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Going the Way of Blockbuster: Debating the Future of Physical Test Centers

For over a decade, the testing industry has debated the viability of remote testing for medium-and-high stakes exams. Today, accelerated by the technological and societal changes arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, remote testing has been broadly adopted by medium and high stakes exams around the world. Such a rapid market shift parallels the growth of alternative movie-delivery services and the demise of the video rental giant, Blockbuster, and set the stage for an entirely different debate: whether physical test centers will eventually “go the way of Blockbuster.”

This article provides a short history of the video rental company, followed by arguments on each side of this debate. While there are a variety of test center and remote testing options, this debate will focus on computer-based test centers using in-person human proctoring, and remote testing using online human proctoring. The arguments below are for purposes of expanding upon this debate and are not necessarily the views of the authors.

For and Against, At-a-Glance

A closer examination.

Setting the Stage: A Brief History of Blockbuster

At the turn of the century, Blockbuster boasted thousands of video-rental stores around the world, millions of customers and a market value of billions of dollars. 1 With a store in nearly every major city, a trip to Blockbuster was a common experience shared by families around the world.

Disruption was on the horizon, however, as Netflix entered the market, first with movies-by-mail and then streaming services. 2 For consumers, Netflix offered personalized movie rentals and streaming services without the hassle of leaving home and without the concern of late fees. From a corporate perspective, the Netflix model was significantly lower cost, avoiding the expenses associated with the Blockbuster brick-and-mortar retail locations. 3

By 2010, after unsuccessful attempts to get into streaming services, Blockbuster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 4 Today, the sole remaining Blockbuster store is located in Bend, Oregon. 5 Consumers’ adoption of Netflix and the gradual demise of the brick-and-mortar Blockbuster business model raises the question of whether a similar disruption is occurring in the test delivery market. 

Point: Yes, physical testing centers will “go the way of Blockbuster.”

There are obvious parallels between the test center business model and the Blockbuster business model. Just as the convenience of movie streaming services disrupted Blockbuster, remote testing has disrupted test centers, resulting in a shift in examinee demand. 

Remote testing enables examinees to personalize the time, location and equipment used during the test event. Unlike test center delivery, which is primarily limited to the regular work week, remote testing is available 24/7. This affords examinees greater opportunity to test on their own schedules, during their peak performance times. Remote testing enables examinees to test in an environment in which they feel the most comfortable and confident, without the expense and hassle of traveling to a test center and without the distraction of other examinees and staff. This personalization can also enable examinees with accessibility needs to use their own equipment, rather than adapting to the accessibility equipment provided at a test center.

Just as Netflix was arguably a lower cost for consumers when compared to Blockbuster video rental (especially factoring in late fees), the “cost” of remote testing for consumers is also arguably lower, both financially and emotionally. Financially, examinees can eliminate the cost of travel, and in cases where the only available test center is hours away, testing from home can eliminate hotel and meal expenses as well. Emotionally, examinees can eliminate the stress of traffic, concerns over travel-related delays and the hassle of finding available parking. 

Testing programs also benefit from remote testing, which is more flexible and scalable, and less expensive than the test center model. Unlike test centers, where the limited availability of physical seats can constrain growth, remote testing supports a flexible and rapid ramp-up when more capacity is needed. Further, when compared with test centers, where vendors pass on the cost of maintaining buildings and testing equipment to testing programs, remote testing avoids those costs, resulting in savings to testing programs.

While the argument for physical test centers suggests security is different between test center and remote testing, that doesn’t mean remote testing isn’t secure. Proctors are key to security in any delivery model, and online proctors can effectively deter and detect violations of testing rules. In some respects, online proctoring can be more secure than test center proctoring, as the risk of proctors colluding with examinees is mitigated due to online proctor assignment rules and the fact testing programs can “watch the watchers.” Testing programs have extensive visibility into the test session and behavior of proctors and examinees.

Just as advances in technology and changing consumer preferences resulted in the eventual demise of Blockbuster, similar conditions will hasten the collapse of the testing center business model. As consumers increasingly expect to be able to work, shop and learn online, they will also expect to test online. Over time, as consumer preference for using remote technology increases and use of test centers decreases, test centers will reach a tipping point where the high fixed costs of maintaining the brick-and-mortar test center network will simply become too expensive.

It took over a decade for Blockbuster video stores to disappear but today, there is only one remaining Blockbuster on the planet. Testing centers are not going to disappear overnight, but it’s only a matter of time before they too become an unsustainable relic of the past.

Counterpoint: No, physical test centers will not “go the way of Blockbuster.”

Remote testing allowed many testing programs to keep the lights on during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many examinees appreciated the convenience and safety of taking an exam at home. But that was temporary. Now that test centers are open again, some testing programs are anecdotally reporting 20%-50% of examinees are electing to test at test centers. Any testing program ignoring the fact that a sizable percentage of examinees want to test at a test center does so at its own risk.

There are many sound reasons for examinees to desire a test center delivery option. For examinees, test centers promise a smoother testing experience. Staff ensure the test equipment, internet bandwidth and physical environment meet program requirements. This is in stark contrast to remote testing, where the cost and stress of keeping equipment and software updated, ensuring stable internet bandwidth and creating a quiet and secure test space fall squarely on the shoulders of the examinee. Many examinees, especially those who are less tech savvy, choose to forego the added stress of remote testing and focus on their exam instead.

Similarly, the technology and internet bandwidth offered at physical testing locations, while occasionally fallible, is still stronger and more stable than many remote locations. If a technical issue does occur, staff are available to immediately troubleshoot or move the examinee to another available computer station. During remote testing, the burden of troubleshooting is carried by the examinees and, if a resolution cannot be found, the examinee is faced with the hassle of rescheduling. 

There is power in choice, and when given a choice, a notable percentage of examinees are returning to test centers. They know the technology will work, there is someone there to help them get into the exam, and the environment will be quiet, so they can focus on their exam not on the setup.

Ensuring a fair and accessible test are also key reasons test centers will continue to be needed.  Some examinees require accommodations that can best be provided securely at test centers, such as a scribe. Further, not all examinees have a quiet room, an updated computer, driver-compatible assistive technology or the bandwidth needed to test from home. There remain significant areas within North America and around the globe that do not have the infrastructure or personal wealth to support remote testing in any meaningful fashion.

For testing programs, test centers offer a proven security model. Proctors have more control of the testing space; it is more difficult to hide a camera on a bookshelf or sneak a cheat sheet into a test center than into a remote testing event. Some centers offer security tools that aren’t available during remote testing, such as biometrics for authentication or examinee wanding to detect digital devices. Test center proctors can observe examinees from many different angles and, in the event of a security incident, proctors can immediately inspect and confiscate unauthorized aids, and determine in real-time whether an exam rule has been violated — actions which are more difficult or even impossible remotely.

Test centers and related technology will also continue to evolve. By and large, test centers will be in a better position than individual examinees to employ newer technologies, such as bigger computer screens or new biometric technologies, and can implement new ways to improve exam security.

While the COVID-19 pandemic forced a shift to online living for a period of time, as soon as it was safe to resume a more normal life, consumers have returned to in-person shopping, learning and testing. While some individuals may choose to continue using remote testing, a notable number appear to prefer test centers.

The early numbers reflecting a percentage of examinees returning to test centers bear this out. Rather than only offer remote testing, testing programs will empower examinee choice by providing both test center and remote testing options, maintaining the need for test centers for years to come.

Conclusion (or a Reasoned Guess) 

Remote testing has proven to be a viable disruptor to the test center model for all types of exams. As technology and consumer preferences continue to evolve, we predict remote testing will continue to expand.

Just as movie delivery and streaming services dramatically disrupted the Blockbuster business model, remote testing will continue to disrupt the test center delivery model. However, with programs reporting a notable percentage of examinees are choosing to test at a test center today, testing programs can reach the broadest population of examinees by offering both remote and test center delivery. Unlike the demise of the Blockbuster stores, examinee demand for choice will likely result in testing programs offering both remote testing and test center delivery over the next several years.  

  • See Blockbuster Becomes a Casualty of Big Bang Disruption, Larry Downes and Paul Nunes, Harvard Business Review, Nov 7, 2013, https://hbr.org/2013/11/blockbuster-becomes-a-casualty-of-big-bang-disruption , retrieved June 16, 2022; A Look Back at Why Blockbuster Really Failed and Why it Didn’t Have To, Greg Satell, Forbes, Sep 5, 2014, https://www.businessmodelsinc.com/exponential-business-model/netflix/ , retrieved June 16, 2022; Hollywood’s New Zombie: The Last Days of Blockbuster, Edward Jay Epstein, The Hollywood Economist, Jan 9, 2006, https://slate.com/culture/2006/01/the-last-days-of-blockbuster.html , retrieved June 16, 2022.
  • Blockbuster Becomes a Casualty of Big Bang Disruption, Larry Downes and Paul Nunes, Harvard Business Review, Nov 7, 2013, https://hbr.org/2013/11/blockbuster-becomes-a-casualty-of-big-bang-disruption , retrieved June 16, 2022.
  • See https://bendblockbuster.com/ , retrieved June 16, 2022.

computer based test center business plan

Stephanie Dille, MBA, is the chief marketing officer of Meazure Learning (formerly ProctorU, Yardstick and Scantron Certification & Licensure), a full-service provider of secure, reliable and convenient test development and administration solutions for higher education and professional testing organizations. In her role, she is responsible for the strategic marketing plan leading an integrated marketing team across brand, web, design, digital, content and product marketing. Dille has been in the testing industry for over 30 years. Prior to joining ProctorU in 2017, she was head of global marketing at Pearson VUE and prior to that, spent time in both corporate and clinical assessment. She is a strong supporter of industry organizations like I.C.E., ATP and ITCC, and currently serves as committee chair of the I.C.E. External Stakeholder Working Group.

computer based test center business plan

Kellie Early, J.D.,   has more than two decades executive experience in professional regulation and assessment. In June 2022, she retired as chief strategy officer at the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). While at NCBE, she served as the staff lead for NCBE's Testing Task Force, which conducted a three-year study resulting in recommendations for the redesign the bar examination. Prior to joining NCBE, Early was the executive director of the Missouri Board of Law Examiners and, before that, the director of Continuing Legal Education and adjunct professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. She began her career as a lawyer in private practice and is licensed in Missouri and California. She holds a bachelor’s in business administration and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

computer based test center business plan

Jeff M. Marsh   is a test security professional with over a decade in the assessment industry. Marsh has served in a variety of IT, test security and operational roles within the testing world. In these roles, he has developed and enhanced security and testing programs, and worked to ensure the integrity of a vast suite of assessments. Marsh holds the role of chair of the Association of Test Publishers Security Committee.

computer based test center business plan

Rachel R. Watkins Schoenig, J.D., is the CEO of Cornerstone Strategies, a boutique firm dedicated to ensuring a foundation of trust for the assessment industry. Specializing in exam security and privacy services, the firm supports testing programs across the globe. Schoenig also has the privilege of serving as Examity’s first chief science officer where she focuses on evolving Examity’s industry-leading approach to online proctoring, with a particular emphasis on enhancing security, privacy and the overall exam experience. Schoenig is admitted to practice law in several jurisdictions. Prior to founding Cornerstone, she was the past head of test security for ACT, Inc. where she leveraged her legal, international and testing experience to improve exam security. Before joining ACT, she led the legal department for Bandag, Inc., a publicly traded company engaged in international franchising and manufacturing, where she provided advice concerning mergers and acquisitions, compliance, litigation and intellectual property matters, and later served as a corporate officer of Bridgestone-Bandag, LLC. She earned her Juris Doctorate summa cum laude from Drake University Law School. Schoenig is passionate about the assessment industry and the positive impact we can have on individual lives and communities.

computer based test center business plan

Bill West, MBA, is a senior market leader and 25+ year veteran of the assessment industry. He has successfully served in a variety operational and sales capacities for test administration and credential management organizations as well as an NCCA-accredited non-profit credentialing association. His roles have included customer service, program management, business development, operations and strategy. In these roles, West launched and managed numerous national and global assessment programs, assisted clients with expanding their businesses, implemented strategic partnerships and developed new markets. An active contributor to industry associations, conferences and committees, West served on the board of directors for the Association of Test Publishers (ATP) and currently serves on two boards — the Certification Network Group (CNG) and the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (I.C.E.), owner of the NCCA accreditation standard.

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Reference Material

Computer-based testing (CBT) has taken hold in nearly every professional sector. CBT combines all the necessities of paper and pencil-based testing (PBT) into an electronic format, making test administration more flexible, convenient, and secure. There are many benefits to CBT, which can improve outcomes for the testing sponsor, the testing candidate, and improve the overall candidate experience.

Candidate testing volume, an important measurement in any testing program, often increases as a side-effect of the enhanced availability that comes with computer-based testing.

Unlock Additional Testing Opportunities

Clients of ours have found that by switching to a CBT format, they are able to both lengthen the testing window and increase the number of locations where testing is available to candidates, whereas paper-based exams often limit both the scale and scope of the test. Computer-based testing substantially decreases the importance of a candidate's physical location, granting them the convenience and flexibility to test almost anywhere.

An additional, one-off benefit of transitioning to CBT and expanding test availability is that an increased number of candidates can be accommodated at any one time. Occasionally, with high-stakes tests, seats fill up early, and those candidates who wait until the last minute to register for an exam end up scrambling to find an opening. Candidate testing volume, an important measurement in any testing program, often increases as a side-effect of the enhanced availability that comes with CBT.

Offer Improved Test Security

Another benefit and strength of CBT is the increased security it offers program owners. Paper-based tests must be printed, transported to the testing location and stored in a secure location until the test date, and while PBT remains a secure way to test, CBT offers an enhanced level of protection. CBTs are encrypted and transferred electronically from the test administrator's data center directly to the testing center over a secure and private network. Since the encrypted test never actually sees the "light of day" until a candidate brings it up on their PC, there is almost complete absence of transport risk.

An additional security risk of any administered test is item exposure and test content security. Various test navigation and presentation strategies, made possible only through CBT, can help mitigate item exposure concerns. Test items can be stored electronically and either pre-selected by the test sponsor for a given exam or randomly pulled on test day. Additionally, advancements in item management software have made it easier for organizations to maintain an up-to-date item bank and remove or replace test items easily and at will.

Increase Test Accessibility 

Accessibility improvements are a large benefit of adopting CBT. The use of a computer allows many accessibility options that may have been challenging for paper and pencil tests. Remote assessment, screen reading, speech recognition, language translation, screen magnification, timing flexibility, font magnification, and other accommodations can provide an equitable testing experience for candidates. Testing on an equal playing field improves the validity of the credential and its sponsor and can lead to significant improvements in a candidate’s testing experience.

Test with More Realistic Experiences

Perhaps the most dynamic aspect of CBT is its ability to more closely replicate the "real life" experiences of people in any profession. Candidates of computer-based tests may be presented with colorful high-resolution images or relevant video clips as part of their testing experiences, often replicating a more true-to-life testing experience. 

There is most certainly an argument for the computerization of certification exams, especially with those testing programs that require larger scale, higher stakes, or increased flexibility. Computerization and digitization of content is growing more prevalent in every aspect of society, with the medical profession often at the cutting edge. Some exams in the medical sector are even using sophisticated simulations, including some each test taker may experience differently, which provides both increased security and higher engagement from test takers. 

computer based test center business plan

Providing Great Candidate Experiences

Increased opportunities for assessment, flexibility in scheduling, improved security, greater accessibility, and more modern, cutting-edge test content are all important parts of the candidate experience. 

Computer-based exams provide a more intuitive method for candidates to complete their exams. One feature many candidates appreciate about CBT is its auto-grading capabilities. While paper-based exams require additional time to manually grade, some computer-based exams can provide candidates an exam score within minutes of completing the exam. 

For testing audiences who may be new to the idea of computerized exams, there are many ways to help ease the candidate’s transition . 

The computerization of tests ensures that future professionals are experiencing the most accurate, secure and "practical" experience possible – assuring that the rest of us will be well-cared for in the future.

Perhaps the most dynamic aspect of computer-based testing is its ability to more closely replicate the "real life" experiences of people in any profession.

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Computer Training Center Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Education Sector

Are you about starting a computer training center? If YES, here is a complete sample computer training center business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE .

Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a computer training center. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample computer training center marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for computer training centers. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.

If you are interested in starting a business in the ICT industry, one of the options open to you especially if you are interested in imparting knowledge is to open a computer training center. Just like most businesses in the ICT industry, computer training center business is open to as many people that are interested in the industry as long as they have the required experience and qualifications.

In order to capture a fair share of the available market in your location, you would need a good website that is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) compliant. The truth is that your website ensures that your business remains visible to your customers. You can even ensure that your customers get to book and pay online so as to make it more convenient for them.

Lastly, you would need a good business plan to be able to launch a successful business and below is a workable computer training center business plan template that will help you to draft yours.

A Sample Computer Training Center Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

The computer training services industry is made up of centers that offer vocational and technical courses. They also provide courses in computer programming, which include curriculums for software packages, computerized business systems, computer electronics technology and local area network management.

It is important to state that computer training centers may also train their students via online platforms. The computer training services industry provides vocational and certification training in a range of IT-related skills. The industry provides training in computer programming, software development, computer electronics technology and network administration.

Players in this industry range from small private companies providing certified training in specific IT areas, to larger software companies providing training and certifications in their proprietary software such as SAP, Oracle and IBM. Going forward, the computer training services industry is expected to continue declining as competition from other forms of higher education and online learning platforms continue to reduce enrollment in computer training centers.

The Computer Training Services Industry is indeed a large industry and pretty much active in all the countries of the world.

Statistics have it that in the united states of America alone, there are about 16,195 registered and licensed computer training centers scattered all across the United States responsible for directly employing about 2,329 people and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $3 billion annually.

The industry is projected to grow at -0.4 percent annual growth within 2012 and 2017. It is important to state that SkillSoft has a largest chunk of the available market in the industry.

Please note that the computer training industry has low barriers to entry. The majority of the businesses in this industry are owner operated, and there are few major players that control significant portions of the industry’s total market. In addition, classroom facilities and equipment can be rented on an as-needed basis, resulting in relatively low initial infrastructure costs.

The main factors that may prevent new players from joining the industry include course development and accreditation costs, as well as a moderate level of regulation. Among computer training schools, rapidly changing technology can be costly. Operators must balance the benefit of offering up-to-date courses with the cost of producing such coursework.

The tough part as it relates to start-up costs most likely is the need to secure a standard and well – positioned facility. Regardless of moderate barriers to entry, the competitive nature of the industry makes it very difficult for new operators to break even within a short period of time in the industry.

Lastly, the computer training school services industry is pretty much open for aspiring entrepreneurs to launch their business in the industry.

One good thing about computer training center business is that the business can be opened in any part of the United States and if proper market survey and feasibility studies are conducted, then you can be rest assured of profitability of the business.

2. Executive Summary

The name of our business is Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC; we are a registered and accredited computer training school that will be located in Atlantic Avenue, – Delray Beach, Florida. We are registered under the United States’ Government. We are well equipped to train people that want to acquire computer or IT related skills.

