Where must a City Wide franchisee establish their office for the Franchised Business?
City_Wide Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must establish your office for the Franchised Business ("Office") at a location ("Location") within your Designated Territory prior to the commencement of any business or promotional activities. You may not change the Location without CITY WIDE's approval. You must give CITY WIDE at least 30 days' prior written notice of any such change and CITY WIDE shall have 30 days within which to approve such Location and the proposed decor and signage. If CITY WIDE does not approve of such Location, decor or signage within such 30-day period, your request shall be deemed disapproved.
At a minimum, your Office must include telephone service dedicated to the Franchised Business which will be answered by an employee, telephone answering service or voice mail (or combination thereof) and which will take calls from customers or employees 24 hours a day (See Section 6.3 of the Franchise Agreement). CITY WIDE reserves the right, from time to time, to establish additional requirements concerning the establishment and operation of the Office and you are required to promptly comply with such requirements upon receipt of notice from CITY WIDE.
Source: Item 12 — TERRITORY (FDD pages 36–39)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Wide's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee must establish their office for the Franchised Business at a location within their Designated Territory. This location must be approved by City Wide, and the franchisee must provide at least 30 days' prior written notice before any changes to the location. City Wide then has 30 days to approve the new location, decor, and signage. Failure to obtain approval within this period results in the request being deemed disapproved.
The FDD specifies minimum requirements for the office, including telephone service dedicated to the Franchised Business. This service must be answered by an employee, answering service, or voicemail (or a combination thereof) and must be available 24 hours a day to take calls from customers or employees. City Wide retains the right to establish additional requirements concerning the establishment and operation of the office, and franchisees are required to comply with these requirements upon notification from City Wide.
This requirement ensures that the franchisee has a physical presence within their designated territory and can adequately serve their clients. The approval process for the office location and any changes to it allows City Wide to maintain brand consistency and ensure that the location is suitable for operating the Franchised Business. The 24/7 telephone service requirement highlights the importance of accessibility and responsiveness to customer needs, which is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and building a successful City Wide franchise.