What must a Brain Balance franchisee do with the franchised business's telephone number upon termination?

According to Brain Balance's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, upon termination of the franchise agreement, a franchisee must immediately stop using the franchised business's telephone number. Furthermore, at Brain Balance's option, the franchisee must transfer and assign the right to use the phone number to Brain Balance or its designee. This includes taking any action required to transfer and assign all telephone numbers and white and yellow page telephone references and advertisements as outlined in the Conditional Assignment of Telephone Numbers exhibit.

This provision ensures that Brain Balance maintains control over its brand identity and customer communication channels even after a franchise agreement ends. By requiring the franchisee to relinquish the phone number, Brain Balance can seamlessly redirect customer inquiries to other locations or maintain a consistent brand presence in the local market. This is a fairly standard practice in franchising, as franchisors need to protect their brand and customer relationships.

For a prospective Brain Balance franchisee, this means understanding that the phone number used for the business is not an asset they will retain upon termination. It is essential to have a plan for communicating with customers about the change and redirecting them to alternative contact methods if necessary. The franchisee should carefully review Exhibit 4, the Conditional Assignment of Telephone Numbers, to fully understand the scope of this obligation and the procedures for transferring the phone number and related listings.