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC will offer computer cum IT trainings such as computer programming, computer software package training, computer systems and database training, computer electronics technology training, Local area network (LAN) management training and vocational training.

We are set to service a wide range of clientele in the whole of Atlantic Avenue – Delray Beach, Florida, we will ensure that we regularly update our teaching approach to meet up the trend in the industry.

At Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC we are passionate in the pursuit of excellence with uncompromising services and integrity which is why we have decided to start our own computer training center in Atlantic Avenue – Delray Beach, Florida; we are in the industry to make a positive mark.

We are quite optimistic that our values and quality of service offering will help us drive our computer training center to enviable heights and also help us attract the number of students that will make the business highly profitable. Our company will be dedicated to establishing good business relationship with our students giving them value for their money and reasons why they should continue to recommend their family members and friends to us.

We are in the computer training Industry to favorably compete with other leading brands in the industry both in the United States and in the globe. Our corporate business goal is to be among the top 5 computer training schools in the United States of America.

As a company, we are willing to go the extra mile to invest in some of the finest professionals (computer cum ICT trainers / instructors) we can find and also, we have put processes and structures in place that will ensure that we are always at the top of our game when it comes to impacting knowledge as it relates to our computer training services. We have been able to secure permits from all relevant departments in the State of Florida.

We are quite aware that in order to become the number one choice in our city, we must continue to deliver quality and practical computer training and that is exactly what we will do. We are open to the use of latest technology in our line of business.

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is owned and managed by Edgar Jones and his immediate family members.  

Edgar Jones has a Degree: B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; M.S. degree in Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; MBA from the University Of Chicago Booth School Of Business.

3. Our Products and Services

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is an accredited computer training school that offers a wide range of training services that revolves around the computer training industry. We will be dedicated to establishing good business relationship with our students by giving them value for their money and reasons for why they should continue to recommend their family members and friends to us.

We are in the computer training industry to make profits and we will ensure that we do all that is permitted by the law in the United States to achieve our business aim and objectives. These are the services we will offer as a computer training center;

  • Provision of programming training
  • Provision of software package training
  • Provision of computer systems and database training
  • Provision of computer electronics technology training
  • Provision of vocational training
  • Local area network (LAN) management training

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

  • Our Vision is to become the number one government approved computer training school in the whole of Atlantic Avenue, – Delray Beach, Florida, United States of America.
  • Our mission as a government approved computer training school is to develop a highly successful, and profitable computer training center which provides quality training in our community and to become a standard for computer training schools not only in Atlantic Avenue, – Delray Beach, Florida, but also throughout the United States of America and Canada where we intend attracting students.

Our Business Structure

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is aware that the success of any business lies in the foundation on which the business is built on, which is why we have decided to build our computer training center on the right business foundation.

As a matter of fact, we will build a computer training center that will be a standard for the computer training school line of business in the United States of America.

We want to build a dedicated workforce that will go all the way to ensure that our students are satisfied and they get value for their money when they enroll in our computer training school.

We aware that it takes a business with the right employees and structure to achieve all what we have set to achieve, which is why we will be putting structures and standard operating processes in place that will help us deliver excellent training to our students.

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC will employ professionals and skilled people to occupy the following position;

  • Head of The School / School Coordinator

School Administrator

ICT Instructors

Marketing and Sales Executive

Client Service Executive

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Head of the School / School Coordinator:

  • Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions.
  • Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
  • Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
  • Responsible for providing direction for the business
  • Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
  • Evaluates the success of the organization
  • Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the computer training school
  • Design job descriptions with KPI to drive performance management for tutors (ICT instructors)
  • Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of the schools’ Policies, Procedures and Processes
  • Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
  • Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
  • Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
  • Oversees the smooth running of the daily activities of the school.
  • Responsible for handling computer cum IT trainings such as computer programming training, computer software package training, computer systems and database training, computer electronics technology training, Local area network (LAN) management training and vocational training et al
  • Accesses the progress of students under their care
  • Ensure that students abide by the rules and regulations of the regulating bodies in the United States of America
  • Receives complaints from students and channel it to the appropriate quarters
  • Handles any other duty as assigned by the school coordinator.
  • Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new students, and business opportunities et al
  • Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
  • Writes winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
  • Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
  • Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the student’s needs, and communicate with clients
  • Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding sales
  • Helps to increase sales and growth for the school.
  • Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
  • Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
  • Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
  • Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
  • Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
  • Responsible for administering payrolls
  • Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
  • Handles all financial transactions for the organization
  • Serves as internal auditor for the organization.
  • Welcomes students and visitors by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
  • Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
  • Through interaction with students on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
  • Manages administrative duties assigned by the school coordinator in an effective and timely manner
  • Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the schools’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to students when they make enquiries
  • Distributes mails in the organization

6. SWOT Analysis

Computer training school is one of the many businesses that can easily generate business deals with little stress as long as they are well positioned and equipped to carry out their trainings. We are building a standard computer training center which is why we have decided to subject our business idea to SWOT Analysis.

Ordinarily we can successfully run a normal computer training center without the stress of going through the required protocol of setting up a new business including writing a detailed business plan, but because of the nature of the kind of computer training center we want to establish, we don’t have any option other than to follow due process.

We hired the services of a Business consultant with bias in startups to help us conduct SWOT analysis for our company and she did a pretty job for us. Here is a of the result we got from the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC;

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is centrally located in a densely populated residential estate in the heart of Atlantic Avenue, – Delray Beach, Florida; our location is in fact one of our major strengths because we are in a location with the right demography for the kind of business we run.

Another strength that counts for us is the power of our team. We have a team that are considered experts in the computer training school line of business, a team of hardworking and dedicated individuals.

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is a new business which is owned by an individual (family), and we may not have the financial muscle to sustain the kind of publicity we want to give our business.

  • Opportunities:

We are centrally located in one of the busiest areas in Delray Beach – Florida and we are open to all the available opportunities that the city has to offer. Our business concept and staff strength also positioned us to accommodate over 200 students per time.

The truth is that there are no standard computer training centers within the area where ours is going to be located; the closest one to our proposed location is about 6 miles away. In a nutshell, we do not have any direct competition within our target market area.

Some of the threats that are likely going to confront Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC are unfavorable government policies , seasonal fluctuations, demographic / social factors, downturn in the economy which is likely going to affect consumers spending and of course emergence of new competitors within the same location where our computer training center is located.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

  • Market Trends

The key to attracting students is the ease at which students learn different computer skill sets in a training school. Any computer training center that has good records and loads of positive testimonials from students who have passed through the school will always thrive.

Another common trend in the computer training industry is that in the bid to survive global economic meltdown and to ensure steady flow of income to effectively run the business, most players in the industry engage in other related services.

Some of them even go as far as establishing agency services to provide certified ICT professionals for clients and some also offer specialized home training for executive students et al.

8. Our Target Market

Before choosing a location for our computer training center, we conducted thorough feasibility studies and market survey and we were able to identify those who will benefit greatly from our service offerings. Basically, those who will benefit from our service offering are students and workers, people who want to get ICT skills and certifications.

Our Competitive Advantage

Despite the fact that the computer training center business has stiff huddles to scale through does not mean that there are no real competitions in the industry. The truth is that no matter the line of business that you are involved in, as long as it is called business, you will definitely face one form of competition or the other and computer training school is not an exemption.

So, if you are looking towards setting up this type of business, it is advisable to do your due diligence before launching the business if indeed you want to succeed. We are well trained and equipped to compete in the computer training school services industry in the United States of America.

Our competitive edge is that we are a government approved computer training center that is centrally located in a densely populated residential estate in the heart of Delray Beach – Florida; our location is in fact one of our major strengths because we are in a location with the right demography for the kind of business we run. Another strength that counts for us is the power of our team.

Lastly, we have the ability to develop courses for new technology, we have a good reputation and the ability to alter services in favor of market conditions.

Plus, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

  • Sources of Income

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the computer training school services industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to attract clients on a regular basis. Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC will generate income by offering the following services;

10. Sales Forecast

The fact that the ICT industry is gaining prominence in various aspects of our daily business, means that the services of computer training schools will always be needed.

We are well positioned to take on the available market in and around Delray Beach – Florida and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough profits from our first six months of operation and grow our computer training center and our student base.

We have been able to critically examine the computer training school line of business, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast.

  • First Fiscal Year: N240, 000
  • Second Fiscal Year: N650, 000
  • Third Fiscal Year: N950, 000

N.B : This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown or any major competitor offering the same services as we do within the same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

  • Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

The marketing strategy for Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is going to be driven by excellent customer service and quality training delivery. We want to drive sales via the output of our jobs and via referral from our satisfied students.

We are quite aware of how satisfied students drive business growth especially businesses like computer training schools.

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is strategically located and we are going to maximize the opportunities that are available to us, which is why we spent more to locate the business where it will be visible and accessible to our target market.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be equipped to meet the overall goal of Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC.

Our goal is to grow Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC to become the leading computer training center in Delray Beach – Florida which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with in our line of business.

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

  • Introduce our computer training center by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to schools, corporate organizations and other key stake holders in and around Delray Beach – Florida
  • Print out fliers and business cards and strategically drop them in offices, libraries, public facilities and train stations et al.
  • Use friends and family to spread word about our computer training center
  • Post information about our computer training center and the services we offer on bulletin boards in places like schools, libraries, and local coffee shops et al
  • Place a small or classified advertisement in the newspaper, or local publication about our computer training center and the services we offer
  • Leverage on referral networks such as agencies that will attract students who would need our services.
  • Advertise our computer training center in relevant entertainment magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations.
  • Attend relevant expos, seminars, and business fairs et al to market our services
  • Engage in direct marketing approach.
  • Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied students.
  • Join local chambers of commerce and industry and other relevant groups to market our services.

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is set to create a standard for the computer training school line of business not only in Delray Beach – Florida, but throughout the United States of America which is why we will go all the way to adopt and apply best practices to promote our business.

Good enough there is no hard and fast rule on how to advertise or promote a business like a computer training school. Here are the platforms we intend leveraging on to promote and advertise Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC;

  • Encourage our loyal students to help us use Word of Mouth mode of advertisement (referrals)
  • Advertise our business in relevant education cum ICT magazines, local newspaper, local TV and radio stations
  • Promote our business online via our official website
  • List our business inn local directories (yellow pages)
  • Sponsor relevant community programs
  • Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, twitter, et al to promote our brand
  • Install our billboards in strategic locations all around Delray Beach – Florida
  • Direct coupon mailing approach
  • Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
  • Ensure that all our staff members wear our customized clothes; all our official cars are customized and well branded.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC will charge our students flat fees except for few occasions where there will be need for us to charge special students on hourly basis.

At Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC we will keep our fees below the average market rate for all of our students by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our students at regular intervals.

We are aware that there are some students that would need special assistance, we will offer flat rate for services that will be tailored to take care of such students’ needs. The prices of our services will be same as what is obtainable in the open market.

  • Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation in the United States of America. Here are the payment options that Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC will make available to her clients;

  • Payment via bank transfer
  • Payment with cash
  • Payment via online bank transfer
  • Payment via mobile money platform
  • Payment via Point of Sale Machines (POS Machine)
  • Payment via check
  • Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients make payments for our services. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

In setting up any business, the amount or cost will depend on the approach and scale you want to undertake. If you intend to go big by renting a place, then you would need a good amount of capital as you would need to ensure that your employees are well taken care of, and that your facility is conducive enough for your workers to be creative and productive.

This means that the start-up can either be low or high depending on your vision and aspirations for your business. The tools and equipment that will be used are nearly the same cost everywhere, and any difference in prices would be minimal and can be overlooked.

As for the detailed cost analysis for starting a standard computer training school; it might differ in other countries due to the value of their money. We have been able to pull cash that will be enough for us to successfully launch a government approved computer training center in Delray Beach – Florida. These are the key areas where we will spend our startup capital on;

  • The total fee for registering the business in the United States of America – $750.
  • Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits – $1,500.
  • Marketing promotion expenses (8,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of – $10,000.
  • The total cost for hiring Business Consultant – $5,000.
  • The amount needed for the purchase of insurance policy covers (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $30,800.
  • The total cost for the purchase of accounting software, CRM software and Payroll Software – $3,000
  • The total cost for leasing facility for the business – $150,000.
  • The total cost for the purchase of computers, laptops and other related software and hardware – $280,000
  • Other start-up expenses including stationery – $1000
  • Phone and utility deposits – $3,500
  • Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
  • The cost for the purchase of furniture and gadgets (Computers, Printers, Telephone, TVs, Sound System, snooker board, tables and chairs et al) – $ 4,000.
  • The cost of launching a Website – $600
  • The cost for our grand opening party – $15,000
  • Miscellaneous – $5,000

Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need about four hundred and fifty thousand ( 450,000 ) U.S. dollars to successfully set up a medium scale but standard computer training center business in the United States of America.

Generating Startup for Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is a business that will be owned and managed by Edgar Jones and his immediate family members. They are the sole financiers of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the start up capital for the business to just three major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our startup capital;

  • Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
  • Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members
  • Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $150,000 ( Personal savings $100,000 and soft loan from family members $50,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $300,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.

One of our major goals of starting Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to offer our ICT training services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Pinnacle Hub® Computer Training Center, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

  • Business Name Availability Check: Completed
  • Business Incorporation: Completed
  • Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
  • Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
  • Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
  • Securing a standard facility and reconstructing the facility: Completed
  • Purchase of reliable computers, laptops, hardware and software: Completed
  • Application for business license and permit: Completed
  • Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
  • Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
  • Generating part of the startup capital from the founders: Completed
  • Writing of Business Plan: Completed
  • Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
  • Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
  • Design of Logo for the business: Completed
  • Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
  • Recruitment of employees: In Progress
  • Purchase of the needed furniture, office equipment, software applications, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
  • Creating official website for the business: In Progress
  • Creating Awareness for the business: In Progress
  • Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
  • Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in various industries: In Progress

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Talent Assessment | 6 Min Read

Decoding computer-based tests: A comprehensive guide

Table of contents, introduction.

From primary, secondary, and tertiary education to vocational certification, all forms of education and training require optimized and measurable assessments to measure the outcomes of knowledge imparted to learners. Well-designed assessments focus on targeted areas with utmost accuracy and encourage learners to perform better. Before the digital era, evaluators used traditional approach-based tests. However, with the internet and technology seeping into different aspects of life and computing gadgets becoming necessary, assessments have become increasingly crucial.

The age of new, innovative computer-assisted assessments has dawned. Unlike its predecessor (pen-and-paper testing), a computer-based test is not a resource-intensive evaluation. On the contrary, it is technologically advanced and has eliminated the inconvenience incurred due to rudimentary testing approaches. For example, the requirement for examination halls, seating configurations, printed papers, travel and other logistical hassles were evident. Conducting assessments online via digital tools benefits invigilators and students, who are now highly receptive to digital technologies.

This blog will detail the intricacies of computer-based assessments and how they support educational institutions that are contemplating shifting to computer-based testing.

Image 1

What is a computer-based test (CBT)?

Computer based exam_banner 1

The need for computer-based examinations has increased, given the post-pandemic challenges. The global pandemic has underlined the challenges and vulnerabilities the education sector faces. There are serious concerns about building a committed framework to keep academia immune to such disruptions. CBT provides a scaffold by minimizing the administrative burden of conducting examinations in academia, reducing the time and effort that would otherwise be consumed on the laborious process of setting up examination centers, printing and distributing exam papers, and other overheads.

Computer technology is employed in computer-based testing (CBT), which means the candidates use computers to answer questions presented on the monitor. The computer the test taker uses is called a client computer. In contrast, the computer used for delivering the exam while connected to an intranet/internet is called a server computer. Therefore, computer-based exams take place in a client-server environment.

The appeal of online CBT lies in its functionality to streamline how educational assessments, certifications, or pre-employment tests are conducted in multiple ways. From its inception in the 1970s to now, when computers have assumed a ubiquitous status, it has become the ideal successor to paper-and-pencil tests. Interestingly, the terms ‘online exam’ and ‘computer-based exam’ are often used interchangeably; however, there is a subtle difference between these two.

An online exam may be perceived as a subsection of the CBT because, as the name suggests, the computer-based test is too comprehensive not to include online exams in its ambit. While the term online exam can be used for any examination conducted over the internet, the computer-based test is generically used for any test given and taken using computers, without depending on the internet.

To put it into perspective, a CBT may or may not be connected to a server on the intranet/internet and may act as standalone testing. Once the exam is over, the result can be transferred online to a web server or locally stored on the computer’s hard disk.

History of computer-based assessments

The history of computer-based assessments (CBAs) can be traced back to the mid-20th century when the first computers emerged. Early attempts at computerized testing were limited by the technological constraints of the time. However, with the rapid advancements in computing power and technology during the latter half of the 20th century, the potential for using computers in assessments became increasingly apparent. In the 1960s and 1970s, the advent of mainframe computers allowed for the development of simple computerized tests. The 1980s saw the rise of personal computers, further expanding the possibilities for computer-based assessments. The 1990s marked a turning point with the widespread adoption of the Internet, enabling the development of online assessments. As the 21st century unfolded, the sophistication of CBAs increased, incorporating multimedia elements, adaptive testing, and artificial intelligence. Today, computer-based assessments play a crucial role in education, employment, and various professional certifications, providing efficient and reliable means of evaluating knowledge and skills.

Types of online computer-based assessments

Some common types of CBTs are:

  • Multiple-choice tests: These tests present a question or statement with multiple answer options, and the test taker selects the correct answer(s) from the given choices.
  • Fill-in-the-blank tests: The test taker must provide the missing word or phrase to complete a sentence or statement in these tests.
  • True or false tests: Test takers are presented with statements and must determine whether each piece of information is true or false.
  • Simulations: Simulations are interactive computer-based tests that mimic real-life scenarios. They assess practical skills and decision-making abilities in various fields, such as healthcare, aviation, and engineering.
  • Online assessments: Online assessments encompass various CBTs delivered through internet-based platforms. They can include multiple-choice tests, simulations etc., providing flexibility and convenience for test takers.
  • Programming or coding tests: These tests assess a test taker’s programming knowledge and coding skills. They typically involve solving coding problems or writing code to achieve a specific outcome.
  • Adaptive tests: Adaptive tests dynamically adjust the difficulty of questions based on a test taker’s responses. Depending on the test taker’s performance, the questions become more challenging or accessible, aiming to provide a more precise evaluation.
  • Matching tests: These tests match items in one column with corresponding objects in another. The test taker connects related terms or concepts by drawing lines or selecting options.
  • Essay tests: Essay tests require test takers to write detailed responses to questions or prompts. They are often used to evaluate writing skills, critical thinking, and subject knowledge.
  • Certification exams: Many professional certifications, such as IT certifications or language proficiency exams, are conducted using computer-based tests. These exams assess knowledge, skills, and competencies required for specific professions or industries.

