Upon termination, can All Team request the franchisee to assign its telephone numbers?
All_Team Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, for any reason whatsoever, all of FRANCHISEE's rights hereunder shall terminate.
FRANCHISEE shall immediately thereafter discontinue use of all Marks, signs, colors, structures, printed goods and forms of advertising indicative of ATFC's business and return any copyrighted materials which have been provided to FRANCHISEE by ATFC, and if ATFC requests, shall assign its telephone numbers to ATFC, clients, candidates, customers and the employee roster and execute any and all documents necessary to do so.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 33–34)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to All Team's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, upon termination or expiration of the Franchise Agreement, All Team has the right to request that the franchisee assign its telephone numbers to All Team. This includes the assignment of telephone numbers, clients, candidates, customers, and the employee roster. The franchisee is also required to execute any documents necessary to complete this assignment.
This provision means that if a franchisee's agreement with All Team ends, whether through termination or expiration, All Team can take control of the phone numbers used by the franchise. This is a significant point for potential franchisees to consider, as it directly impacts their ability to retain customer relationships and continue operating a similar business independently after the franchise agreement concludes. The franchisee must comply with All Team's request and take the necessary steps to transfer the phone numbers and related assets.
This requirement is designed to protect All Team's brand and customer base. By controlling the phone numbers, All Team can ensure that customers continue to reach All Team services and are not diverted to a competing business. It is a fairly standard practice in franchising to include such clauses to maintain brand consistency and customer loyalty. Prospective franchisees should be aware of this obligation and factor it into their business plans, especially if they envision continuing in the same industry after their franchise agreement ends.