Are Batteries Plus Bulbs' help desk services a substitute for training or consulting services?
Batteries_Plus_Bulbs Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
A. Company Support Services. The Company will provide the following maintenance services (directly or through the Software Licensor and/or hosting company) to Licensee during the term of this Agreement: at a minimum, help desk support from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. central time, Monday-Friday, excluding holidays, to answer questions related to functionality of the Software; correcting identifiable and reproducible program errors in the Software; and providing major upgrades of the Software that are made generally available by the Software Licensor. The Company may (and currently does) provide support for additional hours and on weekend days. Help desk services are not a substitute for training or consulting services. Training documentation is provided for Licensee to train its own employees. Training classes will also be offered for additional fees.
Source: Item 22 — Contracts (FDD page 80)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Batteries Plus Bulbs Franchise Disclosure Document, the help desk services provided by the company are not a replacement for the initial training or consulting services. Batteries Plus Bulbs offers help desk support from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. central time, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. This service is designed to answer questions related to the functionality of the software used in the business.
Batteries Plus Bulbs also provides training documentation to enable franchisees to train their own employees. Additionally, Batteries Plus Bulbs offers training classes for an additional fee. This indicates that while the help desk is available for software-related queries, comprehensive training and consulting are separate components necessary for the successful operation of a Batteries Plus Bulbs franchise.
Prospective franchisees should recognize that the help desk is a limited support function focused on software issues. Franchisees should plan to invest in both the initial training programs and ongoing training for their staff, as well as consider the need for additional consulting services to fully leverage the Batteries Plus Bulbs system and maintain operational standards.