Benefits of using computer-based tests

Computer-based testing can be used most effectively for several academic purposes, certification tests, or pre-employment screening processes, with examinations (assessments) as one of the decisive rounds to screen out applicants. Moreover, for corporates, such tests can enable management to develop pathways for employees’ career progressions. Learning and development departments can also leverage online CBTs to identify employees’ strengths and weaknesses and design appropriate training programs for holistic workforce development.

Computer-based tests have various advantages over traditional examination methods. From conducting exams to delivering reports, computer-based exams have made the examination process smoother. Besides, computer-based tests offer multiple benefits to candidates and administrators in administering, grading and scaling up the process.

The advantages of computer-based tests are:

computer based test center business plan

Convenience

Computer-based tests can be conducted all year round. Students can take tests at a time and place of their choosing. They do not need to travel to a particular physical location to write an exam, enabling candidates from far-off areas to take their test. The test window usually extends between one to three weeks, allowing aspirants to choose a convenient slot.

computer based test center business plan

Computer adaptive testing

Computer adaptive tests are a form of CBT whose difficulty level adjusts based on the respondents' answers, depending on the examinees' ability and knowledge. For example, if the test-taker answers a question correctly, the next problem will be complex. Computer adaptive testing is yet another milestone of assessment technology, providing an effective means to assess students' abilities more precisely.

computer based test center business plan

Various security features are inherent in computer-based testing to maintain test integrity. In addition, online proctoring and different security features make CBT a highly secure mode of assessment.

computer based test center business plan

Conducting online exams from any corner of the world is essential to universities. Unlike the traditional examination approach, students can appear for an online computer-based exam from their chosen place and select an exam slot at their convenience.

computer based test center business plan

Since the computer-based examination can be conveniently hosted on a robust CBT exam platform, it can be conducted simultaneously for multiple candidates, irrespective of location. Stellar computer-based exam software can also support over one lakh proctored tests and can be scaled further without significant investments.

computer based test center business plan

Auto grading

This feature of computer-based tests eliminates the scope of human error and the hassle of allotting evaluation duties to teachers. In addition, multiple-choice questions can be auto-graded easily, helping institutions to churn out real-time reports. It also saves considerable time in evaluating a large number of answer sheets.

computer based test center business plan

Uncovers new aspects of thinking 

Gamification can reveal underlying aspects of students’ problem-solving skills and help instructors measure their higher-order thinking skills. By having students undertake computer-based tests focusing on digital learning games and evaluating their rationale behind making specific decisions, online program instructors can personalize and tailor-make future learning experiences for each student.

computer based test center business plan

Inclusivity

A computer-based test accommodates the needs of differently-abled people by enabling them to take up assessments more conveniently instead of a pen-and-paper test. Moreover, integrating features such as braille keyboards, magnification tools, screen readers, voice-to-text, and text-to-voice applications has lent significant convenience to designing and deploying exams for differently-abled candidates.

computer based test center business plan

Saves time and energy 

The time consumed in creating question papers, driving registration, arranging supplies, and evaluating can be avoided with online CBTs as they automate the entire process. Additionally, resource consumption is significantly lower, like stationery, invigilators, or transport facilities.

Applications of computer-based tests

While computer-based tests have multiple applications , these tests are becoming increasingly popular in the following areas:

Computer based exam key area

Leveraging CBTs for academic assessments

Computer-based exams have gained steady ground in the education sector, with the last two decades witnessing the most profound shift in how assessments are given and taken. Computer testing offers numerous benefits compared to pen-and-paper tests. Some of its advantages are:

Computer based exam_Infographuc 2

Computer-based assessments are becoming a crucial part of the education system. Earlier, the arduous and time-consuming process of preparing tests was overwhelming for teachers because they needed to ensure fairness and consistency in every exam for each class. Besides, even if the teacher did a reasonable job of preparing a satisfactory exam, keeping students from indulging in cheating practices was challenging, which was detrimental to the integrity of exams. However, computer-based exams have weeded out all these hassles associated with the traditional processes, streamlining examination processes.

The computer-based testing methodology catalyzes the exam processes and tackle the challenges concerning the facilitation of examination, result report generation, and end-to-end process management. In administering tests, CBT negates the possibility of human errors evident during conducting, marking, and scoring an exam. Furthermore, the integration of remote proctoring technologies curbs cheating instances.

Two significant ways in which computer-based tests can be used as a learning assessment tool are:

Integration within the e-learning modules: Computer-based assessments can be embedded within the e-learning modules to consolidate all the components of learning activities in one place. For example, a MOOC (Massive open online course) student might watch a video that includes comprehension questions embedded within it. Or, a learner may complete the e-learning module that ends with a final exam.

Standalone CBTs: This type of test is commonly used in all kinds of learning environments, including in-person courses. An administrator can easily create tests and quizzes using a web-based platform to measure student learning outcomes. Computer-based exams have various applications, from online quizzes to final exams. They help instructors assess the effectiveness of their teaching and also boost student engagement in the classroom.

Leveraging CBTs for conducting certification programs

Computer-based tests also double up as credentialing tests to assess whether candidates are knowledgeable enough in a specific occupational area to be deemed ‘competent to practice’ in that domain. So, these tests are indispensable tools for conducting online certification for professionals.

While many computer-based examinations exist for today’s most demanded skills, test-takers can only earn certification in their respective domains if they meet the minimum score requirement.

A certificate is a credential awarded to an individual after completing an educational or training course, implying that the learner has acquired new skills, competencies and proficiency. The attainment of the learning outcomes is measured using computer-based tests with predetermined standards for certification success.

What is certification?

Certification is an assessment, audit, or review of a person, organization, or object under consideration. There are myriad certifications in the world today. They can be broadly classified into three categories:

Computer based exam_Infographic 3

  • A first-party certification is when a person or business offering products/services assures their offerings meet specific standards. For example, CE marking is widely prevalent in the European market, stating that the product marked under CE has been tested to meet specific health, environmental, and safety criteria.
  • Second-party certification means an individual or organization must rely on other associations to provide the assurance. In this regard, an association provides an approval mark for a particular market segment. Individuals or organizations must meet specific criteria to obtain this quality mark.
  • Third-party certification is when an independent organization conducts a comprehensive assessment of practices and processes that an individual or an organization follows and determines whether the final product complies with predefined standards for quality, safety or performance.

Types of certifications

Various types of certifications include:

Types of certifications

Internal certifications

Organizations use internal certifications to impart hands-on knowledge to employees in technologies, software, or the latest methodologies. These certifications are also used for upskilling employees. Usually, these certifications are intended for the workforce within the company and are not applicable outside the organization. Such certification programs are crucial for an organization’s learning and development strategy.

External certifications

External certification agencies provide external certificates. Such bodies provide accreditations in a specific industry for a particular domain.

Skills certifications

Professionals must consistently upgrade their skill sets while considering future uncertainties to stay up-to-date. They need a common language of skills that stay unchanged across industries. Skills certification is the language that can provide an expression to validate those skills. It delivers a level playing field where everyone can communicate their skills to the world, regardless of age, race, or gender.

Skills certifications can be categorized into various segments, as listed below:

computer based test center business plan

IT certifications:

Software certifications, or IT certifications, are the standard for ascertaining the credibility of information technology professionals worldwide. Such certifications formally recognize an individual's proficiency level in the programming domain. The recipient is certified as having skills and knowledge for a particular software discipline. Such certificate holders are expected to understand their specific software discipline strongly. The IT certification, often followed by a computer-based test, is awarded after an individual has demonstrated the requisite skills, knowledge, and abilities in their respective domain—e.g., Oracle certification, Certified data professional (CDP), Microsoft certification, etc.

computer based test center business plan

Financial certifications:

Professional finance certifications are indispensable if someone is considering a career in this domain or is already working there. These certifications boost an individual's skills, knowledge, professional outlook, earning power, reputation, and much more. There are several available certifications for individuals to choose from, depending on the unique requirements of professionals. These certifications are available across various domains, such as investments, financial planning, technical analysis, corporate finance, risk management, quantitative finance, etc.

computer based test center business plan

Healthcare certifications:

Healthcare requires an individual to fulfill all educational requirements before considering professional certifications. Once they satisfy all eligibility and essential needs, they can select a healthcare certification program that aligns with their desired career goals. However, one should plan and research the career path of their interest before pursuing the certification journey. Healthcare certifications validate that a certified person is qualified to perform the specified duties required for a specific position. Such certificates enable aspirants to enter the healthcare industry or transition from a different sector.

computer based test center business plan

Language certifications

Multilingualism is an essential skill, considering today's interconnected world. Workplaces have become more diverse, with employees from diverse cultural/ethnic backgrounds working together to attain organizational objectives. Effective communication skills are crucial for students to reach their true north in this globally connected world. Language certification certifies that an individual is well-equipped to meet the demanding standards of a career in linguistics. The certification exam provides a means to understand their knowledge, abilities, and preparedness in a particular language.

Workplace safety certifications

Managing health and safety in the workplace is a legal necessity and a moral obligation. Safety certifications are well-established standards that organizations can use to structure their health and safety management framework. In addition, such certifications enable organizations to convey to their regulators, employees, and clients/customers that health and safety are at the forefront of their business operations.

Government certifications

Government certifications are accredited by the government body hosting a certification program for the targeted audience. Such programs enable candidates to enroll in special training courses and receive certificates after completing the course. These programs aim to upskill people, imparting knowledge and skills to them. Following such training, candidates will take the test to obtain a certificate in their respective domains. To ensure that the certification programs maintain the highest degree of integrity and quality, certification providers must move from pen-and-paper-based testing to computer-based testing (CBT). The move to CBT will also make the test-taking experience better for candidates.

How is a computer-based test done?

All the methods involved in a paper-based test are initialized digitally via computer-based examination systems, whether for student learning evaluation or candidate assessment during exams. The online CBT exam system can register and organize a vast candidate pool through its scalable platform. Through remote proctoring solutions, the system enables the live monitoring of examinees’ screens from the farthest locations. Furthermore, the system allows quick access to test results in real time with data analytics.

How does computer-based assessment software work?

Conducting online examinations is a simple process; running a web-based computerized exam on an online computer-based examination platform is easy. The user-friendliness of an online CBT platform makes it a holistic online exam solution provider. The computer-based evaluation process consists of the following steps:

Computer based exam_Infographic 5

Step 1: Setting up the exam

The first step is to upload the questions. A robust online examination software allows uploading multiple types of problems. It also allows for integration with a learning management system (LMS).

Step 2: Inviting test-takers

Exam authorities then upload bulk student data, saving significant time gathering and updating candidates’ details. Invitation emails are sent to students, after which they can select a suitable exam slot.

Step 3: Authorizing and proctoring tests

ID-based authentication, AI-based live proctoring, screen recording, and browsing tolerance are some features that eliminate impersonation and malpractices, thus making the results as credible as traditional pen-and-paper tests.

Step 4: Real-time results

A computer-based assessment software provides real-time results that can be customized and shared in PDF or HTML format.

Step 5: Group-level analytics

In addition to individual reports, thorough data analysis provides valuable group-level insights that can be used in the future.

Computer-based assessments vs. paper-based assessments

computer based test center business plan

There are some stark differences between online CBT exams and traditional exams:

  • While the paper-based test involves a long, tedious process of conducting exams and evaluating results, the computer-based test delivers fast, reliable, and error-free assessment solutions.
  • Limited resources are needed in web-based exams compared to traditional tests. Participants can quickly appear for the test online, and it can be held without dedicated faculty and staff. A dedicated exam center, adequate faculty, stationery, seating arrangements, etc., are prerequisites for conducting a pen-paper test.
  • Computer testing enables educators to conduct grading for online tests in a much easier way. In contrast, the evaluation process in a traditional exam system is time-consuming and prone to error.
  • In computer-based tests, the recruiter can instantly send emails regarding the assessment to millions of registered candidates. In addition, the web-based exam is a flexible and secure medium, for it can provide each student with a set of random questions on the same exam pattern to prevent cheating in the exams.
  • Computer-based tests are easily accessible to students with disabilities, whereas differently-abled students have limited access to conventional education and assessments.
  • Computer-based exams allow test creators to enrich the content by adding videos, images, audio clips, PDFs, etc. In addition, using visual elements adds interactivity to the learning experience of visual learners.
  • Online CBT exams come integrated with built-in functions to curb cheating, such as browser lockdown, key disabling features, and proctoring plug-ins, etc. However, in the pen-and-paper test, the chances are high that students can cheat easily.

How Mercer | Mettl empowered IIM Bangalore to conduct secure online proctored exams

Founded in 1973, the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) is an acclaimed public business school (B-school). The institute offers a comprehensive range of post-graduate, doctoral, and executive programs. Besides notable academic courses, the institute facilitates research, provides consulting services, conducts seminars and educational conferences, and publishes insightful journals. Their requirements included the need for:

Robust platform

IIMB needed a dynamic end-to-end examination platform that was easily accessible and location-agnostic for learners and examiners. In addition, the B-school wanted a platform that would support multiple question types and exam formats without any operational hassles.

Preserving academic integrity:

Since the exams were online and attempted remotely by candidates, the B-school’s requirement was a robust anti-cheating mechanism, with an online invigilation mechanism to ensure candidates attempting the test could not resort to any illicit means.

Mercer | Mettl’s recommended a suite of online technologies to tackle these challenges, the solutions were:

  • Online Examination Platform
  • Mettl’s Proctoring as a Service (MPaaS)

These value propositions aligned with IIMB’s existing requirements and future needs to enable blended learning. The institute witnessed a drastic reduction in cheating cases after shifting to Mercer | Mettl’s examination tools. Mercer | Mettl’s automated result feature generated the results instantaneously. The institute was able to offer credible certificates to deserving students after evaluating their actual performance.

How Mercer | Mettl can help academia conduct computer-based exams seamlessly

Physical examinations pose significant difficulties for academic institutions, administrators, and students. Mercer | Mettl’s web-based examination platform is an all-in-one, integrated system to digitize academic tests. The leading SaaS-based CBT software conducts online exams quickly and efficiently. As educational institutions gear up after bearing the brunt of the pandemic disruption, and e-learning takes precedence over offline learning, even in far-off locations, the need for a robust, scalable way to conduct tests online is evident. Mercer l Mettl’s online examination platform, with its most advanced features, addresses this absolute necessity.

Mercer | Mettl’s holistic solutions cater to the examination cycle, empowering faculty and administrators to design, schedule, and deliver exams, invigilate using a sophisticated suite of proctoring tools, evaluate answer scripts onscreen, and finally submit the results. The digital platform does all this without hampering a candidate’s exam-taking experience. With these solutions, the Mercer | Mettl platform weeds out all the hassles inherent in center-based physical examinations, such as monetary overheads, logistical challenges, manual evaluation of answer sheets, and real-time monitoring of the examination process. With stringent anti-cheating protocols, the state-of-the-art platform can simplify the demanding task of conducting computer-based exams and certifications at scale. Numerous prestigious universities and institutes worldwide, including IIMB, IIMC, IIML, The Washington Center, and Cambridge Assessment, among others, attest to the popularity of Mercer | Mettl’s cutting-edge CBT exam solutions.

In conclusion, understanding the intricacies of computer-based tests is essential in today’s educational and professional landscapes. After exploring the various aspects of these assessments, from their advantages like adaptability and quick results to the considerations for test-takers, it is evident that computer-based tests have become integral to modern evaluation methods. Embracing technology in testing enhances efficiency and provides a more accurate reflection of a candidate’s abilities. As we navigate the digital era, being well-informed about computer-based tests empowers individuals to confidently approach assessments, ultimately contributing to a more streamlined and effective evaluation process.

1. How are computer-based tests monitored?

Through online exam proctoring, computer testing becomes highly effective with the inclusion of remote proctoring. The test taker is monitored via a webcam and mic and the candidate’s screen during the test is monitored as well.

2. Can participants cheat in online CBT exams? 

Usually, test-takers can cheat when taking web-based exams by browsing through sites for answers while keeping the exam open on the main tab. They typically do this by copy-pasting the content into their browser to seek solutions to the problems. Another way participants indulge in cheating is with text messages. They can contact other candidates by sharing the test or asking for answers. They can even send screenshots/photos of the test using smartphone cameras. In light of the situation, Mercer | Mettl’s suite of remote proctoring technologies will ensure cheating-free exams.

3. How do you conduct an online CBT exam?

To conduct a secure exam, one needs to start by selecting the type of computer-based exam that must be distributed, mapping the examinees who’ll sit for the exam, and sending out email links with exam details to the candidates. The examinees can click on the email link or use login credentials to take the exam online.

4. How are computer-based tests proctored?

This process is called web proctoring, wherein the test taker is precisely monitored using a webcam, access to the person’s screen during the test, and their mic. Web proctoring has three types: Recorded proctoring, live online exam proctoring and automated proctoring.

5. How do you attempt computer-based tests?

Students new to computer testing may experience difficulties taking computer-based tests; therefore, understanding the necessary steps before entering the CBT exam is crucial. Listed below are the steps for attempting computer testing: Click on the “exam’’ icon to start the assessment. After clicking it, a test window will open. The opening page will ask to enter details such as a username and passcode for the exam. The exam board has already given this information. Fill up every required space with the information that is asked. Then, click the tab ‘’NEXT’’ to proceed with the exam. The next page will be opened. This page will include test duration, types of questions and things to remember before attempting the questions. Click on the call-to-action button that says “START EXAM.” Clicking on it will open a new page that includes the initial questions of the test. Moving up through the pages, questions in a proper sequence are visible. There will be a timer bar at the top of the test window indicating the remaining time for the exam. Each question will require respondents to choose one option from multiple choices, or there will be ample space for writing explanatory answers in case of subjective questions. A ‘’SUBMIT’’ button is at the end of each question. After answering the questions, click on this button to submit responses. Use the “NEXT PAGE” and “PREVIOUS PAGE” arrows to move to the next and previous pages. There can also be a straight bar that lists all the page numbers for you to access a specific page by clicking it. It depends on the test creator whether there will be one question per page or more. Try to first attempt all the more straightforward questions and address the complex problems at the end of the test if time allows. It may be the case that you have reached the last page of the online test but skipped a few questions. The asterisk (*), a star-shaped symbol, denotes the number of questions that have not been attempted on some pages. Go back to those pages to try these questions. At the bottom of the last page of the exam, there will be a “FINISH” button. Click on the tab to finish the assessment after completing all the questions. In some exams, results come out when you hit the finish button. But sometimes, scores may also be sent via email or postal.

6. Are all computer-based assessments online assessments?

No, not all computer-based assessments are online assessments.

Originally published August 13 2020, Updated February 16 2024

computer based test center business plan

Archita Bharadwaj

Archita Bharadwaj has worked as a Content writer at Mercer | Mettl since April 2023. With her research background, she writes varied forms of content, including blogs, ebooks, and case studies, among other forms.

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Online-Assessment

Online Assessment

Online assessments, also known as digital or virtual assessments, are computer-based exams. Online assessments use information technology to empower test-takers to take assessments from anywhere, anytime. Online assessments are widely used by educational institutions and corporations.

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What is a Test Plan? The Complete Guide for Writing a Software Test Plan

What is a test plan complete guide with examples.

