A BATLEY-based IT firm has recruited its first franchisee as the opening phase in an ambitious expansion drive.
Eitex, which offers IT support and services, sees franchising as the way to achieve its stated aim of being the “UK’s local IT service and support provider”. In time, it wants to have offices across the country.
Managing director Dean Spencer said: “When we go and visit new clients they generally like to deal with a company that is local to them.
“So for example we win far more business in Leeds than we do anywhere else because we are local to them.
“For that same reason, we also lose business in the Bradford area because people prefer to use a local IT support company.
“It’s difficult to get business in those areas, so a way of doing this is to employ franchisees in those areas.
“Eventually, we intend to have offices up and down the country. So we’ll have an office in London, but the central help desk and all the back-up services will remain in Batley.”
Eitex has begun a pilot franchise with Gareth James training in Batley before eventually opening up his own office in Bradford.
Gareth previously worked as an IT manager for a large Leeds law firm before deciding to go into business for himself.
Said Dean: “Each new franchisee will train with us in Batley for three months so they are able to replicate what we do here at head office.
“It will enable us to instil in them our professionalism and they way we work with clients before they go off on their own.”
