What level of control must a Chatime franchisee use to protect customer data?
Chatime Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must protect all customer data with a level of control proportionate to the sensitivity of data. You must comply with all applicable data protection laws relevant to your, state, county, territory and region as well as our data processing and data privacy policies set forth in the Operations Manual from time to time. You must also comply with the standards established by PCI-DSS to protect the security of credit card information. Full liability for PCI compliance and data protection is your sole responsibility.
Source: Item 11 — Franchisor's Assistance, Advertising, Computer Systems, and Training (FDD pages 27–35)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Chatime's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must protect all customer data with a level of control proportionate to the sensitivity of the data. This means that the measures taken to safeguard customer information should align with how confidential or critical that data is.
The FDD emphasizes compliance with all applicable data protection laws relevant to the franchisee's state, county, territory, and region. Franchisees must also adhere to Chatime's data processing and data privacy policies as outlined in the Operations Manual, which may be updated periodically. Furthermore, franchisees are required to comply with the standards established by PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) to protect the security of credit card information.
The document clearly states that full liability for PCI compliance and data protection rests solely with the franchisee. This highlights the importance of franchisees understanding and implementing robust data protection measures to avoid potential legal and financial repercussions associated with data breaches or non-compliance. Chatime franchisees should consult with legal and IT security professionals to ensure they meet all requirements.