What is the relationship between the franchisor's assistance provided by Aerus (Item 11) and the business experience of its management (Item 2)?
Aerus Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
that must also be conducted at an Aerus Business. (Franchise Agreement Section 8).
We or our affiliates conduct our training program. Aerus' President, Kevin Hickey, supervises the training program. His experience includes over 42 years in the field, and over 17 years as the company's President or similar titles. Various instructors and franchisees provide training. Aerus' Vice President of Sales Operations, Director of Sales Operations and/or Director of National Service, or employees they designate, provide administration, accounting, inventory control and FOAS training. The Executive Vice President- Sales, Area and Regional Director of Franchising, other executives, other regional franchise directors and franchise owners provide training as to sales and service personnel development, real estate and marketing, advertising and database management, store opening assistance and Standard Product Training. All instructors have more than 5 years' experience in the industry. The instructional materials we use includes our Manuals, software systems, product demonstration and other instructional sales videos and materials.
If your personnel do not successfully complete any portion of their required training, we may require them to repeat it. If, you, your Operating Personnel and/or other personnel have actual current (or prior) sales experience, either through working directly with an existing Aerus Business or through comparable industry experience, and have demonstrated proficiency in customer service, lead generation and management, they may not be required to complete all phases of training. We may require further, advanced or additional training for you or any of your personnel. Your Operating Principal and General Manager must successfully complete initial training to our satisfaction before the Opening Date, but in no event later than 6 months after you sign the Franchise Agreement. If you do not successfully complete initial training, we have the right to terminate the Franchise Agreement.
We do not charge tuition or impose a fee for training-related materials in connection with our initial training programs, but you are responsible for all training-related expenses incurred by all persons who attend training including costs of travel, lodging, local transportation to and from the training site, meals and wages. Training provided to individuals not required by us to attend may require the payment of an attendance fee.
The current training programs are instructed by individuals with expertise in the subject matter upon which they are offering instruction. These instructors have a minimum of one (1) year of experience in the area of their expertise. Most trainees have more than five (5) years' experience with the business you will be operating and in the specific area of their expertise.
You must designate and retain individuals to serve as the Operating Principal, and for each location, General Manager, Sales Manager and Service Manager (which individual or individuals must, during the entire period he or she serves in such capacity, satisfy all of the qualifications required by us in the Manuals for service in such capacities); provided that, if you are an individual, you must perform all obligations of the Operating Principal and the General Manager. Upon our
approval, you or the General Manager you designate, may also serve as the Sales Manager and/or Service Manager.
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Aerus's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the business experience of its management team directly informs the assistance and training provided to franchisees. Item 2 details the extensive experience of Aerus's key executives, while Item 11 outlines how this experience is leveraged in the training and support programs offered to franchisees. For example, Kevin Hickey, President of Aerus, with over 42 years in the field, supervises the training program. Other executives and experienced franchisees also contribute to training in areas like sales, marketing, and operations.
The training programs cover various aspects of the Aerus business model, including accounting practices, software usage (FOAS and FAST), inventory management, and personnel development. The training is delivered through a combination of classroom instruction in Dallas, Texas, on-the-job training at an Aerus Business, and online resources. The depth of training varies depending on whether the franchisee signs a Beyond Addendum, with additional training required for those offering Beyond Products and Services. Franchisees also benefit from the ongoing development and updates to the System, reflecting the management's continued involvement in refining the Aerus business model.
Prospective Aerus franchisees should note that while Aerus does not charge tuition for initial training programs, franchisees are responsible for all training-related expenses such as travel, lodging, and meals. Additionally, the FDD specifies that the franchisee's operating principal and general manager must successfully complete initial training, and failure to do so can result in termination of the Franchise Agreement. This underscores the importance Aerus places on ensuring franchisees are well-prepared and knowledgeable about the Aerus system, leveraging the expertise of its experienced management team.