limit entry to websites that are a risk to the network.
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and single sign-on (SSO) tools. These login protocols can mitigate the pain of a stolen password.
• Reliable help desk services. At CMIT Solutions, we employ more than 900 North America-based technicians who have decades of experience solving every IT problem under the sun.
The Benefits of Proactive IT Support
The managed services philosophy holds that prevention is preferable to reaction, that a predictable monthly IT budget is preferable to occasional large IT expenses, and that the sign of a truly well-functioning IT system is when users don’t even notice it’s working.
CMIT Solutions IT franchise system embodies this philosophy by actively predicting potential issues, detecting and resolving them before they turn into “white-hot” emergencies, and anticipating future incidents. Proactive support assigns remote technicians and engineers to basic demands first, then escalates more complicated issues to the most skilled resources. Because numerous IT support personnel are always available (the Network Operations Center, Help Desk, and individual technicians), multiple issues can be resolved simultaneously. This results in a faster resolution time and greater end-user productivity.
As business owners and managers face an increasingly challenging digital landscape, expert IT support that’s relevant and cost-effective becomes even more important. Solving short-term issues isn’t the only concern—it’s equally important to develop long-term IT strategies that treat technology as an asset rather than an adversary.
The Managed Services Opportunity
Very few managed services providers can meet both the budgetary and service-level requirements of small businesses. The consulting arms of major technology companies need higher-dollar clients and cannot efficiently target companies in the 10-500-employee range.
This is the space in which CMIT Solutions thrives. We’ve developed a robust suite of products tailored to the needs of all businesses, including small- and medium-sized. We’ve established repeatable infrastructure and reliable vendor relationships that all of our franchisees can leverage. Our IT franchise business model meets the critical needs of thousands of companies that need help understanding technical complexity and doing more with less.
As the demand for IT support grows, the opportunity for MSPs increases exponentially. IT providers that can offer a compelling product to businesses in their community have a rare opportunity to reach a large (and potentially very loyal) market segment that has traditionally been neglected.
How Can CMIT Solutions Help?
Building a new business from scratch is incredibly difficult, with obstacles that pop up every day. CMIT Solutions franchisees have the tools they need to get off to a fast start: established business services, a proven territory to drum up business, and hundreds of fellow franchisees who have a long track record of helping businesses overcome technological hurdles. But that’s just the beginning.
Our goal is to be the brand our target market looks to for strategic technology direction and IT support. To meet that goal, we aim to have offices in every state, every province capital, and every metropolitan market in North America. That way, no potential client will ever be more than an hour’s drive away from a CMIT franchisee. Our long-term goal is to reach 500 units across North America.
In addition, IT services are a recession-proof segment of the overall economy. Computers, smartphones, and servers are not going away anytime soon, and CMIT Solutions has the accumulated knowledge necessary to deal with any problem. Even in this tough economy, CMIT Solutions continues to grow its franchise network.
Ready to Learn More?
Are you ready to take advantage of this opportunity and provide reliable IT support to businesses that need it? Explore CMITFranchise.com to learn more about our franchise opportunity. We’re here to answer questions and assist you on your entrepreneurial journey.