Creating a software test plan is one of the most foundational concepts in software testing. However, with the advent of streamlined life cycle processes, such as Agile and DevOps, the idea of taking the time to create test plans and other forms of test documentation is often minimized or ignored altogether. This is unfortunate because there is much value in a test plan that can greatly benefit all projects, regardless of lifecycle.

It is not uncommon to hear testers and test managers say things like “We don’t do test plans because we are Agile” or, perhaps the statement is “We don’t have time for test plans.” The reality is that no matter the lifecycle approach, a test plan is a valuable tool to ensure the right resources are in place to meet the test objectives.

Even in test techniques such as exploratory testing , test charters are used as a way to outline the focus of a period of testing, along with defining who will perform the tests, and how much time will be allocated to the testing effort.

Planning is essential in any endeavor in life and business. For example, a bank will not loan money to a business without a business plan. Without a marketing plan, a business will lack focus and direction in reaching new customers. Without a project plan, any initiative will dissolve into chaos.

However, for some reason, in testing, the importance of test planning is overlooked.

Keep in mind that a test plan that is not followed has little value. If you invest the time and effort to create a test plan, then follow it while evolving the plan, if needed, but don’t forget it.

It is a well-known fact that any plan will need to be adjusted once the work starts to occur. The solution is not to abandon the plan, but adapt it to the situation at hand. This especially holds true for test plans.

Table Of Contents

  • What is a Software Test Plan?
  • Test Strategy VS Test Plan

How to Write a Test Plan

Writing the test plan with the audience in mind.

  • Sizing The Test Plan

How To Create Or Find A Test Plan Template

How to deal with changes to the test plan, final thoughts, what is a test plan.

Test plan

Think of a test plan as a project plan for your testing process.

This means that the test plan conveys how testing will be performed at a particular level (such as system testing or user acceptance testing ), or for a particular type of testing (such as performance testing or security testing).

The Test Plan (sometimes also referred to as a QA Test Plan) can be seen as the instruction manual or guide for your testing effort. It describes the objectives of testing (what are you planning to verify and/or validate), the scope of testing (what will and will not be tested), together with the general and sometimes detailed schedule of the activities you want to perform (how and when are you testing).

Test plans should list the risks foreseen in the project and their respective levels so that testing can be prioritized by risk.

Perhaps the most important part of a test plan is the definition of resources needed. Resources can be seen as human (such as the people involved in the test) and technical (such as test environments, test tools and test data).

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Test Plan vs Test Strategy

A test plan and a test strategy are not quite the same thing, as we will now explain. The test plan conveys how the test will be performed. This includes defining test objectives, test approach, test tools , test environment, test schedules and team responsibilities and composition. However, before the right test approach and other planning details can be defined, a larger view of the organizational and project objectives must be defined first.

It is possible to have a great test plan in terms of formatting, but miss the critical objectives of defining what is actually needed from the test. This is where the test strategy becomes very important in defining major test objectives and making sure the test approach is in alignment with organizational needs and goals. The organizational perspective of testing is often found in a test policy.

A test strategy describes the uniqueness of the test and is a “big picture” view of the test. You might think of a test strategy as the description of the “what” and the “why” of the test.

In practical application, it is often best to define the test strategy first, so that the general nature and objectives are understood. Then, you have the basic information available to create the more detailed test plan.

A very good early project activity is to get the stakeholders together and brainstorm the test strategy. It may seem odd to have a test-oriented activity so early in a project, but it gets people thinking about how one of the most critical project activities, testing, will be conducted.

Early on, details are not needed in the test strategy. In fact, that is the great thing about a test strategy – you can define it even before requirements or other specifications are defined. Details will emerge as the test plan is created.

Typical items covered in a test strategy are:

  • Uniqueness of the project, such as usage and technology involved
  • Critical success factors, such as reliability, correctness, usability, etc.
  • Risks, such as business, project, product, and technical
  • Roles and responsibilities (not necessarily by name)
  • General timelines and schedules
  • Levels of testing (component, integration, system, acceptance)
  • Types of testing (functional, security, usability, etc.)

You have much freedom in writing a test strategy. Although a standard does exist for test strategies (ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-3), you can still make it your own. It’s possible to have a one-page test strategy that is very effective and takes less than an hour to create.

Test strategy template example

Test strategy case study example

The first test plan you write might be the most difficult. This is because you are assimilating information for the first time. The more test plans you write, the better you get at the investigation of details and the phrasing of things.

Writing a test plan is typically a test management or leadership responsibility. Others on the test team and in the organization (such as users and developers) may have input and review tasks, but it is generally up to the manager to actually write the test plan.

As mentioned above, a great starting point in creating a test plan is the definition of a test strategy. A software test strategy helps in understanding the broad objectives of the test and how a particular project or release is unique. With a test strategy in place, now you are ready to start creating a test plan.

It is typical to have gaps and vagueness in the first draft of a test plan. Many times, the information needed in a test plan will emerge over time. In fact, there may be some details of the test that do not become clear until shortly before the test. For example, details such as the features to be tested may be changing even up to the time of release.

As you write the test plan, you will discover that the writing effort becomes one of investigation as you seek to learn the details needed in the plan. A good practice is to assign certain parts of the test plan to members of the test team to investigate and document. As the author of the test plan, you can then compile and edit the information.

Perhaps one of the most important tasks in creating the test plan is to review it. The first review should be a team review involving members of the test team with knowledge of the content.

After making any needed changes, the next review should involve knowledgeable stakeholders such as project leaders, test team leaders, technical test analysts, business analysts, subject matter experts and any other people that can provide helpful perspectives in the review.

One of the golden rules in writing any kind of document is to write with your audience in mind. Failing to do this will result in a document that fails to convey the kind of information needed by the readers, and will likely be ignored.

Obviously, a business-oriented audience will get lost in technical jargon and technical readers will find the plan lacking if few technical details are provided. The balance is found in being able to express technical information in ways that is understandable by the business. This has been a great need for over forty years in all areas of information technology, not just testing.

When it comes to test plans, consider that only part of the test planning details will involve information heavily based on technical details. The rest of the test plan will contain information that should be easily readable by all stakeholders, regardless of role. This is another compelling reason for conducting test plan reviews, especially the reviews involving stakeholders.

Key attributes of the test plan should be:

  • Conciseness – People today do not read, they scan. Keep your sentences short and to the point, bullet points help.
  • Organization – It helps to start the test plan with a general introduction, then get more detailed in the body of the plan. Good test plan templates and standards help with organizing the content. Numbered sections and sub-topics help when referring to items in the test plan.
  • Readability – Use plain language understandable by most of the audience. Avoid heavy use of acronyms if at all possible.
  • Adaptability to Change – Plan for change. Extreme levels of detail in the plan will require the plan to be changed more frequently in response to project changes.
  • Accuracy – People should be able to rely on the information contained in the test plan as being accurate. If errors are discovered, they should be reported and corrected as soon as possible.

Keep in mind that a major goal of the test plan is to communicate details of the test to readers in all areas of an organization. Therefore, anything that enhances communication in the test plan helps connect with readers.

Sizing the Test Plan

A common question when it comes to writing a test plan is, “How long should the test plan be?”. In fact, there is no definitive answer to that question since the length of the test plan is driven by the specific context of the project.

Obviously, projects that are large and complex will require more information to convey details of the testing effort than simpler and smaller projects. A principle that is helpful to remember is that the longer the test plan, the less likely people are to actually read it. As mentioned earlier, many people scan instead of read. In addition, the longer the document, the more prone people will be to scan it.

If the test plan is perceived to be too lengthy, people may ignore it entirely. My personal guideline for test plans is to keep them less than fifteen or twenty pages, if possible.

It is very helpful to have a software test plan template or standard with which to start. If your organization doesn’t have existing test plans or standards, there are test plan examples in books and other industry publications devoted to software testing.

However, I often advise caution in following just any test plan example you might find online. Test plans, like any document, can be flawed – in some cases, greatly flawed. So, when using a template, make sure it meets your needs and doesn’t omit important information.

The primary international standard for test documentation such as test plans, test cases and test procedures is ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-3. In this standard you will find both traditional and agile test plan standards, as well as examples of both types of test plans.

While some people feel standards are constraining, standards can also be your friend. Standards can provide guidance and examples based on many years of industry experience and practice, while eliminating the need to start your test planning efforts from a blank page. Standards must be tailored to meet your needs. Therefore, it is perfectly fine to tailor and adapt the standard.

Sometimes, industry groups also share test plan templates. It is worth the time to investigate this possibility if you are in an industry such as defense, finance, automotive, or medical.

Textbooks on software testing can also be a source of test plan templates.

Here you can find an example for a test plan template:

One reason why people may tend to avoid test planning is that they know any plans will likely change. Test plans are no exception. However, the prospect of changes should not deter you from creating a test plan.

The key is to write the plan to be resilient and flexible to changes, so how does one do that?

The answer is actually based on a simple principle. The more detailed and specific the plan in terms of things like names, dates, risks, and technical details, the more brittle the test plan becomes when changes occur.

But, what about the details that need to be conveyed in a test plan? What value is the test plan without details?

When it comes to things like test objectives, scope, other more solid details, those things typically survive change better than other details. For schedules, people and other details that are more change-sensitive, a good practice is to reference them in a way that changes can be recorded without prompting a new version of the test plan.

Today, many people create test plans in content management systems that allow easy references to other items, such as schedules and estimates. If referencing the details is not feasible in your case, just try to find the balance with “just enough” detail to guide the test while also minimizing the impact from changes.

Test planning is an essential activity of testing, regardless of the project lifecycle approach. A test plan is like a project plan for testing.

In many aspects of testing, a degree of planning and preparation is needed to get the needed resources in place when you need them. Some resources, such as people and environments, may require significant preparation. The test plan is where those resources are defined and the needs of testing are expressed.

A major goal of the test plan is to communicate to the rest of the organization, and perhaps other organizations, how testing is planned to be conducted. Without a test plan, communication about testing becomes very dynamic and people may not know at any given time the goals and expectations of testing.

Just remember that no test plan is perfect, but the more experience you gain in writing test plans, the easier the planning becomes.

Other articles on test planning:

The Role of Stakeholders in Software Test Planning

Test Planning Fundamentals (Includes an outline and template)

Software Test Plan Templates:

35 Software Test Plan Templates & Examples

IEEE Test Plan Template

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Randall W. Rice is a leading author, speaker, consultant and practitioner in the field of software testing and software quality, with over 40 years of experience in building and testing software projects in a variety of domains, including defense, medical, financial and insurance. You can read more at his website .

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Austin Test Center

512-990-4322

1508 Dessau Ridge Lane Bldg 5 Ste. #504 Austin TX. 78754

From Downtown Austin – Travel North on IH-35, take exit 246 (Howard Lane Exit). Turn East (right) on Howard Lane to Dessau Road. Turn South (right) on Dessau Road and go one block South to Dessau Ridge Lane. Turn West (right) on Dessau Ridge and go about a block to the entrance to the Dessau Ridge Office Condominiums. We are in the NW corner of the complex in Building 5, Suite 504.

From Round Rock or Georgetown – Travel South on IH-35, take exit 246 (Howard Lane Exit). Turn left under IH-35 and go East on Howard Lane to Dessau Road. Turn South (right) on Dessau Road and go one block South to Dessau Ridge Lane. Turn West (right) on Dessau Ridge and go about a block to the entrance to the Dessau Ridge Office Condominiums. We are in the NW corner of the complex in Building 5, Suite 504.

Bedford Test Center

817-522-3338

1901 Central Dr. Ste.# 607 Bedford TX. 76021

From Fort Worth areas: From I-35W North or South, Take I-820 E.  Then continue onto TX-183 E, Take the exit toward Central Dr., Left turn on Central Dr.  Building is on your left.

From Dallas areas: Take I-635 W, then President G. Bush Turnpike S/ TX-161 S, Take TX-183 W. Exit toward Central Dr., Right turn on Central Dr.  Building is on your left, OR:   From I-35E, take TX-183 W., OR:   From TX-121 S, exit toward Central Dr.

Corpus Christi Test Center

361-248-1532

4646 Corona Drive Ste. #215 Corpus Christi TX. 78410

From Central Corpus Christi: Head Northeast on Hamlin Dr. toward S Staples St. Turn right onto S Staples St. Turn right onto Everhart Rd. Turn right onto Corona Dr. We are on the right hand side. 4646 Corona Dr. Ste 215.

From Shoreline Blvd: Head North on N Shoreline Blvd toward William St. Take I-37 North. Merge onto TX-286. Take exit 1C on the left. Take the exit toward TX-358 E/TX-358 W/NAS-CCAD/PADRE ISLAND. Merge onto TX-358

Houston Test Center

832-266-1440

10694 Jones Rd Ste. #205 Houston TX.  77065

From Hwy 6 – Head North on Hwy 6, road changes to FM 1960. Turn right on Jones Road and building is on the left.

From 290 – Exit Jones Road. Testing center is in between Fallbrook and FM 1960.

From Downtown Houston – Take I-45 North. Take exit 51 to I-610 West. Take exit 13B onto US-290 West toward Austin. Exit Jones Rd. Merge onto NW Fwy. Turn right at Jones Rd. We will be on the left hand side.

Lubbock Test Center

806-589-1328

2315 50th Street Ste. E Lubbock TX. 79412

Coming from Slaton: Stay on US-84 BR W becomes Industrial Dr, then Industrial Dr becomes US 84 W, turn left on 50th St, then turn left onto University Ave, make a U-turn at 52nd St onto University Ave, turn right onto 50th St – then 2315 50th is on the right Ste E.

From West Loop 289 S:  take the exit toward University Ave – stay straight to go onto S TX 289 Loop, turn slight right onto University Ave, turn left to stay on University Ave, turn right onto 50th Street, then 2315 50th is on the right Ste E.

Plano Test Center

214-666-6545

520 Central Parkway East Bldg 100 Suite 117 Plano TX. 75074

From 635: Go onto North on North Central Expwy (HWY 75), exit 29A Park Blvd. Safely go onto far right lane as soon as you exit. Turn right at the Denny’s Diner and Swan’s Court turning street name is Central Parkway East. Testing Center is on right in a one story 100 brown building suite 117 with sign outside “North Central Park”.

From Mckinney/Hwy 121: Go South on North Central Expwy (HWY 75). exit 29A-229 15th St/Park Blvd. Safely go onto far right lane to go over the overpath of Park Blvd. Go east on Park Blvd. Turn right at Central Parkway East pass Holiday Inn express and Testing center will be on you left in a brown one story 100 building suite 117 directly across Golden Buffet. Sign outside named “North Central Park”.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, act computer-based testing: everything you need to know.

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ACT General Info

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Have you been told you need to take a computer-based ACT or heard that some people take the ACT on a computer and want to know if it's an option for you? Who is allowed to take ACT computer-based testing, and who is stuck still making sure they have a #2 pencil on test day? We answer all your questions about computer-based ACTs in this guide, including if taking a computer-based ACT will give you a higher or lower score than a paper test, why computer-based ACT is being offered, and how you can prepare for this new version of the test. 

What Is ACT Computer-Based Testing? Who Is It Available To?

Is the ACT online or on paper? Computer-based ACT testing is where you take the ACT on a computer instead of the traditional paper and pencil version. The content and format of the computer-based ACT (often known as the ACT CBT) is the same as the traditional ACT, just this version is taken on a computer. This isn't an online test, and you'll still need to register for a test date and take the exam in a test center. It's just as official as the traditional ACT and accepted by all schools that accept paper ACT scores. 

So, will you take the ACT on a computer? It largely depends where you're taking the test. The ACT CBT is primarily available to students taking the ACT internationally. If you're taking the ACT in the US, you'll probably still take the paper and pencil test. Some schools offer ACT CBTs on certain ACT school days (this is where you take the ACT at school, during the school day), but they're currently the minority. If you register for a national test, you'll take it with pencil and paper. Beginning in September 2020, however, the ACT CBT will become available on national test dates across the US.

However, computer-based ACTs are already being used abroad . In fact, if you're taking the ACT outside of the US, you must take the computer-based test. The paper version of the test is no longer available internationally. The only exceptions are if you have certain accommodations that allow you to take a paper version of the test.

ACT Computer-Based Locations and Test Dates

If you take the ACT anywhere outside of the United States, you'll be taking the computer-based version of the exam. There are typically seven international testing dates a year, in February, April, June, July, September, October, and December. These are the 2020 international ACT test dates:

You can find a PDF of all the international ACT test centers here . Remember, taking the ACT internationally costs more than taking it into the US. Currently an international ACT costs $150 if you don't take the optional Writing section, and $166.50 if you do include Writing.

Why Does ACT, Inc. Offer Computer-Based Testing?

ACT Inc., the organization that designs and administers the ACT, hasn't given a definite reason for why they require international test takers to take computer-based ACTs. They've mentioned that it allows them to offer more test dates and return scores more quickly.

Many have speculated that ACT Inc. is also requiring computer-based testing internationally to reduce the potential of cheating. ACT Inc. itself has alluded to this by saying computer-based tests allow them to provide a "secure experience for test takers." Computer-based ACTs can be easier to monitor and can offer the questions in different orders for each student to reduce cheating. By requiring ACTs to be taken on a computer, ACT Inc. hopes to minimize any cheating so that scores are more fair and accurate for everyone who takes the test.

body_computerkids

How Does Computer-Based ACT Testing Differ From Traditional ACTs?

Besides the fact that you take one test on the computer and the other with pencil and paper, how do computer-based and traditional ACTs differ? We cover the main similarities and differences in this section.

Similarities

Same format

  • Both versions of the ACT will have the exact same format , number of questions, section order, and time per section.

Same content and difficulty

  • Despite what you may have heard, ACT computer tests aren't harder than the paper and pencil version. Both test the same topics and have the same difficulty level. The computer-based ACT was designed so that a person who gets, say, a 26 on the paper version would highly likely get a 26 on the computer-based version as well.
  • Both ACTs are scored on the same 1-36 scoring scale.
  • Unfortunately, you can't take the computer-based ACT from the comfort of your own home. For any ACT, you must register well beforehand and take the exam at a set time in a set place. The paper version of the ACT is often taken at schools, while the computer version will generally be taken at specialized test centers.

Not adaptive

  • Like the paper version, ACT computer-based testing is not adaptive. Adaptive tests change depending on how well you're doing on the test. For example, if you get the first question correct, the second question might be more challenging, while if you get the first question wrong, the second question might be easier. However, neither version of the ACT is like this. For both, the question order is set before you take the test and won't change.

Can go back within a section to review answers

  • For both versions of the ACT, you can review answers to any question on the section you're currently on. However, you can't go back to previous sections. So, say you're currently taking the Science section. During that time, you can review any of the 40 questions in that section, but you can't go back and review a Math or Reading question.

Use physical calculator

  • Some computer-based tests have onscreen calculators you'll use for math questions, but for both versions of the ACT you'll use a physical calculator you'll need to bring with you on test day. The same calculator rules apply to both tests.

