Is a Chem Dry franchisee required to maintain a business telephone?
Chem_Dry Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
FRANCHISEE agrees refer any telephone number associated in any way with any Mark or the Business to 1-800-CHEMDRY (1-800-243-6379) (or another number specified by CDI). FRANCHISEE further acknowledges that it shall be a direct violation of this Agreement for FRANCHISEE to cause or participate in the transfer of any such telephone numbers to any person or entity other than CDI. In the event that FRANCHISEE fails to comply with any of the foregoing, FRANCHISEE hereby acknowledges that CDI has the sole rights to and interest in all such telephone numbers and directory listings associated with any Marks. FRANCHISEE therefore authorizes CDI, and hereby appoints CDI and any officer of CDI as FRANCHISEE's attorney in fact, to direct any telephone companies and listing agencies to transfer any such telephone numbers to CDI, or to another person or party at its direction, and the telephone companies and all listing agencies may accept such direction or this Agreement as conclusive of the exclusive rights of CDI in such telephone numbers and directory listings and its authority to direct their transfer.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 68–264)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
The 2024 Chem Dry Franchise Disclosure Document addresses telephone numbers in the context of franchise termination or expiration. Specifically, upon termination, a franchisee must refer any telephone number associated with the Chem Dry brand to 1-800-CHEMDRY (1-800-243-6379) or another number specified by Chem Dry.
This means that while operating the franchise, a Chem Dry franchisee likely uses a business telephone number. However, the FDD excerpt focuses on the disposition of that number after the franchise agreement ends. The franchisee cannot transfer the number to another entity; it must be directed back to Chem Dry. This ensures that customers trying to contact the former franchise location will still reach Chem Dry's network.
The Chem Dry FDD excerpt does not explicitly state that a franchisee is required to maintain a business telephone during the term of the franchise agreement. To confirm whether maintaining a business telephone is mandatory during the franchise term, a prospective franchisee should ask Chem Dry directly during their due diligence process.