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What are the specific obligations of a Deer Solution franchisee regarding the maintenance of operational standards (Item 8), and what are the potential consequences for failing to do so as outlined in Item 6, considering the restrictions on sources of products and services (Item 8) and the reporting requirements (Item 6)?

Deer_Solution Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer from 2025 FDD Document

You may only offer and sell the Approved Services and Products that we designate and you may only use those products, supplies, equipment, technology systems, and services that we authorize and designate in writing. To ensure that our standards and specifications of quality, service and System development are maintained, you must operate your Deer Solution Business in strict conformity with the Franchise Agreement and the methods, standards, specifications, and sources of supply that we designate and prescribe in the Manuals.

Source Restricted Purchases and Leases – Generally

We require that you purchase or lease certain source restricted goods and services for the development and operation of your Deer Solution Business. Source restricted goods and services are goods and services that must meet our specifications and/or must be purchased from an approved or designated supplier. We may designate a supplier (which may include us or our affiliates) as the exclusive supplier for the System. Our specifications and list of approved and designated suppliers is contained in our Manuals. We will notify you of any changes to our specifications or list of approved or designated suppliers. We may notify you of these changes in various ways, including written or electronic correspondence, amendments, and updates to our Manuals, verbal, and other forms of communication. We formulate and modify our standards and specifications for products and services based on our industry experience and our management decisions as to the overall operation and expansion of the System.

Suppliers and Supplier Criteria

We may designate ourselves and our affiliates as exclusive suppliers of source restricted goods and services. We may designate ourselves or a third party as exclusive supplier irrespective of the existence of competing suppliers. If, in the Manuals, we do not designate a supplier for a particular item, you will purchase all such products, supplies and services from suppliers who meet our specifications and standards.

Our affiliate, APS Innovates, LLC is currently designated as an approved supplier of deer repellent and provides central purchasing and fulfillment services to franchisees. Our affiliate, Two Knights Media, Inc. was designated as an approved supplier of software, media development, marketing management, website design and SEO services until January 1, 2025 when R3volution Brands Inc. began providing these services as well as Sales and Support Center services. Our affiliate, VIP Rewards Center, LLC is currently designated as an approved supplier of rewards program services to franchisees. Except for APS Innovates, LLC, Two Knights Media, Inc., and VIP Rewards Center, LLC, currently we are not and our affiliates are not the only approved suppliers of the source restricted goods and services identified below. Except as to Kris Goodrich, Jaime Goodrich, and Benjamin Goodrich, no officer of ours currently owns an interest in any of our designated suppliers.

During the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, our affiliate APS Innovates, LLC earned $43,481.73 in revenue from franchisee purchases. During the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, our affiliate Two Knights Media, Inc. earned $98,983.89 in revenue from franchisee purchases. During the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, our affiliate VIP Rewards Center, LLC earned $9,621.22 in revenue from franchisee purchases.

If you want to purchase or lease a source restricted item from a supplier that has not been previously approved or designated by us in writing, you must send us a written request for approval and submit additional information that we may request. We may charge you a supplier review and testing fee and we may request that you send us samples from the supplier for testing and documentation from the supplier for evaluation. We may also require, subject to our discretion, that we be allowed to inspect the supplier's facilities. We will notify you of our approval or disapproval within a reasonable time, not to exceed 60

days, after we receive your written request for approval and all additional information and samples that we may request. We may, in our discretion, withhold our approval. When evaluating the approval of a particular supplier, among other things, we consider: whether the supplier can demonstrate to our reasonable satisfaction the ability to meet our standards, specifications and production requirements, the suppliers quality control, whether or not we are the exclusive supplier of the particular item, whether or not our affiliate or affiliates are the exclusive supplier of the particular item, and whether or not the suppliers approval, in our sole determination, will allow us to advance the overall interests of the System. If we have previously approved a supplier, and their standards fall below our designated standards, we will revoke our approval. We will notify you in writing of us revoking our approval.

We estimate that your purchase of goods and services from suppliers according to our specifications, including your purchase of goods or services from our designated exclusive suppliers, to represent approximately 80% of your total purchases and leases in establishing the Franchised Business and approximately 40% of the on-going operating expenses of your Franchised Business.

