What constitutes 'Confidential Information' related to the Cool Binz business?
Cool_Binz Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
A. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
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- We possess (and will continue to develop and acquire) certain confidential information (the "Confidential Information") relating to the development and operation of COOL BINZ Businesses. The Confidential Information includes (without limitation):
- a. general operating procedures for a COOL BINZ Business;
- b. the proprietary COOL BINZ Software;
- c. personnel guidelines for hiring, training, retaining, promoting, and supporting the marketing and sales staff;
- d. the Business Manager and Technical Operations Training;
- e. written marketing and advertising materials, audiotapes, videos, and programs for their utilization;
- f. knowledge of specifications and suppliers of certain equipment and supplies for the COOL BINZ Business;
- g. information on operating results and financial performance of COOL BINZ Businesses other than your own;
- h. The Operations Manual and the COOL BINZ owners intranet website and its contents;
- i. sales guidelines and strategies for developing business relationships in the insurance industry;
- j. The Customer Information, as defined in Section 5.B below; and
- k. Any other information we deem confidential.
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- You acknowledge and agree that you do not acquire any interest in Confidential Information, other than the right to utilize that which is disclosed to you in operating the COOL BINZ Business during the term of this Agreement, and that the use or duplication of any Confidential Information in any other business would constitute an unfair method of competition. You also acknowledge and agree that the Confidential Information is proprietary, includes our trade secrets, and is disclosed to you only on the condition that you must, during and at all times after the term of this Agreement:
- a. not use Confidential Information in any other business or capacity;
- b. maintain the absolute confidentiality of Confidential Information;
- c. not make unauthorized copies of any portion of Confidential Information disclosed via electronic medium or in written or other tangible form;
- d. adopt and implement all reasonable procedures that we prescribe from time to time to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential Information, including, without limitation, restrictions on disclosure to employees of the COOL BINZ Business and others; and
- e. immediately upon the expiration of termination of this Agreement, return and cease using in any way all Confidential Information and provide us with immediate access to all computer or other electronic or other storage media, including without limitation, hard drives, memories, CDs, floppy disks, DVDs, zip drives, PDAs, jump drives or other peripheral drives and memory cards, containing any Confidential Information for the purpose of removing such Confidential Information or, if mutually agreed upon, surrender such devices to us.
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- The foregoing restrictions will not apply to the information that:
- a. is now public knowledge or hereafter becomes public knowledge through no fault of yours;
- b. is properly provided to you without restriction by a third party having no such restriction;
- c. is required to be disclosed by order of a competent court or governmental authority, provided, however, that you provide us with prompt written notice of any claim or litigation that could give rise to such a requirement, you furnish only that portion of the Confidential Information that you are required to disclose, and you advise the governmental authority of your confidentiality obligations under this Agreement and seek to obtain
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 63–238)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cool Binz's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Confidential Information encompasses a wide array of proprietary details crucial to the operation and development of a Cool Binz Business. This includes general operating procedures, the proprietary Cool Binz Software, personnel guidelines for hiring, training, and managing staff, and the Business Manager and Technical Operations Training programs. Franchisees also gain access to written marketing and advertising materials, knowledge of equipment and supply specifications, and operating results and financial performance data from other Cool Binz Businesses.
Confidential Information also extends to the Operations Manual, the Cool Binz owners intranet website and its contents, and sales guidelines and strategies, particularly for developing business relationships within the insurance industry. Critically, it includes Customer Information and any other information Cool Binz deems confidential. Franchisees acknowledge they only have the right to use this information during the term of their agreement and understand that using or duplicating it in any other business is considered unfair competition.
The agreement places strict obligations on franchisees regarding Confidential Information. Franchisees must not use it in any other business, maintain its absolute confidentiality, and avoid unauthorized copies. They must also implement procedures to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure, including restrictions on employee access. Upon termination of the agreement, franchisees must return all Confidential Information and provide Cool Binz with access to all storage media containing such information.
However, these restrictions do not apply to information that is already public knowledge, is properly provided to the franchisee without restriction by a third party, or is required to be disclosed by a court or governmental authority. In the latter case, the franchisee must provide Cool Binz with prompt written notice and only disclose the necessary portion of the Confidential Information, while also advising the authority of their confidentiality obligations.