Differences

You'll receive scores faster for the computer-based test

  • One of the best advantages of the computer-based ACT is that you'll receive your score in only about two business days, compared to 3+ weeks for the paper test. If you take the Writing section, you'll receive those results about two weeks after the rest of your results.

Colleges receive computer-based test score results faster

  • Just like how you receive your scores faster with the computer-based test, colleges you select to receive your scores will also get those scores faster, usually a day or so after you receive your results.

Computer -based tests may have more test dates and testing locations

  • This hasn't happened much yet, but ACT, Inc. has stated one of their reasons for requiring computer-based ACTs internationally is to offer more test dates. These tests also have the potential to be held at more test centers and at different days/times, so it could be easier for you to find a test date that works for you.

Type instead of write your essay

  • The Writing section on the ACT is optional, but if you decide to take it, you may have an easier time with it on a computer-based test where you'll be able to type your essay instead of write it. As most people type faster than they write, this can save you valuable time.

As you can see, the content and format of the exams are the same. The main differences are in how the test is taken, where you'll take it, and how soon you'll receive your results.

body_computer_lab_school

How Can You Prepare for a Computer-Based ACT?

Practice versions of computer-based ACTs are available so that you can get a sense of what taking the test on the computer will be like. The practice tests work best if you're using Google Chrome, and you can take the tests either timed or untimed. You'll have access to the following number of questions for each section: 

Together, these sections are equal to one full-length ACT (complete with optional Writing section). These practice questions have the same format and interface as the official computer-based ACT you'll take on exam day. Taking these computer-based practice tests are key because they'll get you used to the layout of the computer-based ACT so you don't waste any time on test day looking for the correct button to press (I had to spend a few seconds searching for the "next" button when I first took the practice tests).

However, as study resources, they do have limitations. The biggest is that there are no answer explanations; you'll only be able to see which questions you answered correctly and which you answered incorrectly. This makes it difficult to learn how to solve questions that stumped you. Also, these are the only computer-based ACT practice questions available, and you'll likely need to take much more than just one practice ACT to reach your goal score. We recommend taking at least three to six practice ACTs.

Fortunately, there are more resources available. There are six official paper versions of the ACT available for free , and you should absolutely use at least some of them. Although they won't have the computer-based format, the content they cover will be the same, so you'll learn which areas of the ACT to focus your studying in. We recommend studying for the ACT while taking several of the paper practice tests , then taking the computer-based practice test near the end of your studying period so the format is fresh in your mind. Take the computer-based practice test timed and all in one sitting to get the most accurate score possible.

Summary: Is the ACT Taken on a Computer?

ACT computer tests are available, but only to students taking the ACT outside of the US. If you're taking the ACT within the US you'll take a paper and pencil version, and if you're taking it in another country, you'll take ACT computer-based testing. Other than the format you're taking the test in, there are actual not many differences between the two test versions. Both have the same format, content, difficulty level, and scoring. If you're taking a digital ACT test, we recommend you take the official practice ACT computer test so you can get a sense of what to expect on test day.

What's Next?

Wondering if the ACT will become an online exam in the future?  Read our guide to learn about the status of online ACTs and how those plans are being impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Practice tests are one of the best ways to prepare for the ACT. Check out our collection of every ACT practice test available .

Not sure how to register for the ACT? Our step-by-step guide to ACT registration walks you through every step you need to take.

Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Raise Your ACT Score by 4 Points (Free Download)

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Test Center Policies & Procedures

Computer based testing polices and procedures, (test center and home proctoring).

• Candidate Admission Letter: You MUST present this letter to the testing center in order to be admitted. Also, the Candidate UserID and Passcode printed above are required for you to login and start your examination.

• Arriving for Your Appointment: Please arrive at the testing center A MINIMUM OF 30 MINUTES BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT TIME. If you have any doubts about the location of the testing center, IQT strongly recommends that you go to MapQuest and print out a map to the location; or you may wish to drive to the center in advance (the evening prior, for example), to ensure you know where it is located.

• Identification: You must present a VALID GOVERNMENT ISSUED PHOTO ID WITH SIGNATURE in order to be admitted to the examination. Approved forms for ID are: Drivers License, Government Issued ID Card (must have photo and signature), Passport, Military ID Card. No other forms of identification will be accepted. The name on your admission letter must match the name on your photo ID.

• Food and Drink: No food or drink will be permitted in the examination room for any reason.

• Authorized Materials: Only reference materials on the IQT Authorized Materials List are allowed in the testing room. For some testing programs, calculators and other tools are also allowed, and will appear on the IQT Authorized Materials List. Candidates are asked to bring as few items as possible to the testing area. If you have questions about what you are permitted to bring into the examination room please email IQT at [email protected]. You may also call at 1-866-773-1114 (USA) or 1-727-733-1110 (International callers).

Only those materials that the EXAMINATION SPONSORING AGENCY notifies IQT as authorized will be permitted by the Proctor.

• Examination Security: Failure to follow candidate instructions will result in your application being voided and forfeiture of your application fee. Conduct that results in violation of security or disrupts the administration of the examination could result in cancellation of your examination and dismissal from the testing center. In addition, your examination will be considered void and will not be scored. Examples of misconduct include, but are not limited to, the following: writing on anything other than the IQT Authorized Scratch Paper provided to you, looking at another candidate's computer monitor, or talking with other candidates anytime during the entire examination period. You are particularly cautioned not to do so after you have completed the examination, as other candidates in the area might be taking a break and still not have completed the examination. You may not attend the examination only to review or audit test materials. You may not copy any portion of the examination for any reason. No examination information may leave the test room under any circumstances. No unauthorized persons will be admitted into the testing area. Please be further advised that all examination content is strictly confidential. You may only communicate about the test, or questions on the test, using the appropriate forms provided within the examination delivery system. At no other time, before, during or after the examination, may you communicate orally, electronically or in writing with any person or entity about the content of the examination or individual examination questions.

• Examination Site: While the site climate is controlled to the extent possible, be prepared for either warm or cool temperatures at the testing center in the event that you become uncomfortable. Cellular phones and beepers are prohibited in the testing area. The use of headphones inside the testing area is prohibited. Electrical outlets will not be available for any reason. Earplugs for sound suppression are allowed. No smoking or use of tobacco products will be allowed inside the testing area. You must vacate the testing area after you have completed the examination. If you require special assistance, you must contact IQT at least one week in advance of the examination date and appropriate arrangements will be made. Due to limited parking facilities at some testing centers, please allow ample time to park and reach the testing area. 

• Inclement Weather Policy: If your area is experiencing inclement weather, it is your responsibility to contact your testing center to confirm if it is closed or delayed in opening. Most likely there will be a voice message on the testing center’s phone system to notify candidates of any change in business hours during the inclement weather. There are no additional costs for such reschedules.

SOCRA Paper and Pencil Polices and Procedures

Please arrive at the testing center at least 20 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time.  Candidates that arrive after the exam time will NOT be allowed entry.  If this occurs, contact the SOCRA office to reschedule. 

What to Bring to the Exam

To be admitted to the test center, you must bring:

  • Your verification letter
  • One form of identification that bears your photograph and signature. Acceptable forms of ID may include; a driver’s license, military ID, employee ID, or passport. The name listed on the ID must match your name as it appears on the verification letter.
  • Three or four sharpened, soft lead (No. 2) pencils and a good eraser. Pencils and/or erasers will not be provided. Mechanical pencils are not recommended.
  • We suggest that you dress in layers to adapt to fluctuating room temperature.
  • If you feel noise could disturb your ability to take the exam, you are permitted to bring and use ear plugs. NOT head phones. Please present the ear plugs to the facilitator when signing in so they and the case they may be in can be checked.

What  NOT  to Bring to the Exam

  • No personal items should be brought into the testing center. SOCRA will not be responsible for any personal items and suggests that you leave such items in another safe place of your choosing.
  • No food or drink will be allowed in the testing room.
  • No study materials are permitted.
  • The use of electronic devices is strictly prohibited, including the use of calculators, cell phones, smart phones, smart watches, pagers, photographic devices and/or other electronic or communication devices at any time during the exam
  • Visitors are not permitted in the testing room for any reason.
  • Please note: If you have a medical need that necessitates food or drink, use of a medical device, or other special accommodation during the exam, contact the SOCRA Administrative office to discuss as soon as possible and at least one week prior to the exam.

Before You Enter the Test Center

  • If you need to visit a restroom, do so before checking in at the test center.
  • You will be admitted to the test center only if your name is on the exam roster and if you present a valid verification letter and an appropriate photo ID.
  • Be sure to arrive by the registration time indicated on your verification letter.
  • Any electronic devices (cell phone, electronic devices) must be turned off and stored on the floor below your seat (backpack/purse) in the test center.

Once the Exam Begins

  • You may not exit the building or use your cell phone or other electronic devices during the examination.
  • You will be monitored by the facilitator for test security and fairness. The facilitator is NOT permitted to answer ANY questions.
  • No breaks are scheduled. Candidates will not be permitted to leave the exam room without the exam facilitator’s permission. Lost time will not made up. If you must leave the room to use the restroom, you are not permitted to take anything with you, including pocketbooks, cell phones, or any other personal item. Outside communication is strictly prohibited including use of cell phones, pagers, and/or other communication devices.
  • You will have 4 hours to complete the examination.  There is no penalty for incorrect answers; therefore, it is to your advantage to answer every question. The facilitator will inform you when there are 30 minutes remaining. At the end of 4 hours, the facilitator will collect any remaining exam materials.
  • No testing aides are permitted. Calculators, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart phones, books, reference material, scratch paper and/or other aides are not permitted. Scratch work may be done in the margins of the examination booklet.
  • All communication is prohibited during the examination including talking and use of cell phones, pagers, and/or other communication devices.
  • Creating a disturbance
  • Using or attempting to use an electronic device/unauthorized testing aide
  • Using any outside communication
  • Giving or receiving help on the examination
  • Failing to follow testing procedures and/or instructions
  • Attempting to remove examination materials or notes from the test center
  • Impersonating another candidate

Certification

  • Program Overview
  • CCRP Certification Quick Facts
  • Definition of a Clinical Research Professional
  • Certification Program Policies
  • Removal of CCRP® Credential
  • Verify Certification
  • Exam Overview
  • Candidate Eligibility
  • Application and Fee
  • Computer Based Testing Exams
  • Paper and Pencil Exams
  • Refunds, Rescheduling and Retesting
  • SOCRA Sponsored Exam Schedule
  • Preparing for the Exam
  • Preparation Resources
  • Examination Results
  • Host an Exam at Your Site
  • Apply Online
  • Exam Schedule SOCRA Sponsored Sites
  • Requirements for Maintaining Certification
  • Continuing Education Requirements
  • Descriptions of Acceptable CE
  • CE Recordkeeping Requirements
  • Request for SOCRA CE for Courses / Workshops
  • Installment Plan Payment
  • Renewal of Certification
  • Recertification Audit
  • Recertification Learning Module
  • Accreditation

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Computer Support Business Plan

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I Tech Solutions

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

I Tech Solutions is a consulting-oriented company, intending to fill in the market need for a professional, customer-focused computer company. The company emphasizes service and support to differentiate itself from more price-oriented computer companies. We are on the brink of penetrating a lucrative market in a rapidly growing industry. The current trend towards an increase in the number of entrepreneurs and competition amongst existing companies presents an opportunity for I Tech Solutions to penetrate this market.

Located at (discussion omitted), we realize that, for us to prosper, we need to be flexible and responsive, to delight clients by providing them with what they want, when they want it, and before the competition can offer it. The company intends to achieve this through a solutions approach that is customer-centric, and in which the customer’s business objectives enjoy top priority.

Once the needs and processes are understood and described, leading edge products and best-of-industry skills will be applied to design and develop a fitting solution to enable the client’s business in the most cost effective way.

Our marketing strategy will be based mainly on ensuring that clients know what need the service(s) is able to fulfill, and making the right service and information available to the right target client. We intend to implement a market penetration strategy that will ensure that our services are well known and respected in our respective industry. Our strategy will convey a sense of quality and satisfaction in every picture, every promotion, and every publication. Our promotional strategy will involve traditional advertising, Internet marketing, personal selling, public relations, and direct marketing, details of which are provided in the marketing section of this plan.

It is important to recognize that make our intangible resources, such as our ability to relate to customers regarding their needs and wants, management style, corporate culture and commitment. These elements will differentiate us from our competitors and contribute towards the development of a sustainable competitive advantage.

In a nutshell, we don’t intend to just market and sell our product and services, but to provide customized services and products that will enable our clients to optimize their output and, assist in the attainment of their goals and objectives. However, for us to attain the above stated we shall need funding from outside investors.

Note : All currency values in the charts and tables are expressed in the Botswana Pula (P).

Computer support business plan, executive summary chart image

1.1 Objectives

Our business strategy will revolve around the need to provide quality products and services to our various target customers. This shall be undertaken through the establishment of a professional team and the provision of quality, custom-designed services, catering to the client’s particular needs.

We intend to attain the following objectives:

  • Develop a follow-up strategy to gauge performance with all our clients.
  • To continuously formalize and measure cross-functional working communication so as to ensure that the various departments work harmoniously towards attainment of company objectives.
  • To instill a culture of continuous improvement in beating standards of customer satisfaction and efficiency.
  • We are fully committed to supporting growth and development in the economy.

1.2 Keys to Success

The keys to the projects’ success will undoubtedly be effective market segmentation through identification of several niche markets and implementation strategies. The key success factors will include the following:

  • Excellence in fulfilling the promise: completely confidential, reliable, trustworthy expertise, and service(s) through the provision of an uncompromising service. This dictates that we have the latest technology, hardware, software, and well-trained personnel so as to deliver this promise.
  • Timeous response to clients’ orders: we cannot afford to delay our clients for whatever reason, as this will have a negative bearing on our image, reputation, and future business. We need to be continually communicating with the client, ensuring we provide needs-based solutions.
  • Skill and depth of knowledge: Considering the nature of our services and their relative infancy on the market, the skill and depth of knowledge of our personnel is of utmost importance in determining the provision of the service(s) to the end-users.
  • Clear product and marketing positioning: Not wanting to be associated with the numerous vendors on the market, we intend to aggressively market our business and the services we provide in order to be at the top of our clients’ minds.
  • Leveraging from a large pool of expertise: The company’s various alliances with technological and training partners shall prove invaluable. The skills and intellectual capacity these partners will have in the fields of product support, design and system integration, implementation and execution, lifecycle support and understanding, training, and in the application of new technology are intangible benefits to I Tech Solutions.

1.3 Mission

Company Values

I Tech Solutions is committed to the fair and ethical treatment of employees and stakeholders. This shall be undertaken through implementation of the following company values:

  • We intend to be a responsible corporate citizen, fulfilling our obligations as an integral member of society. Our business decisions will give appropriate weight and consideration to social and environmental impacts.
  • We intend to provide products and services of uncompromising quality.
  • We intend to seek mutually beneficial and enduring relationships in all the commitments that we make, ensuring that they are straightforward and honest. Our communication will be open and accurate, both internally and externally.
  • We will intend to uphold all the above company values, promoting our employees to do likewise.

Through implementation of the company values, we believe that we will be able to attain our goals and objectives for the benefit of all concerned, in particular, the communities in which we will operate.

I Tech Solutions is built on the assumption that the management of information technology for business is like legal advice or accounting, in that it is not inherently a do-it-yourself prospect, and requires outside expertise to install and implement it. Smart business people need to find quality vendors of reliable hardware, software, service, and support. They need to use these quality vendors as they use their other professional service suppliers: as trusted allies.

I Tech Solutions intends to be such a solution provider. We will serve our clients as trusted allies, providing them with the loyalty of a business partner and the economics of an outside vendor. We want to make sure that our clients have what they need to run their businesses as well as possible, with maximum efficiency and reliability. Many of our information applications will be mission critical, so we will give our clients the assurance that we will be there when they need us. The above is well summarized in our mission statement which is as follows:

“The company is dedicated to leveraging emerging technologies to provide the highest level of quality products and services, customer service, and security.”

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Company summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">.

I Tech Solutions was founded in November 2000 as a private limited company. For most of its initial existence, the company intends to establish close relationships with its various clients, with the intention of expanding in the near future.

2.1 Company Ownership

I Tech Solutions is a company incorporated at the Registrar of Companies by Mr. T, Mr. S, and Mr. P. Though relatively new, the directors realize their company’s vast potential market and opportunity for growth if given the necessary funding.

2.2 Start-up Summary

Total start-up capital and expenses covered include legal costs, business cards, stationery, and related expenses. Messrs. T., S., and P. have provided investment covering much of the starting assets, with the rest of required financing coming from a 5-year commercial loan obtained from Bank Z. The start-up table below itemizes the start-up expenses.

Note : All currency values in the charts and tables are expressed in the Botswana Pula (P).

Computer support business plan, company summary chart image

Products and Services

I Tech Solutions will provide computer products and services to small, medium, and large businesses. We will also be focused on providing network systems and services to businesses. The systems include both PC-based Land Area Networks (LAN) systems and minicomputer server-based systems. Our services include design and installation of network systems, training, and support.

3.1 Product and Service Description

I Tech Solutions intends to provide the following services:

  • Financial Solutions ( discussion omitted in this sample plan )
  • Network Solutions ( discussion omitted )
  • Data Backup Solutions and Services ( discussion omitted )
  • E-commerce Solutions ( discussion omitted )
  • Hardware Supply and Technical Support ( discussion omitted )
  • Paperless Office Automation Solutions ( discussion omitted )
  • Training ( discussion omitted )

3.2 Technology

I Tech Solutions will strive to maintain the latest hardware and software capabilities so as to ensure we are continuously at the forefront in our market arena. The one certainty in our industry is that technology will continue to evolve and develop, changing what we market, as well as how we market it. Our aim is to be aware of the implications of this new technology, and utilize it in our existing framework where possible. Complete presentation facilities for preparation and delivery of multimedia presentations on Macintosh or Windows machines, in formats that include on-disk presentation or video presentation are also possibilities.

3.3 Macro-environment

Our macro-environment is exciting. We are in the middle of an unprecedented boom in connectivity and communications, as the Internet offers information technology like we never dreamed of. We are concerned with real value, real changes in the way we deal with information.

Meanwhile, all other signs are positive. The current drive by the government towards a more diversified economy presents an opportunity for our business to propel and excel in our intended markets, benefiting from the support of the concerned institutions and trade bodies. In addition to Botswana becoming an increasing economic hub, we foresee the demand for high quality business communication solutions to be on the rise. Through the undertaking of our business activities, we foresee no difficulty, in gaining market acceptance, provided we deliver the final service timeously, of good quality, and  at competitive rates.

3.4 Future Products and Services

We must remain on top of any new technology, because this is our bread and butter. For networking, we need to provide better knowledge of cross platform technologies. Also, we will be under pressure to improve our understanding of direct-connect Internet and related communications.

