Who is responsible for the acquisition, operation, maintenance, and upgrading of the technology used in a Belocal franchise?

According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisee is ultimately responsible for the technology used in their franchise. Despite Belocal requiring franchisees to buy, use, and maintain technology according to their standards, the franchisee has sole responsibility for the acquisition, operation, maintenance, and upgrading of the technology.

This means that Belocal franchisees must ensure their technology interfaces correctly with Belocal's and any third party's technology. They are also responsible for any consequences resulting from the technology not being properly operated, maintained, or upgraded. This includes ensuring that all systems are up to date and functioning correctly to avoid any disruptions to the business.

Belocal or third parties are not required to provide ongoing maintenance, repairs, upgrades, or updates to the franchisee's technology. There are currently no optional or required maintenance or upgrade contracts for the technology. However, Belocal may make available software developed by them, their affiliates, or a designated third party for a fee to assist with client relationship management, sales order and commission management, and publication production management.

While Belocal provides sales order and commission management software and publication production management software, they have the right to charge franchisees for this software, though they do not currently assess any fee. Belocal is not responsible for any malfunction or crash of the technology they require, recommend, provide, or approve, including any loss of franchise business data. Franchisees are recommended to back up their data locally, which may require purchasing a back-up subscription service.