Who is responsible for the maintenance of the franchisee's hardware and communication software at a Brain Balance center?
Brain_Balance Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We will provide support and maintenance of the proprietary Software/Application only, and you will be responsible for maintenance of your own hardware and communication software. (See Items 5 and 6 for the cost of the annual Software Maintenance fees.) We will also provide necessary upgrades to the Software/Applications on an ongoing basis, and, if any upgrade is provided to you, you must implement it. The upgrades will
be provided at no additional cost to you (Application License Agreement §1(a) A). You must permit the Franchisor access to the Software/Application and its data and must perform the actions required to permit the Franchisor to communicate with the Software/Application and to access and record it and its data, including, for example, the purchase, installation, and maintenance of appropriate communication hardware and software (Franchise Agreement §15; Application License Agreement §2(a)).
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEM, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 36–47)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Brain Balance's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are responsible for the maintenance of their own hardware and communication software. While Brain Balance provides support and maintenance for its proprietary software/applications, the franchisee must ensure their computer systems are in good repair and that they promptly install any upgrades, additions, changes, modifications, substitutions, and/or replacements to the computer hardware, software, networking/connectivity devices and configurations, telephone and power lines, and other computer-related facilities as Brain Balance may direct.
Brain Balance does not offer assistance in obtaining, installing, or maintaining the hardware, local area network (LAN), or Internet connectivity. Franchisees are required to maintain an Internet connection, a Brain Balance Center domain email account, and use the most recent version of Google Chrome. They must also ensure they have up-to-date virus protection software on all PC or Mac computers. The cost of purchasing the computer system is estimated to range from $24,000 to $27,000 for a Standard Center and from $15,000 to $20,000 for a Satellite Center.
Brain Balance retains the right to access and use data from the franchisee's computer system. To ensure efficient communication, franchisees must keep their computer systems well-maintained and promptly implement any directed upgrades or changes. The costs associated with maintaining, updating, or upgrading the computer system are the franchisee's responsibility, and Brain Balance cannot estimate these costs due to variations in repair history, local service costs, and technological advancements.