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
- Accountant
- 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
- 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 signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
- Evaluates the success of the organization
School Administrator
- 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.
ICT Instructors
- 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.
Marketing and Sales Executive
- 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.
Accountant
- 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.
Client Service Executive
- 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;
- Strength:
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.
- Weakness:
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.
- Threat:
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;
- 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
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