Is after-hours emergency IT support available to Focus Cfo franchisees, and if so, at what cost?
Focus_Cfo Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
edures surrounding clients where a BAA in place.
ATTACHMENT G TO FRANCHISE AGREEMENT
REQUIRED IT SERVICES (EFFECTIVE AS OF JANUARY 1, 2025)
Focus CFO has the right to modify the provisions of this Attachment upon 30 days prior written notice.
Franchisees are required to maintain the following IT software, services and support on any business computer that is used to access, send or receive email through your Focus CFO issued email, or which is used conduct business in the role of an Area President.
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- An Office 365 license, which includes access to Focus CFO e-mail, Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint), Microsoft Teams video conferencing platform and Microsoft OneDrive file hosting and backup service.
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- Security monitoring service of your business computer(s) for viruses and malware.
Currently, our approved IT vendor, C-Forward provides a recurring subscription package of IT services, which is required for all Franchisees. The C-Forward package includes the IT software, services, and support, above, as well as IT support services related to your email and O365 licensed products, both as issued to you through Focus CFO, on up to five (5) computers or devices per Franchisee. These IT support services are available between the hours of 7:30am EST and 5:30pm EST. After hours emergency support is also available at an additional cost to the Franchisee. In addition to the IT support services above, C-Forward may be able to provide support services for your business-related hardware; however, these services will need to be scoped out ahead of time and provided at an additional cost per hour at the Franchisee's expense.
The current cost of the IT Services to the Franchisee is $30 per pay and will be deducted from the Franchisee's compensation each pay period. For Franchisees who have not yet started to earn compensation, Focus CFO will work with you to cover the cost until you do.
Franchisees can elect to have Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft's Artificial Intelligence platform, included in their subscription. The cost of electing this option is
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 37–126)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Focus Cfo's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Focus Cfo franchisees are required to maintain specific IT software, services, and support through an approved IT vendor, C-Forward. The standard C-Forward package includes IT support services related to email and O365 licensed products on up to five computers or devices. These standard IT support services are available between 7:30 am EST and 5:30 pm EST. The cost for these IT services is $30 per pay period, which is deducted from the franchisee's compensation. For franchisees who have not yet started earning compensation, Focus Cfo will work with them to cover the cost until they do. Franchisees also have the option to include Microsoft Copilot in their subscription for an additional $15 per pay period.
After-hours emergency IT support is available to Focus Cfo franchisees, but it comes at an additional cost. The FDD does not specify the exact cost of after-hours support, only that it is "additional". Additionally, C-Forward may provide support services for business-related hardware, but these services will need to be scoped out ahead of time and will also be provided at an additional hourly cost to the franchisee.
Prospective Focus Cfo franchisees should consider the cost of IT support, including potential after-hours emergencies and hardware support, when evaluating the overall investment. It would be prudent to discuss the typical costs for after-hours support and hardware support with Focus Cfo and C-Forward to better understand potential expenses. Understanding these costs will help in budgeting and financial planning for the franchise.