Wow! Ten years in business – how time flies.
What are we doing to celebrate? No big parties this year (at least not yet), so we’ll be keeping it local and using the funds to donate to local charities instead. Excellent as this just so happens to align very nicely with my original business plan…
When I first opened CMIT Solutions of Monroe, my original business plan did say one of my top goals was to give back to the local community – Rochester NY – the city I grew up in.
But, this got me thinking – what did my business plan look like when I started 10 years ago…and how did I do? Let’s take a look…
Number one goal/objective: “Build something to be proud of while providing balance in our lives.” I definitely hit that one square on the head. Not only for myself but that’s also what we aim to provide our staff. A mentor of mine once told me the 80/20 rule should apply to where you work. We spend more of our waking hours at work than any other place – you better be enjoying it at least 80% of the time. With just about every job there is always going to be the drudgery stuff you don’t like doing (for most of our techs, that’s probably documentation), however, you better really enjoy the bulk of your job. This is why we hire people who not only love technology but love working with our clients. In exchange for finding people who enjoy working here, we help them find balance in their own lives. Our team works hard while also placing a lot of value on their family and communities – and that’s awesome!
My next two goals were financial – where I would be after five years and whether the business would support my long term retirement plans. How did I do? Well, it took me six years to hit that first goal instead of five but I’m not complaining. Now, 10 years down the road, even with the havoc caused by 2020, things are looking pretty good. In terms of retirement, that still seems a long ways off but my business has all the elements in place for longevity and building value. Check!
What really interested me while looking back was what I wrote for our “Standards of Business.” Here I stated three commitments:
- Strong customer focus – listen and advise
- Deliver on all promises or make it right if we can’t
- Be the “caring” IT partner
Woohoo! These are still the commitments we live by today and deliver upon. Our customer satisfaction and Net Promoter Scores confirm it. Our clients share their appreciation. And, our staff tells me this is the best place they’ve ever worked. Here’s what my team helped me put together about 6 years ago – still very true today:
Our Vision is to be the most trusted IT partner in the Rochester area because we listen and deliver on our promises.
We serve businesses in the Rochester area who value their technology and rely on it for their success. We are their trusted advisor who helps them achieve their goals by proactively caring for their systems and their people.
We protect their data, reduce their downtime and keep their teams productive.
We listen. We care.
In the Rochester area, CMIT Solutions provides local, responsive IT support and technology services for small to mid-sized businesses. As your IT partner, we ensure systems are running, your data is secure, and your staff is productive. Backed by a national system, we have over 200 locations across the country with local ownership in Rochester.
Cheryl Nelan has over 25 years experience supporting small to mid sized businesses and helping them grow. In 2011, she started CMIT Solutions of Monroe to support businesses in the Rochester, NY area. She wanted to take her experience and leverage the strength of a national franchise to help local businesses leverage technology. Focusing on customer service and developing a culture where great people want to work has always been central to her mission. Today, CMIT Solutions of Monroe is one of the top CMIT franchises and the recipient of a number of local awards as well. She is proud of the team and loves working with our clients.