In putting the company together, we have attempted to offer enough services to allow us to always be in demand by our clients. However, technological developments have provided us with a new era of opportunities for the various organizations in which we can only guess at the needs. For example, current rapid innovations/development of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) technology presents an opportunity to be realized, particularly focusing on WAP-enabled cell phones that allow individuals to access or send email messages on a cell phone. However, the most important factor in developing future services will be market need. Our understanding of the needs of our target market segments will be one of our competitive advantages.

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

The current drive and emphasis by the government on diversification of the industrial base away from the minerals sector presents an opportunity for I Tech Solutions to make a valuable contribution towards achieving this goal. This will result in the implementation of modern Information Technology (IT) services and techniques, transfer of knowledge, and availability of quality brands.

4.1 Market Segmentation

We will be focusing on proactive, market seeking organizations that want to ensure an efficient and effective IT system that will assist in the realization of their business objectives.

Our target companies are large enough to require the high-quality IT management we offer, but too small to have a separate computer management staff. However, our most important group of potential customers will be business executives in large, medium, and small corporations. These are marketing managers, general managers, sales managers, and other decision makers who often need to access company data and information in their various business decisions. They will not waste their time or money looking for bargain information, questionable expertise, or cheap computers and accessories. Our potential clients will include: (discussion omitted).

Another intention will be to offer an attractive development alternative to the company that is management constrained and unable to address opportunities in new markets and new market segments, due to technological shortfalls.

Computer support business plan, market analysis summary chart image

4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

Our marketing strategy will be based mainly on making the right service(s) available to the right target customer. We will ensure that our products and services’ prices take customers’ budgets into consideration, and that these people appreciate the product/service and know that it exists, including where to find it. One of our intentions will be to target those innovative or proactive companies contemplating transferring a part of their marketing activities on the Internet, in order to benefit from the advantages offered by this unique system of communication. We realize the need to focus our marketing message and our service offerings.

4.2.1 Market Needs

Since our target market is the product and service seeker, the most important market needs are support, service, training, and installation, in that order. One of the key points of our strategy will be the focus on target segments that know and understand these needs and are willing to pay to have them filled. We realize that all personal computer users need support and service. Many of our target customers are going to be those who cannot get good products or services from the major vendors who focus on high volume orders only.

Our target businesses are dependent on reliable information technology. They use the computers for a complete range of functions, beginning with the core administration information such as accounting and record entry, communications, and personal productivity. They are not, however, large enough to have dedicated computer personnel such as the Management Information System (MIS) departments in large businesses.

4.2.2 Market Trends

The most obvious trend in the market is the increasing number of IT firms on the market. This has been true for years, but the trend seems to be accelerating. We see the major brand-name manufacturers being established on the market mainly through agents. Secondly, the computer has become a basic necessity in the office environment and business set-up. The vast improvements in computer power and storage, means that owners are mandated to up-grade or buy new and improved systems, with the former often being much cheaper. A third trend is ever-greater connectivity. Everybody wants to be on the Internet, and every office is looking at having a LAN. However, the major stumbling block for the majority of theses companies is the high cost of installing such networks.

4.3 Service Business Analysis

The following sections provided discussions on who participates in the computer industry, what the competition provides, and what the customer has been purchasing.

4.3.1 Business Participants

We are part of the computer reselling business, which includes several kinds of businesses:

  • Computer Dealers : Storefront computer resellers usually offer a minimum of software, and very little, if any service and support. They are concerned with moving as much stock as possible. Their prices are usually higher than the larger stores.
  • Chain and Computer Stores : They often occupy a large area of space, decent walk-in service, and are often warehouse-like locations where people go to find products in boxes. They often however charge exorbitant prices for their brand products and maintenance service, if they provide any at all.
  • Computer Consultants : These include consultancy companies that mainly specialize in the installation of new systems. Their consultant fees are often very high, especially for small- to medium-sized companies.

4.3.2 Competition and Buying Patterns

The vast majority of proactive, market-oriented businesses understand the value of having an efficient computer system, as well as the concept of service and support. They are much more likely to pay for them when the offering and benefits are clearly stated.

There is no doubt that we will compete more against the box pushers than other service providers. We need to effectively compete against the idea that once a computer is out-dated businesses should buy new ones, when with ongoing service and support, they can be upgraded.

The most important element of general competition, by far, is what it takes to keep clients for repeat business. It is worth making huge concessions in any single service to maintain a client relationship that brings the client back for future services.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

I Tech Solutions intends to win and maintain customers by providing products and services that add value, safety, and are supported by a well-trained professional team with commercial expertise. This is important to the successful implementation of our overall strategy and the need to ensure that all divisions and functions in the organization are working harmoniously towards attainment of the goals and objectives.

Our marketing strategy emphasizes focus. The target customers will include key decision-makers in business, who often order or recommend on behalf of the whole organization, the aim being to obtain an initial order and fully satisfy the customer from then on.

  • We intend to initially build image and awareness through consistency and distinctiveness in our product and service provision.
  • We intend to focus on delivering quality products and services that produce good referrals, which can then generate revenue. We intend to have a heavy personal selling component, supported by regular advertising we will always be active in our personal relationships with clients and strategic allies, keeping abreast of their needs and wants.
  • We are focusing advertising on several key media.

We intend to achieve growth by creating a more enthusiastic customer culture than that of our competitors. The strategy is to grow the business by nurturing customers, differentiating the product/service offering through service and staff behavior.

Through the implementation of a fair, effective, and competitive remuneration policy we intend to optimize our human resource output and advancement. We need the right people in the right place at the right time if we are to ensure optimum growth. We intend to develop our team so that our people can grow as the company grows–a mutually beneficial relationship.

5.1 SWOT Analysis

The SWOT Analysis is a necessity to any start-up, it is an in-depth look at your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. We are in a highly lucrative market in a growing economy. We foresee our strengths as the ability to respond to the market and to provide custom designed technological services. Our key personnel will have a wide and thorough knowledge of the technological services we intend to provide, which will go a long way towards penetrating the market. Below is a summary of the SWOT Analysis.

5.1.1 Weaknesses

  • The introduction of new organizational practices and personnel who have not previously worked together presents a challenge to the organization.
  • A limited financial base compared to the current major players in the IT industry.

5.1.2 Opportunities

  • The Internet. The increasing opportunities of the Internet offer us another area of strength in comparison to the box-on-the-shelf major stores. Our potential customers want more help with the Internet, and we intend to be in a better position to give it to them.
  • Service. As our target market needs more service, our competitors are less likely than ever to provide it. Their business model doesn’t include service, just selling the computers.
  • Emerging Technologies. The rate of new product introduction in IT presents an opportunity to be explored.

5.1.3 Threats

  • Innovation shortens life cycles and hence the need to act timeously on the market. This will recoup new service introductions in a shorter time frame.
  • Concerns of decision-makers over ease of access and overall security of electronic transactions may need to be addressed. The recent glitch of the Barclays electronic system, which enabled some clients to access other account holders’ accounts while upgrading the system, proves the very realistic security concerns regarding the use of the Internet.
  • The slow adoption rate of new technologies and products in these parts of the world does not bode well for our intended products and services.

5.1.4 Strengths

  • Knowledge. Our competitors are retailers, pushing boxes. We know systems, networks, connectivity, programming, and data management.
  • Relationship selling. We intend to get to know our customers, one by one. Our direct sales efforts will seek to maintain a relationship with our customers.
  • Diversified market segments. The diversity of the products and services we intend to provide will ensure the lack of dependency on one particular market.
  • Combination of skills in implementation. The management team intends to jointly develop business strategy and long-term plans with its strategic allies, having wide experience in their respective market and product know-how, and strong technical skills and business know-how.

5.2 Competitive Edge

Our competitive edge is our positioning as a strategic ally with our clients, who are clients more than customers. By building a business based on long-standing relationships with satisfied clients, we will simultaneously build defenses against competition. The longer the relationship stands, the more we help our clients understand what we offer them and why they need it. The delivery of whole, end-to-end solutions will have a significant impact on gaining commitment from the market at all levels. The company believes in partnering with its customers so as to provide customized solutions that are needs-based.

5.3 Marketing Strategy

One core element of our marketing strategy will be that of differentiation from our competitors. In terms of promotion, we intend to sell our company as a strategic ally, not just our products. We intend to offer extremely reasonable prices in comparison to competition, and we need to be able to sustain that. Market penetration through lower prices shall be undertaken where need be, while premium pricing in the case of the upper-end of the market.

We have developed two strategy foci, each based on one main fundamental strategy. The first strategy is about ( discussion omitted ).

Our second strategic focus, that of ( discussion omitted ).

5.3.1 Distribution Strategy

Service provision and consulting will be sold and purchased mainly on a word-of-mouth basis, with relationships and previous experience being, by far, the most important factor. In this regard we intend to provide a service that exceeds customer expectations so as to ensure they refer us to potential clients through word-of-mouth. New business shall be developed through industry associations, business associations, and, in some cases, social associations, such as country clubs.

5.3.2 Marketing Programs

Advertising

In view of the fact that we are new on the market, we intend to undertake extensive advertising of our name and products and services we offer. This is to instill awareness and knowledge of our existence in the marketplace, which shall convert into market share. We intend to advertise in business and IT magazines that are read by our target market and will ensure we are adequately exposed on the market. A constant lookout will be made of any special editions in these various publications, which may provide an opportunity for us to advertise our services and ourselves. Advertising will also be conducted through television, radio, newspapers/magazines, and the Internet. Sponsoring a technology discussion/call-in talk show is a possibility.

Personal Selling

Word of mouth is critical in this segment. We will have to make sure that once we gain a customer, we never lose him/her. To help accomplish this, we must work to establish and maintain relationships. Personal selling will be a powerful form of promotion due to the fact that its flexibility will enable us to match the customer’s needs to specific attributes of our services, as well as giving concise details of what we are able to offer.

Public Relations

Recognizing that we are relatively new on the market, there will be a need to organize an event introducing ourselves onto the market. To this we will invite potential customers, senior officials, possibly including a government minister and other stakeholders, so as to penetrate the market. In collaboration with this we, also intend to place news stories and features in magazines and newspapers to keep stakeholders updated on the latest developments and to increase awareness.

The number of IT companies on the market dictates that the organization needs to promote itself through participation in trade shows and expositions. Not only will these increase awareness of our products and services, but if a particular product or service were to gain recognition, for example through being chosen No. 1 in innovativeness, the organization will be able to take advantage of this in all its promotional campaigns, adding leverage to its reputation and corporate image. An example of a trade show we intend to participate at is BITEC. These expositions will also be a good opportunity for us to network with various organizations and individuals.

Internet Marketing

The company will sell its services over the Internet as it is cost effective to reach a large number of potential clients, regionally and internationally. We also realize that customer/client research is needed before building an effective website, something which is rarely done by existing companies, in order to find out how customers will want to access information and journey through the site.

5.3.3 Positioning Statement

I Tech Solutions will position itself as a reliable solutions provider and trusted strategic ally who makes sure systems work, people are comfortable and conversant with the system, and down time is minimal. Unlike the other vendors/retail stores, we intend to know the customer and go to his or her site when needed, offering proactive support, service, training, and installation. In addition, I Tech Solutions is an ally to our clients’ businesses, and offers them a full range of services, from installation to support.

5.3.4 Pricing Strategy

We must charge appropriately for the high-end, high-quality service and support we offer. Our revenue structure has to match our cost structure, so the salaries we pay to assure good service and support must be balanced by the revenue we charge. Therefore, we must make sure that we deliver and charge for service and support. Training, service, installation, and networking support–all of this must be readily available and priced to sell and deliver revenue. We will charge ( discussion omitted ). This will ensure we penetrate the market upon entry.

5.3.5 Promotion Strategy

Our promotion strategy will be based primarily on informing potential customers of our existence and making the right information available to our target customer. I Tech Solutions intends to utilize an aggressive promotional campaign to introduce its products and services to the market. The intention will be to take advantage of several media sources in announcing the products and services and in the process enforcing awareness of our existence.

5.4 Sales Strategy

I Tech Solutions will receive its revenue streams from a combination of licensing agreements, sales commissions, monthly subscriptions, registration fees, network access charges, service fees, transaction charges, training, promotional incentive programs, and sales of hardware and software. The derived value of I Tech Solutions will come from the key partnerships established and developed in order to deliver a product and service provision of transactionally-based activities, providing opportunity to build brand and loyalty, around which relationship marketing will play a key role.

The sales forecast monthly summary is included in the appendix. The annual sales projections are provided in a table below. It should be noted that as we become established and known on the market we project sales to increase at a faster rate than the initial year.

Note : All currency values in the charts and tables are expressed in the Botswana Pula (P).

Computer support business plan, strategy and implementation summary chart image

5.5 Strategic Alliances

I Tech Solutions intends to go into strategic alliances with several organizations. This will also reassure our customers that they are investing in “winning” products, technology, and service that are maintainable, flexible, and scalable enough to meet future demands.

At this writing, strategic alliances with several companies are possibilities, including X, given the content of existing interest and discussions. By going into strategic partnerships with suitable organizations, we will benefit from being able to concentrate on our core activities in the delivery of our products and services to the end-user, while ensuring that we do not have to compromise on quality of execution or the number of products and services we are able to deliver.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

The human resources element shall be an essential component in the delivery of the total service. By having enthusiastic, capable, and empowered people interacting with our clients, we intend to build the competitive advantage of being able to comprehensively meet our clients’ needs. We also intend to give our teams enough leverage in decision-making to ensure that clients are handled promptly and to reduce lead-time in actual delivery of the service. It will be necessary to evaluate jobs and remuneration packages against market benchmarks to employees for their tasks to ensure they are competitive.

6.1 Organizational Structure

Our management philosophy is based on responsibility and mutual respect. We recognize the need to be constantly changing so as to adapt to the prevailing environment. We will have a flexible structure allowing for the above to be undertaken swiftly and smoothly. Please find below the job titles and descriptions we intend to have in place for the key personnel. ( table omitted )

6.2 Management Team

In a highly volatile industry with increasing competition, we recognize the need to be constantly changing to adapt to the prevailing environment. The management team extensive expertise and a broad knowledge of the products/services and markets, which, if well planned, will enable the business to realize its goals and objectives.

( profiles omitted )

The management style will reflect the participation of the shareholders. The company will respect its community and treat all employees well. We will develop and nurture the company as a community. We will not be hierarchical, especially considering the rate of change in our industry, which makes it mandatory for us to be highly flexible. Management’s ongoing initiatives to drive sales, market share and productivity will provide additional impetus.

6.3 Personnel Plan

The detailed monthly personnel plan for the first three years is included in the appendix. The annual personnel estimates are included here. We believe this plan is a fair compromise between fairness and expedience, and meets the commitments of our mission statement. We want the company to stay lean and flexible so that we can respond to our markets’ needs quickly. As we expand and increase in size we do expect to increase our personnel.

We will compensate our personnel well, so as to retain their invaluable expertise and ensure job satisfaction and enrichment through delegation of authority. Our compensation will include health care, generous profit sharing, and a minimum of 3 weeks vacation.

6.4 Training

In-house training shall be continuous with regular external training being undertaken, particularly following any new developments in the market. This is to ensure that we are continuously able to anticipate our markets needs–a proactive approach, which is so essential if we are to gain and maintain a competitive advantage. External training will also be conducted to ensure we are aware of the latest products and technology. This will also ensure that our personnel are able to set high standards, or benchmark, using these organizations standards.

6.5 Feedback and Control

(a) We will encourage our employees to put forward any suggestions they might have regarding the improvement of any of the company’s functions–an open door philosophy. Such a culture will enhance innovativeness and creativity in turn leading to job satisfaction and enrichment.

(b) We undertake to continuously formalize and measure cross-functional working communication so as to ensure that the various departments work harmoniously towards attainment of corporate objectives

(c) Important notices and developments will be continuously communicated to employees so as to keep them abreast of developments and promoting a sense of belonging and oneness in the organization.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

We want to finance growth mainly through cash flow and equity. We recognize that this means we will have to grow more slowly than we might like. The most important factor in our case is collection days. We can’t push our clients hard on collection days, because they are in larger companies and will normally have marketing authority, not financial authority. Therefore we need to develop a permanent system of receivables financing, using one of the established accounting systems. In turn we intend to ensure that our investors are compatible with our growth plan, management style, and vision. Compatibility in this regard means:

  • A fundamental respect for giving our customers value, and for maintaining a healthy and congenial workplace
  • Respect for realistic forecasts, conservative cash flow, and financial management
  • Cash flow as first priority, growth second, profits third
  • Willingness to follow the project objectives and contribute valuable input to strategy and implementation decisions.

Of these, only the last 2 are flexible.

7.1 Break-even Analysis

The following table and chart summarizes our Break-even Analysis. We don’t really expect to reach break-even until several months into the business operation, as illustrated in the financials.

Computer support business plan, financial plan chart image

7.2 Important Assumptions

The financial plan depends on important assumptions. From the beginning, we recognize that collection days are critical, but not a factor we can influence easily. Interest rates, tax rates, and personnel burden are based on conservative assumptions.

Some of the more important underlying assumptions are:

  • We assume a strong economy, without major recession.
  • We assume that there are no unforeseen changes in economic policy to make our products and service immediately obsolete.

Others include 30-day average collection days, sales entirely on invoice basis, including a favorable deposit policy, expenses mainly on a net 30-day basis, 30 days on average for payment of invoices, and present-day interest rates.

7.3 Key Financial Indicators

We foresee major growth in sales and operating expenses, and a bump in our collection days as we spread the business during expansion.

Collection days are very important. We do not want to let our average collection days get above 30 under any circumstances. This could cause a serious problem with cash flow, because our working capital situation is chronically tight. However, we recognize that we cannot control this factor easily, because of the relationship with our clients.

Computer support business plan, financial plan chart image

7.4 Projected Profit and Loss

Initial marketing and training expenses will be relatively high as we seek to become known on the market and staff get trained in provision of our services. This will be brought about by the development of sales literature, advertising expenses, and function expenses. As our market share increases and capital is generated, further marketing programs and the expansion of those in existence at the time will be undertaken, to ensure market development. However, with time, these programs will start generating revenue for the business, which we shall reinvest.

Our projected Profit and Loss is shown in the appendix, with sales increasing steadily from the first year through the second, and into the third year. We do expect to more than break-even in the first year of operation. Our cost of sales should be much lower, and gross margin higher, than in this projection.

Computer support business plan, financial plan chart image

7.5 Projected Cash Flow

The chart and table below present the cash flow projections for I Tech Solutions.

Computer support business plan, financial plan chart image

7.6 Projected Balance Sheet

The balance sheet shows healthy growth of net worth, and strong financial position. The three-year estimates are included in the appendix.

7.7 Business Ratios

The following table shows important ratios from the computer related services industry, as determined by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) Index #7379, Computer Related Services.

Contingency Plan

  • Another possibility is the introduction of a company or several companies in our niche. The need to undertake aggressive marketing, networking, and delivering a value-added service in our organization is a fundamental one.

