CTECH Consulting Group is a Calgary-based managed service provider (MSP) with 15 full-time employees serving clients across Western Canada. With over 15 years of partnership with ConnectWise, CTECH has built a reputation for leveraging deep integrations and automation to deliver high-quality IT services. Under the leadership of CEO Carl Fransen, the company has continually evolved its technology stack to meet the changing needs of its technicians and clients.

CTECH built a deeply integrated platform around ConnectWise Automate, PSA, CPQ, ScreenConnect, ITBoost, and Microsoft 365/Azure. Automate helped them establish robust reporting, and scripting practices, along with the integration to PSA for accurate tracking and billing of managed services that supported years of growth. But as Fransen and his team looked to the future, they needed a tool technicians would want to use every day — one that would speed up adoption and keep pace with their service delivery expectations. 

Legacy Limitations and Technician Frustration

CTECH had long relied on ConnectWise Automate for endpoint management and automation. While Automate offered granular automation and robust capabilities, its interface and complexity created friction for technicians. The system’s integration capabilities that were once selling points, today meant staff still had to jump between tools to complete tasks.

Automate played an important role in CTECH’s growth by giving the team true operational control, but over time its complexity presented challenges: 

• Interface complexity. The desktop client felt dated and onboarding new engineers so they could confidently leverage the solution would take months.
• Maintenance overhead. Maintaining large libraries of scripts and monitors required time-consuming upkeep. 
• Adoption gap. Techs hesitated to use Automate fully, limiting its impact despite its depth.

During regular six-month stack reviews, the feedback was clear: the team wanted a more modern, intuitive solution. Fransen summarized it clearly: “Automate had powerful features, but technicians didn’t want to use it. That was the tipping point.” 

Seamless Migration with Zero Downtime: How Switch Consulting Enabled a Smooth Transition to ConnectWise RMM

CTECH made the strategic decision to migrate to ConnectWise RMM, a modern, cloud-based remote monitoring and management platform. The migration was led by Switch Consulting, and Fransen emphasized that their involvement was essential: “Switch Consulting was a must [for the migration from Automate to ConnectWise RMM]. Don’t do it by yourself. They are worth it.”

With Switch Consulting managing the step-by-step migration, they achieved this transformation while protecting their gold standard: 100% uptime for every client. Switch’s structured, script-driven approach ensured a smooth transition across all roles—from leadership to operations to technicians.

“Once RMM and Automate were in sync—on endpoints and knowledge—we moved to read-only mode with zero disruption. My techs started using RMM actively before we even shut off Automate. That’s how smooth the transition was.”

CTECH’s migration followed a structured and role-specific approach:

1. Scripted Rollout: Switch Consulting’s migration process guided the team through each module, ensuring clarity and consistency.
2. Role-Based Training: Sessions were tailored for executives, operations leads, and technicians, accelerating adoption across the organization.
3. Tool Consolidation: ConnectWise RMM’s built-in integrations, like ScreenConnect, reduced the need to switch between platforms, improving efficiency.
4. Automation Enhancements: CTECH implemented threshold-based automation, such as disk fragmentation monitoring and auto-remediation, with fallback ticketing. 

Modern Interface, Faster Adoption: Why CTECH Chose ConnectWise RMM

By moving to ConnectWise RMM, CTECH gained a modern, web-based interface that technicians embraced quickly, along with tighter integrations and impressive performance. “ConnectWise RMM is easier to use, it’s quicker, has more integrations, and the interface increases staff adoption and usage — so they’re a lot more effective in their day-to-day job,” said Fransen

Key benefits of ConnectWise RMM included:

• Interface Response Times: Unlike Automate’s polling-based system, ConnectWise RMM on the Asio platform felt more responsive, providing near-instant feedback, increasing technician confidence and reducing downtime.
• Unified Interface: The sleek, web-based UI was easier for technicians to navigate and adopt.
• Centralized Functionality: Features like mobile device control (remote camera view and remote access or support) were built directly into the platform, eliminating the need to launch separate tools like ScreenConnect.
• Rapid Technician Onboarding: Adoption time dropped from months to just one week, with technicians quickly embracing the new system. “Onboarding with RMM dropped from months to a week. The web interface made adoption effortless,” said Fransen
• Improved SLA Performance: Faster issue resolution and streamlined workflows contributed to stronger SLA adherence.
• Scalability: CTECH maintained full agent coverage across all endpoints, with ConnectWise RMM supporting seamless growth.

Results and Business Impact

The transition to ConnectWise RMM delivered measurable improvements across CTECH’s operations. Technician confidence increased as the platform responded quickly and reliably, encouraging daily use. Centralized tools and simplified scripting boosted operational efficiency, while onboarding time dropped from months to just one week. Faster resolution times and improved adoption led to stronger SLA performance.

“RMM brought everything into one centralized platform—no more jumping between tools to get work done. It went from something techs wanted to avoid to something they actually want to use. RMM’s consistent web interface and integrations make it easier for techs to do their jobs.”

Additionally, ConnectWise RMM supported seamless scalability, allowing CTECH to maintain full agent coverage across all endpoints. The modern interface and tighter integrations empowered technicians to work more effectively, making the platform a trusted part of their daily workflow.