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computer based test center business plan

How to write a business plan for a computer repair shop?

computer repair shop business plan

Putting together a business plan for a computer repair shop can be daunting - especially if you're creating a business for the first time - but with this comprehensive guide, you'll have the necessary tools to do it confidently.

We will explore why writing one is so important in both starting up and growing an existing computer repair shop, as well as what should go into making an effective plan - from its structure to content - and what tools can be used to streamline the process and avoid errors.

Without further ado, let us begin!

In this guide:

Why write a business plan for a computer repair shop?

What information is needed to create a business plan for a computer repair shop.

  • How do I build a financial forecast for a computer repair shop?

The written part of a computer repair shop business plan

  • What tool should I use to write my computer repair shop business plan?

Having a clear understanding of why you want to write a business plan for your computer repair shop will make it simpler for you to grasp the rationale behind its structure and content. So before delving into the plan's actual details, let's take a moment to remind ourselves of the primary reasons why you'd want to create a computer repair shop business plan.

To have a clear roadmap to grow the business

Running a small business is tough! Economic cycles bring growth and recessions, while the business landscape is ever-changing with new technologies, regulations, competitors, and consumer behaviours emerging constantly.

In such a dynamic context, operating a business without a clear roadmap is akin to driving blindfolded: it's risky, to say the least. That's why crafting a business plan for your computer repair shop is vital to establish a successful and sustainable venture.

To create an effective business plan, you'll need to assess your current position (if you're already in business) and define where you want the business to be in the next three to five years.

Once you have a clear destination for your computer repair shop, you'll have to:

  • Identify the necessary resources (human, equipment, and capital) needed to reach your goals,
  • Determine the pace at which the business needs to progress to meet its objectives as scheduled,
  • Recognize and address the potential risks you may encounter along the way.

Engaging in this process regularly proves advantageous for both startups and established companies. It empowers you to make informed decisions about resource allocation, ensuring the long-term success of your business.

To get visibility on future cash flows

If your small computer repair shop runs out of cash: it's game over. That's why we often say "cash is king", and it's crucial to have a clear view of your computer repair shop's future cash flows.

So, how can you achieve this? It's simple - you need to have an up-to-date financial forecast.

The good news is that your computer repair shop business plan already includes a financial forecast (which we'll discuss further in this guide). Your task is to ensure it stays current.

To accomplish this, it's essential to regularly compare your actual financial performance with what was planned in your financial forecast. Based on your business's current trajectory, you can make adjustments to the forecast.

By diligently monitoring your computer repair shop's financial health, you'll be able to spot potential financial issues, like unexpected cash shortfalls, early on and take corrective actions. Moreover, this practice will enable you to recognize and capitalize on growth opportunities, such as excess cash flow enabling you to expand to new locations.

To secure financing

Whether you are a startup or an existing business, writing a detailed computer repair shop business plan is essential when seeking financing from banks or investors.

This makes sense given what we've just seen: financiers want to ensure you have a clear roadmap and visibility on your future cash flows.

Banks will use the information included in the plan to assess your borrowing capacity (how much debt your business can support) and your ability to repay the loan before deciding whether they will extend credit to your business and on what terms.

Similarly, investors will review your plan carefully to assess if their investment can generate an attractive return on investment.

To do so, they will be looking for evidence that your computer repair shop has the potential for healthy growth, profitability, and cash flow generation over time.

Now that you understand why it is important to create a business plan for a computer repair shop, let's take a look at what information is needed to create one.

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Writing a computer repair shop business plan requires research so that you can project sales, investments and cost accurately in your financial forecast.

In this section, we cover three key pieces of information you should gather before drafting your business plan!

Carrying out market research for a computer repair shop

Before you begin writing your business plan for a computer repair shop, conducting market research is a critical step in ensuring precise and realistic financial projections.

Market research grants you valuable insights into your target customer base, competitors, pricing strategies, and other crucial factors that can impact the success of your business.

In the course of this research, you may stumble upon trends that could impact your computer repair shop.

Your market research could reveal that customers may prefer same-day services for their computer repairs. Additionally, it could indicate that customers might be looking for more comprehensive services, such as data recovery or malware removal.

Such market trends play a pivotal role in revenue forecasting, as they provide essential data regarding potential customers' spending habits and preferences.

By integrating these findings into your financial projections, you can provide investors with more accurate information, enabling them to make well-informed decisions about investing in your computer repair shop.

Developing the sales and marketing plan for a computer repair shop

As you embark on creating your computer repair shop business plan, it is crucial to budget sales and marketing expenses beforehand.

A well-defined sales and marketing plan should include precise projections of the actions required to acquire and retain customers. It will also outline the necessary workforce to execute these initiatives and the budget required for promotions, advertising, and other marketing efforts.

This approach ensures that the appropriate amount of resources is allocated to these activities, aligning with the sales and growth objectives outlined in your business plan.

The staffing and equipment needs of a computer repair shop

As you embark on starting or expanding your computer repair shop, having a clear plan for recruitment and capital expenditures (investment in equipment and real estate) is essential for ensuring your business's success.

Both the recruitment and investment plans must align with the timing and level of growth projected in your forecast, and they require appropriate funding.

A computer repair shop might incur staffing costs such as salaries for technicians, computer repair specialists, and administrative staff. Equipment costs might include tools such as screwdrivers, soldering irons, and multimeters, as well as parts such as motherboards, power supplies, and hard drives. They might also need to purchase diagnostic software, laptop and desktop computers, and network hardware.

To create a realistic financial forecast, you also need to consider other operating expenses associated with the day-to-day running of your business, such as insurance and bookkeeping.

With all the necessary information at hand, you are ready to begin crafting your business plan and developing your financial forecast.

What goes into your computer repair shop's financial forecast?

The financial forecast of your computer repair shop's business plan will enable you to assess the growth, profitability, funding requirements, and cash generation potential of your business in the coming years.

The four key outputs of a financial forecast for a computer repair shop are:

  • The profit and loss (P&L) statement ,
  • The projected balance sheet ,
  • The cash flow forecast ,
  • And the sources and uses table .

Let's look at each of these in a bit more detail.

The projected P&L statement

Your computer repair shop forecasted P&L statement enables the reader of your business plan to get an idea of how much revenue and profits your business is expected to make in the near future.

forecasted profit and loss statement in a computer repair shop business plan

Ideally, your reader will want to see:

  • Growth above the inflation level
  • Expanding profit margins
  • Positive net profit throughout the plan

Expectations for an established computer repair shop will of course be different than for a startup. Existing businesses which have reached their cruising altitude might have slower growth and higher margins than ventures just being started.

The forecasted balance sheet of your computer repair shop

The projected balance sheet of your computer repair shop will enable the reader of your business plan to assess the overall financial health of your business.

It shows three elements: assets, liabilities and equity:

  • Assets: are productive resources owned by the business, such as equipment, cash, and accounts receivable (money owed by clients).
  • Liabilities: are debts owed to creditors, lenders, and other entities, such as accounts payable (money owed to suppliers).
  • Equity: includes the sums invested by the shareholders or business owners and the profits and losses accumulated by the business to date (which are called retained earnings). It is a proxy for the value of the owner's stake in the business.

projected balance sheet in a computer repair shop business plan example

Analysing your computer repair shop projected balance sheet provides an understanding of your computer repair shop's working capital structure, investment and financing policies.

In particular, the readers of your plan can compare the level of financial debt on the balance sheet to the equity value to measure the level of financial risk (equity doesn't need to be reimbursed, while financial debt must be repaid, making it riskier).

They can also use your balance sheet to assess your computer repair shop's liquidity and solvency:

  • A liquidity analysis: focuses on whether or not your business has sufficient cash and short-term assets to cover its liabilities due in the next 12 months.
  • A solvency analysis: takes and longer view to assess whether or not your business has the capacity to repay its debts over the medium-term.

The cash flow forecast

A projected cash flow statement for a computer repair shop is used to show how much cash the business is generating or consuming.

cash flow forecast in a computer repair shop business plan example

The cash flow forecast is usually organized by nature to show three key metrics:

  • The operating cash flow: do the core business activities generate or consume cash?
  • The investing cash flow: how much is the business investing in long-term assets (this is usually compared to the level of fixed assets on the balance sheet to assess whether the business is regularly maintaining and renewing its equipment)?
  • The financing cash flow: is the business raising new financing or repaying financiers (debt repayment, dividends)?

As we discussed earlier, cash is king and keeping an eye on future cash flows an imperative for running a successful business. Therefore, you can expect the reader of your computer repair shop business plan to pay close attention to your cash flow forecast.

Also, note that it is customary to provide both yearly and monthly cash flow forecasts in a business plan - so that the reader can analyze seasonal variation and ensure the computer repair shop is appropriately funded.

The initial financing plan

The initial financing plan, also known as a sources and uses table, is a valuable resource to have in your business plan when starting your computer repair shop as it reveals the origins of the money needed to establish the business (sources) and how it will be allocated (uses).

computer repair shop business plan: sources & uses example

Having this table helps show what costs are involved in setting up your computer repair shop, how risks are shared between founders, investors and lenders, and what the starting cash position will be. This cash position needs to be sufficient to sustain operations until the business reaches a break-even point.

Now that you have a clear understanding of what goes into the financial forecast of your computer repair shop business plan, let's shift our focus to the written part of the plan.

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The written part of the business plan is where you will explain what your business does and how it operates, what your target market is, whom you compete against, and what strategy you will put in place to seize the commercial opportunity you've identified.

Having this context is key for the reader to form a view on whether or not they believe that your plan is achievable and the numbers in your forecast realistic.

The written part of a computer repair shop business plan is composed of 7 main sections:

  • The executive summary
  • The presentation of the company
  • The products and services
  • The market analysis
  • The strategy
  • The operations
  • The financial plan

Let's go through the content of each section in more detail!

1. The executive summary

The executive summary, the first section of your computer repair shop's business plan, serves as an inviting snapshot of your entire plan, leaving readers eager to know more about your business.

To compose an effective executive summary, start with a concise introduction of your business, covering its name, concept, location, history, and unique aspects. Share insights about the services or products you intend to offer and your target customer base.

Subsequently, provide an overview of your computer repair shop's addressable market, highlighting current trends and potential growth opportunities.

Then, present a summary of critical financial figures, such as projected revenues, profits, and cash flows.

You should then include a summary of your key financial figures such as projected revenues, profits, and cash flows.

Lastly, address any funding needs in the "ask" section of your executive summary.

2. The presentation of the company

In your computer repair shop business plan, the second section should focus on the structure and ownership, location, and management team of your company.

In the structure and ownership part, you'll provide an overview of the business's legal structure, details about the owners, and their respective investments and ownership shares. This clarity is crucial, especially if you're seeking financing, as it helps the reader understand which legal entity will receive the funds and who controls the business.

Moving on to the location part, you'll offer an overview of the company's premises and their surroundings. Explain why this particular location is of interest, highlighting factors like catchment area, accessibility, and nearby amenities.

When describing the location of your computer repair shop, you could emphasize the potential for growth in the area. Mention the increasing population size and the expansive access to transportation and communication networks in the area. Point out the close proximity to other businesses, universities, and attractions that could attract new customers. Show the financier how the area may be a desirable destination for a computer repair shop, and how it could be a great investment opportunity.

Finally, you should introduce your management team. Describe each member's role, background, and experience.

Don't forget to emphasize any past successes achieved by the management team and how long they've been working together. Demonstrating their track record and teamwork will help potential lenders or investors gain confidence in their leadership and ability to execute the business plan.

3. The products and services section

The products and services section of your business plan should include a detailed description of the offerings that your company provides to its customers. 

For example, your computer repair shop might offer computer diagnostics, software installation, and hardware repairs to its customers. Diagnostics are necessary to identify any existing or potential issues with a customer's computer, and software installation ensures customers can access the programs they need. Hardware repairs are essential to maintain the hardware of the customer's computer and keeping it in working condition.

When drafting this section, you should be precise about the categories of products or services you sell, the types of customers you are targeting and how customers can buy them.

4. The market analysis

When outlining your market analysis in the computer repair shop business plan, it's essential to include comprehensive details about customers' demographics and segmentation, target market, competition, barriers to entry, and relevant regulations.

The primary aim of this section is to give the reader an understanding of the market size and appeal while demonstrating your expertise in the industry.

To begin, delve into the demographics and segmentation subsection, providing an overview of the addressable market for your computer repair shop, key marketplace trends, and introducing various customer segments and their preferences in terms of purchasing habits and budgets.

Next, shift your focus to the target market subsection, where you can zoom in on the specific customer segments your computer repair shop targets. Explain how your products and services are tailored to meet the unique needs of these customers.

For example, your target market might include tech savvy individuals who need help with their current computers or laptops. These customers are looking for a cost effective solution and are willing to pay for professional service in order to get their computers up and running again. They are often willing to invest in preventative maintenance and repairs in order to keep their computer running optimally.

In the competition subsection, introduce your main competitors and explain what sets your computer repair shop apart from them.

Finally, round off your market analysis by providing an overview of the main regulations that apply to your computer repair shop.

5. The strategy section

When crafting the strategy section of your business plan for your computer repair shop, it's important to cover several key aspects, including your competitive edge, pricing strategy, sales & marketing plan, milestones, and risks and mitigants.

In the competitive edge subsection, clearly explain what sets your company apart from competitors. This is particularly critical if you're a startup, as you'll be trying to establish your presence in the marketplace among entrenched players.

The pricing strategy subsection should demonstrate how you aim to maintain profitability while offering competitive prices to your customers.

For the sales & marketing plan, outline how you plan to reach and acquire new customers, as well as retain existing ones through loyalty programs or special offers.

In the milestones subsection, detail what your company has achieved thus far and outline your primary objectives for the coming years by including specific dates for expected progress. This ensures everyone involved has clear expectations.

Lastly, in the risks and mitigants subsection, list the main risks that could potentially impact the execution of your plan. Explain the measures you've taken to minimize these risks. This is vital for investors or lenders to feel confident in supporting your venture - try to proactively address any objection they might have.

Your computer repair shop could face the risk of losing customers if they are not satisfied with the quality of your services. This could be due to a lack of knowledge or skill in repairing computers, or simply a lack of customer service. Additionally, your business could face the risk of theft and vandalism as it deals with expensive electronic equipment. If not properly secured, the shop may be vulnerable to potential thieves who may be able to get away with valuable items. These risks may be difficult to prevent but it is important to take the necessary precautions to protect your business.

6. The operations section

The operations of your computer repair shop must be presented in detail in your business plan.

The first thing you should cover in this section is your staffing team, the main roles, and the overall recruitment plan to support the growth expected in your business plan. You should also outline the qualifications and experience necessary to fulfil each role, and how you intend to recruit (using job boards, referrals, or headhunters).

You should then state the operating hours of your computer repair shop - so that the reader can check the adequacy of your staffing levels - and any plans for varying opening times during peak season. Additionally, the plan should include details on how you will handle customer queries outside of normal operating hours.

The next part of this section should focus on the key assets and IP required to operate your business. If you depend on any licenses or trademarks, physical structures (equipment or property) or lease agreements, these should all go in there.

You may have key assets such as computer repair equipment and tools. These could include items like screwdrivers, pliers, and other items that might be necessary to make repairs to computers. Additionally, you may have intellectual property such as repair manuals and software programs that could help you troubleshoot various problems. These may provide helpful information and guidance in order to ensure that your repairs are completed correctly.

Finally, you should include a list of suppliers that you plan to work with and a breakdown of their services and main commercial terms (price, payment terms, contract duration, etc.). Investors are always keen to know if there is a particular reason why you have chosen to work with a specific supplier (higher-quality products or past relationships for example).

7. The presentation of the financial plan

The financial plan section is where we will include the financial forecast we discussed earlier in this guide.

Now that you have a clear idea of what goes into a computer repair shop business plan, let's look at some of the tools you can use to create yours efficiently.

What tool should I use to write my computer repair shop's business plan?

In this section, we will be reviewing the two main solutions for creating a computer repair shop business plan:

  • Using specialized online business plan software,
  • Outsourcing the plan to the business plan writer.

Using an online business plan software for your computer repair shop's business plan

The modern and most efficient way to write a computer repair shop business plan is to use business plan software .

There are several advantages to using specialized software:

  • You can easily create your financial forecast by letting the software take care of the financial calculations for you without errors
  • You are guided through the writing process by detailed instructions and examples for each part of the plan
  • You can access a library of dozens of complete business plan samples and templates for inspiration
  • You get a professional business plan, formatted and ready to be sent to your bank or investors
  • You can easily track your actual financial performance against your financial forecast
  • You can create scenarios to stress test your forecast's main assumptions
  • You can easily update your forecast as time goes by to maintain visibility on future cash flows
  • You have a friendly support team on standby to assist you when you are stuck

If you're interested in using this type of solution, you can try The Business Plan Shop for free by signing up here .

Need a solid financial forecast?

The Business Plan Shop does the maths for you. Simply enter your revenues, costs and investments. Click save and our online tool builds a three-way forecast for you instantly.

Screenshot from The Business Plan Shop's Financial Forecasting Software

Hiring a business plan writer to write your computer repair shop's business plan

Outsourcing your computer repair shop business plan to a business plan writer can also be a viable option.

Business plan writers are skilled in creating error-free business plans and accurate financial forecasts. Moreover, hiring a consultant can save you valuable time, allowing you to focus on day-to-day business operations.

However, it's essential to be aware that hiring business plan writers will be expensive, as you're not only paying for their time but also the software they use and their profit margin.

Based on experience, you should budget at least £1.5k ($2.0k) excluding tax for a comprehensive business plan, and more if you require changes after initial discussions with lenders or investors.

Also, exercise caution when seeking investment. Investors prefer their funds to be directed towards business growth rather than spent on consulting fees. Therefore, the amount you spend on business plan writing services and other consulting services should be insignificant compared to the amount raised.

Keep in mind that one drawback is that you usually don't own the business plan itself; you only receive the output, while the actual document is saved in the consultant's business planning software. This can make it challenging to update the document without retaining the consultant's services.

For these reasons, carefully consider outsourcing your computer repair shop business plan to a business plan writer, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of seeking outside assistance.

Why not create your computer repair shop's business plan using Word or Excel?

Using Microsoft Excel and Word (or their Google, Apple, or open-source equivalents) to write a computer repair shop business plan is a terrible idea.

For starters, creating an accurate and error-free financial forecast on Excel (or any spreadsheet) is very technical and requires both a strong grasp of accounting principles and solid skills in financial modelling.

As a result, it is unlikely anyone will trust your numbers unless - like us at The Business Plan Shop - you hold a degree in finance and accounting and have significant financial modelling experience in your past.

The second reason is that it is inefficient. Building forecasts on spreadsheets was the only option in the 1990s and early 2000s, nowadays technology has advanced and software can do it much faster and much more accurately.

And with the rise of AI, software is also becoming smarter at helping us detect mistakes in our forecasts and helping us analyse the numbers to make better decisions.

Also, using software makes it easy to compare actuals vs. forecasts and maintain our forecasts up to date to maintain visibility on future cash flows - as we discussed earlier in this guide - whereas this is a pain to do with a spreadsheet.

That's for the forecast, but what about the written part of my computer repair shop business plan?

This part is less error-prone, but here also software brings tremendous gains in productivity:

  • Word processors don't include instructions and examples for each part of your business plan
  • Word processors don't update your numbers automatically when they change in your forecast
  • Word processors don't handle the formatting for you

Overall, while Word or Excel may be viable options for creating a computer repair shop business plan for some entrepreneurs, it is by far not the best or most efficient solution.

  • Having an up-to-date business plan is key to maintaining visibility on your future cash flows.
  • A business plan has 2 parts: a financial forecast highlighting the expected growth, profitability and cash generation of the business; and a written part which provides the context needed to interpret and assess the quality of the forecast.
  • Using business plan software is the modern way of writing and maintaining business plans.

We hope that this guide helped you to better understand how to write the business plan for a computer repair shop. If you still have questions, do not hesitate to contact us.

Also on The Business Plan Shop

  • How to write a 5 years business plan
  • Business plan myths

Know someone who owns or wants to start a computer repair shop? Share this article with them!

Guillaume Le Brouster

Founder & CEO at The Business Plan Shop Ltd

Guillaume Le Brouster is a seasoned entrepreneur and financier.

Guillaume has been an entrepreneur for more than a decade and has first-hand experience of starting, running, and growing a successful business.

Prior to being a business owner, Guillaume worked in investment banking and private equity, where he spent most of his time creating complex financial forecasts, writing business plans, and analysing financial statements to make financing and investment decisions.

Guillaume holds a Master's Degree in Finance from ESCP Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Business & Management from Paris Dauphine University.

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Home » Sample Business Plans » Technology

How to Write a Computer Sales & Service Business Plan [Sample Template]

Are you about starting a computer sales & services business? If YES, here is a complete sample computer sales & services business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE . According to a recent report, computer sales and related services are expected to exceed $47 billion this year in the U.S. alone, with computer servicing leading the way.

This goes to show that any entrepreneur who properly positions himself or herself in computer sales and servicing industry would definitely enjoy good business turnover. As a matter of fact, almost all businesses and homes have computers, and these people may not have the skills, time or the desire to do their own computer servicing, repairs and upgrades, and that puts a computer physician right in the middle of one of the fastest-growing industries in the world.

A Sample Computer Sales & Services Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

The computer sales and servicing industry includes operators that mainly sell and service all forms of computers such as desktops, laptops, notebooks, palmtops and software, as well as accessories like printers, scanners and keyboards. These goods are generally purchased from domestic and international manufacturers and wholesalers and then sold to end consumers, including households and businesses.

Computers have exploded throughout America and the world over the past 30 years – from 2,000 units shipped in 1960 to 900,000 in 1980 to 7 million in 1990 to over 15 million per year by 2003 to over 65 million per quarter in 2015. With this rapid growth, there has been a corresponding increase in the need for computer services.

If you are conversant with happenings in the Computer Sales and Services industry, you will notice that computers are rapidly becoming indispensable household and personal products. In spite of the growing ubiquity of these products, retailers of computers, peripherals and consumer electronics have experienced some time-consuming challenges over the past five years.

Swift technological change, increased production efficiency and a highly globalized supply chain have lowered computer retail prices, hampering the industry’s revenue potential.

In addition, the increasing adoption of e-commerce has reduced customer traffic in computer stores, further limiting revenue. More consumers are now taking advantage of online shopping, which facilitates product and price comparisons. Going forward, industry revenue is expected to decrease.

The Computer Sales and Services industry is indeed a large industry and pretty much active in most countries of the world. Statistics has it that in the united states of America alone, there are about 18,173 registered and licensed (big, medium scale and small) computer manufacturing companies scattered all across the United States responsible for employing about 94,791 people and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $29 billion annually.

The industry is projected to enjoy -0.4 percent annual growth within 2012 and 2017. It is important to state that Apple Inc., Best Buy Co. Inc. and Fry’s have lion shares of the available market in this industry.

Computer sales account for an estimated 44.0 percent of industry revenue in 2017. Products in this segment include desktops and laptops, with laptop sales outpacing that of desktops. While desktops were historically the most commonly purchased computer product, the falling price of computers and computer components over the past five years reduced the premium that laptops once commanded over desktops.

A majority of consumers’ favor laptops for their portability, augmented by the increasingly wireless data infrastructure. However, desktops still maintain advantages in niche market, particularly with gaming enthusiasts and computer power users who prefer a desktop computer’s superior upgrade potential, ease of repair and customizability.

No doubt everybody will quite agree that the computer sales and services industry has come to stay and of course it is one industry that plays key roles not only in the business world, but also in almost all aspects of what goes around in our world today as long as computers are involved.

Over and above, the Computer Sales and Services industry is an open industry hence a low level of market share concentration. Even though large multiservice agencies operate in the industry, revenue is also spread among thousands of small computer stores and repair centers.

2. Executive Summary

Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC is a U.S based computer sales and services company. We have been able to secure a standard store facility in a central business district in Phillips Avenue, Sioux Falls – South Dakota. We are set to compete in the highly competitive computer sales and services industry not only in Sioux Falls – South Dakota, but also throughout the United States market.

Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC will engage in the sales and servicing of all forms of computers such as desktops, laptops, palmtops and software, as well as accessories like printers, scanners and keyboards. Our business goal is to become one of the top brands in the computer sales and services industry in the United States and we will make sure that we do all we can to compete favorably with leaders in the industry.

Our workers are going to be selected from a pool of certified and highly experienced computer sales and services engineers in and around Sioux Falls – South Dakota and also from any part of the United States of America as the business grows. We will make sure that we take all the members of our workforce through the required training that will position them to meet the expectations of the company.

At Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC, our client’s best interest will always come first, and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely.

Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC is a joint partnership business that is owned by Engr. Harry Jordan a computer engineer par excellence who graduated with from Illinois Institute of Technology (B.Engr. Computer Engineering), and his friend and business partner Barry Martins (B.Sc. Business Management).

They have a combined experience that can help them build Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC to favorably compete with other leading computer sales and services businesses in the United States of America.

3. Our Products and Services

Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the computer sales and services industry. We want to compete favorably with companies in the United States which is why we have put in place a competent quality assurance team that will ensure that every service rendered meets and even surpasses our customers’ expectations.

We will work hard to ensure that Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC is not just accepted in Sioux Falls – South Dakota but also in other cities in the United States of America. Our products and services are listed below;

  • Sales and servicing of all sort of computers
  • Sales and servicing of computer peripherals (e.g. printers, monitors, keyboards, mouse and speakers)
  • Sale of computer software
  • Computer installation
  • Computer Cloning/upgrade
  • Offering other computer repair and installation related services

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

  • Our vision is to establish a one stop computer sales and service center whose services and brand will not only be accepted in Sioux Falls – South Dakota but also in other cities in the United States of America.
  • Our mission is to retail computers and related products and also to provide professional computer services that will assist businesses and individuals in ensuring that their computers are always in good shape to help them carry out their business.
  • We want to build a computer sales and services company that can favorably compete with other leading brands in the computer sales and services industry.

Our Business Structure

Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC, is a computer sales and services company that intend starting small in Phillips Avenue, Sioux Falls, but hopes to grow big in order to compete with leading computer sales and services companies in the United States.

We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the picture of the kind of world class business we want to own. This is why we are committed to only hire the best hands within our area of operations.

At Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC, we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Store Manager
  • Head, Technical Services
  • Human Resources and Admin Manager
  • Sales and Marketing Executive
  • Computer Repair and Maintenance Engineers and Technicians (10)
  • Client Service Executive

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:

  • Increases management’s effectiveness by employing, choosing, orientating, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
  • Accountable for fixing prices and signing business deals
  • Responsible for providing direction for the business
  • Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
  • Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
  • Evaluates the success of the organization
  • Reports to the board

Admin and HR Manager

  • Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
  • Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
  • Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
  • Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
  • Carries out induction for new team members
  • Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
  • Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
  • Oversees the smooth running of the daily office activities.

Store Manager:

  • Responsible for managing the daily activities in the store
  • Ensures that proper records of computers and computer parts are kept and warehouse does not run out of products
  • Ensures that the store facility is in tip top shape and goods are properly arranged and easy to locate
  • Controls distribution and supply chain inventory
  • Supervises the workforce in the sales floor
  • Helps to ensure consistent quality of computers and computer parts are purchased and retailed in good price that will ensure we make good profit

Head, Technical Services:

  • Serves as project manager of the organization; works directly with employees
  • Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards.
  • Makes certain that the technical department performs efficiently, coordinates employee efforts, facilitates communication between management and computer repairs and maintenance engineers and technicians
  • Ensures that the organization work in line with international best practices.

Sales and Marketing Manager

  • Manages external research and coordinate all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
  • Models demographic information and analyze the volumes of transactional data generated by customer
  • Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
  • Writing winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
  • Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
  • Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
  • Develops executes and evaluate new plans for expanding sales
  • Creates new markets cum businesses for the organization
  • Empower and motivates the sales team to meet and surpass agreed targets

Accountant/Cashier:

  • Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
  • Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
  • Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
  • Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
  • Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
  • Responsible for administering payrolls
  • Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
  • Handles all financial transactions for the organization
  • Serves as internal auditor for the organization.

Computer Repair and Maintenance Engineers (2) and Technicians (8)

  • Responsible for general computer repairs and maintenance services
  • Carry out computer installation services for clients
  • Responsible for carrying out computer cloning and upgrade
  • Responsible for handling Networking of computer system
  • Responsible for handling virus removal Data recovery
  • Handles computer and accessories sales and supply for the organization

Help Desk Officers

  • Welcomes clients and potential clients by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
  • Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level.
  • Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services.
  • Manages administrative duties assigned by the creative director in an effective and timely manner.
  • Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information are supplied to clients when they make enquiries.
  • Find out the customer’s needs, recommend, select and help locate the right merchandise, describe a product’s features and benefits.
  • Bag, package or gift-wrap merchandise as requested by customers.

6. SWOT Analysis

Because of our quest for excellence, Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist our organization in building a well – structured computer sales and services business that can favorably compete in the industry in the United States.

Part of what the business consultant did was to work with the management of our organization in conducting a comprehensive SWOT analysis for Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC;

Our core strength lies in the power of our workforce. We have a team of trained and certified computer repair engineers and technicians, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in various niche areas in the industry. Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected workforce, our services will be guided by best practices in the industry and we will ensure that we have all brands and types of computers in our store per time.

As a new computer sales and services center in Sioux Falls – South Dakota, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from top profile clients in the already highly competitive computer sales and services industry; that is perhaps our major weakness. Another weakness is that we may not have the required cash to pump into promoting our business the way we would want to.

  • Opportunities:

No doubt, the opportunities in the computer sales and services industry is massive considering the number of individuals and businesses that own computers. So also, the launch of new tablets will likely drive consumers into stores to test and compare products. As a computer sales and services company, we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that is available in the industry.

The increasing adoption of e-commerce has reduced customer traffic in computer stores, further limiting revenue and also, the domestic PC market has shrunk due to market saturation and greater competition from tablets, are some of the threats that will confront us.

So also, one major threat that we are likely going to face is economic downturn. Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of a new computer sales and services center in same location where our target market exists and who may want to adopt same Business model like us.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

  • Market Trends

The extent at which the internet and computer has taken over our world is a pure sign that every computer literate needs the services of a computer repairer when his/her computer malfunctions – be it hardware or software.

The very nature of the Computer Sales and Services industry, with its extraordinary rate of technological development, creates a constant need for businesses skilled in updating and advising customers on computer-related issues.

With every individual armed with a computer and with almost all valuable information in our daily lives being stored in the computer, the computer selling business is booming and with this booming comes a need for repair.

Everybody with a computer knows that moment of panic when the hard drive crashes–and for business people, it usually happens when they are staring into the eye of a deadline. The need for computer physicians is growing every day and more people are venturing into this field, making it a competitive and goal oriented industry.

Lastly, the computer sales and services industry will continue to evolve due to the advancement of computer technology and software designs et al.

8. Our Target Market

Before starting our computer sales and services business in Sioux Falls – South Dakota, we conducted a market survey and feasibility studies and we are certain that there is a wide range of both corporate and individual clients who cannot successfully run their businesses without computers.

In view of that, we have created strategies that will enable us reach out to various corporate organizations and individual who we know can’t afford to do without our products and services. Below is a list of people we will specifically market our products and services to;

  • Banks, Insurance Companies and other related Financial Institutions
  • Blue Chips Companies
  • Corporate Organizations
  • Real Estate Owners, Developers, and Contractors
  • Research and Development Companies
  • The Government (Public Sector)
  • Schools (High Schools, Colleges and Universities)
  • Celebrities, Politicians, Public Figures and Public Speakers
  • Sport Organizations
  • Religious Organizations
  • Television Stations
  • Printing Press (Publishing Houses) and Authors
  • Branding and Advertising agencies
  • Individuals and households who own computers

Our Competitive Advantage

Surviving in the business world as a computer sales and services company requires more than your expertise, knowing how to deliver standard repairs and maintenance but also how to network with key people that matter.

We are quite aware that to be highly competitive in the computer sales and services industry means that you are not only expected to deliver reliable computer supply, installation, repair, networking and maintenance jobs, but you must be able to meet set targets.

No one would want to continue to hire your services if don’t always meet up with the target date of completion of projects. Our competitive advantage lies in our ability to control stock at hand, our experienced work force and proximity to key markets.

We equally have a team of certified, highly trained and experienced computer repair engineers and technicians, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in various niche areas in the computer sales and service industry. Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected workforce, our services will be guided by best practices in the industry.

Lastly, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

  • Sources of Income

Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the computer sales and services industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to meet and surpass the expectations of all our clients.

Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC will generate income by;

  • Computer Cloning and upgrade

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain, there would always be corporate organizations and individuals who would need to purchase computers and accessories. We are well positioned to take on the available market in Sioux Falls –  South Dakota and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough profits from our first six months of operation.

We have been able to critically examine the computer sales and services market, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projections are based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to similar startups in Sioux Falls – South Dakota.

  • First Year: $350,000
  • Second Year: $750,000
  • Third Year: $1.2 million

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same products and services as we do within the same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

  • Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are mindful of the fact that there are stiff competitions in the computer sales and services industry, hence we have been able to hire some of the best marketing experts to handle our sales and marketing.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall business goal of Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC.

Our corporate goal is to grow Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC to become one of the top 10 computer sales and services brands in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in Sioux Falls – South Dakota but also in other cities in the United States of America.

Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

  • Introduce our computer sales and services center by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to individuals, corporate organizations and key stake holders in and around Sioux Falls – South Dakota.
  • Promptness in bidding for computer supply, installation, repair, networking and maintenance contract from the government and other cooperate organizations
  • Advertise our business in relevant business magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations.
  • List our business in yellow pages’ ads (local directories)
  • Attend relevant international and local expos, seminars and business fairs et al
  • Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver excellent services
  • Leverage on the internet to promote our business
  • Engage direct marketing approach
  • Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We have been able to work with our in-house brand and publicity consultant to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to become the number one choice for both corporate and individual clients in the whole of the Sioux Falls and beyond which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our computer sales and services company.

Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC;

  • Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
  • Sponsor relevant community based events/programs
  • Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our services.
  • Install our billboards in strategic locations all around Sioux Falls – South Dakota.
  • Engage in roadshows from time to time in targeted neighborhoods.
  • Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas.
  • List our computer sales and services company in local directories/yellow pages
  • Advertise our computer sales and services company in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
  • Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our company logo.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

At Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC we will keep the prices of our products and services below the average market rate by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance from corporate organizations who would purchase our products or hire our services. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our customers at regular intervals.

We are aware that there are some one – off jobs or government contracts like computer supply, installation, repair, networking and maintenance which are always lucrative, we will ensure that we abide by the pricing model that is expected from contractors or organizations that bid for such contracts.

  • Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC will make available to her clients;

  • Payment via bank transfer
  • Payment with cash
  • Payment via credit cards/Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines)
  • Payment via online bank transfer
  • Payment via check
  • Payment via mobile money transfer
  • Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients make payments for the purchase of our products or our services without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials for this purpose.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

From our market survey and feasibility studies, we have been able to come up with a detailed budget on achieving our aim of establishing a standard and highly competitive computer sales and services company in Sioux Falls – South Dakota and here are the key areas where we will spend our startup capital;

  • The total fee for registering the business in the Unites States of America – $750 .
  • Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits as well as the accounting services (software, P.O.S machines and other software) – $3,300.
  • Marketing promotion expenses for the grand opening of Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC in the amount of $3,500 and as well as flyer printing (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of $3,580.
  • The cost for hiring business consultant – $2,500.
  • Insurance (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $2,400.
  • The cost for payment of rent for 12 months at $1.76 per square feet in the total amount of $105,600.
  • The cost for shop remodeling (construction of racks and shelves) – $20,000.
  • Other start-up expenses including stationery ( $500 ) and phone and utility deposits ( $2,500 ).
  • Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $60,000.
  • The cost for start-up inventory (stocking with a wide range of computers such as desktops, notebook computers and software, as well as accessories like printers, scanners and keyboards. et al from different manufacturing brands) – $200,000
  • The cost for counter area equipment – $9,500.
  • The cost for store equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – $13,750
  • The cost of purchase and installation of CCTVs: $10,000 .
  • The cost for the purchase of office furniture and gadgets (Computers, Printers, Telephone, TVs, Sound System, tables and chairs et al): $4,000.
  • The cost of launching a website: $600 .
  • The cost for our opening party: $7,000 .
  • Miscellaneous: $10,000.

We would need an estimate of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars ( $350,000 ) to successfully set up our computer sales and services store in Sioux Falls – South Dakota.

Generating Startup Capital for Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC

Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC is a business that will be owned and managed by Engr. Harry Jordan and his friend and business partner Barry Martins. They are the financiers of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital for the business to just three major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our startup capital;

  • Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks.
  • Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members.
  • Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank.

N.B: We have been able to generate about $150,000 ( Personal savings $120,000 and soft loan from family members $30,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $200,000 from our bank. All papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to sell or computers and accessories and offer our computer repair and maintenance services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Harry & Barry® Computer Sales & Services Center, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

  • Business Name Availability Check: Completed
  • Business Incorporation: Completed
  • Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
  • Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
  • Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
  • Securing a standard office facility for our studio: Completed
  • Application for business license and permit: Completed
  • Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
  • Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
  • Generating part of the startup capital from the founders: Completed
  • Writing of Business Plan: Completed
  • Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
  • Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
  • Design of Logo for the business: Completed
  • Secure trademark for our products: In Progress
  • Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
  • Recruitment of employees: In Progress
  • Purchase of the needed furniture, office equipment, software applications, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
  • Creating official website for the business: In Progress
  • Creating Awareness for the business: In Progress
  • Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
  • Opening party planning: In Progress
  • Compilation of the list of products that will be available in our store: Completed
  • Establishing business relationship with vendors – manufacturers and suppliers of computers, computer parts and accessories: In Progress

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Anna Schneider/Laura Sorto Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 [email protected] /[email protected]

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