We currently require that you purchase or lease the following source restricted goods and services from either us or our designated supplier:

    1. System Supplies You must maintain an initial and ongoing inventory of System Supplies. You must purchase the System Supplies from us, our affiliates, or our designated suppliers.
    1. Branded Items and Marketing Materials All materials bearing the Licensed Marks including, but not limited to, stationary, business cards, brochures, apparel, signs and displays, must meet our standards and specifications, and must be purchased from either us directly or our designated suppliers. All of your marketing materials must comply with our standards and specifications and must be approved by us before you use them. You may market your Deer Solution Business through approved digital media and social media platforms provided that you do so in accordance with our digital media and social media policies. You must purchase all branded marketing materials from either us or our designated exclusive supplier. We may require that you exclusively use, at your cost, our designated supplier for social and digital media marketing services and exclusively use, at your cost, our social media platforms, vendors, and marketing channels.
    1. Business Management System and Computer Equipment Currently you are required to purchase, license, and utilize a business management system as designated in our operations manual. You must purchase and maintain a computer system at your Administrative Office. In general, you will be required to obtain a computer system that will consist of certain hardware, software, and peripheral devices such as printers. You will be required to meet our requirements involving back office and business management systems, security systems, printers, back-up systems, and high-speed internet access.
    1. Credit Card Processing You must use our designated supplier and vendor for credit card processing which may be integrated with the business management system that we designate. Credit card processing fees will, generally, be based on a percentage of all credit card processed Gross Sales.
    1. Computer System You must purchase and maintain a computer system at your Administrative Office and an Android tablet and Android phone that maintains cellular internet access for each dispatched user / service vehicle that you operate. In general, you will be required to obtain a computer system that will consist of certain hardware, software, and peripheral devices such as printers. You will be required to meet our requirements involving back office and business management systems, security systems, printers, back-up systems, and high-speed internet access.
    1. Sales and Support Center Services We are the exclusive supplier of the Sales and Support Center Services that you are required to use. Our Sales and Support Center includes phone based communications

and includes other forms of customer engagement focused on new customer inquiries, scheduling estimate and service visits, responding to customer service issues, customer support, and billing for services. We reserve the right to change vendors of the Sales and Support Center Services. On a weekly basis, you must pay Sales and Support Center Fees to us. We reserve the right to deduct up to 8.5% of Gross Sales on a weekly basis for Sales and Support Center Fees. During the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, we earned $47,361.19 in revenue for the Sales and Support Center Services.

    1. Service Vehicles Your service vehicles must meet our standards and specifications, be designated and insured for commercial purposed, and be wrapped with our approved branding and vehicle wrap. You may only operate your Deer Solution Business from service vehicles that meet our specifications and approved wrap.
    1. Insurance You must obtain the insurance coverage that we require from time to time as presently disclosed in the Manuals and as we may modify. All insurance policies required under your Franchise Agreement and as set forth in the Franchise Agreement must be written by a responsible carrier, reasonably acceptable to us and all insurance (excluding workers' compensation) must name us, our officers, directors, shareholders, partners, agents, representatives, and independent contractors as additional insureds. The insurance policies must include a provision that the insurance carrier must provide us with no less than 30 days' prior written in the event of a material alteration to, or cancellation of, any insurance policy. A certificate of insurance must be furnished by you to use at the earlier of 90 days after the Effective Date of the Franchise Agreement or prior to the commencement of our initial training program. Insurance coverage must be at least as comprehensive as the minimum requirements set forth in the chart below and in the Franchise Agreement (Franchise Agreement, Article 8). You must consult your carrier representative to determine the level of coverage necessary for the Franchised Business. Higher exposures may require higher limits.

Insurance Requirements

  • a) Coverage against direct physical loss or damage to real and personal property, including improvements and betterments, written on a special form peril basis, including flood and earthquake, if the relevant property is situated in a flood or earthquake zone, in an amount equal to 100% of the Franchised Business' property value, including crime and employee dishonesty coverage of at least $25,000;

What This Means (2025 FDD)

According to Deer Solution's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must adhere to strict operational standards to maintain the quality and consistency of the Deer Solution system. Franchisees are obligated to exclusively offer and sell approved services and products, using only authorized products, supplies, equipment, technology systems, and services designated by Deer Solution. These standards and specifications are detailed in the manuals provided by Deer Solution, which franchisees must follow. Failure to comply with these standards can result in consequences detailed within the franchise agreement.

Deer Solution requires franchisees to purchase or lease certain goods and services from approved or designated suppliers, which may include Deer Solution or its affiliates. These source-restricted goods and services must meet Deer Solution's specifications. The list of approved suppliers and any changes to specifications are communicated through various means, including written notices, electronic correspondence, manual updates, and verbal communication. This ensures uniformity and quality across all Deer Solution franchise locations.

Franchisees must operate their Deer Solution business within their designated operating territory from an approved administrative office. They must ensure that all services and products are provided by trained employees or owners who have completed the required training programs. Franchisees are also required to maintain necessary licenses and permits, use only approved service vehicles, and adhere to the standards set forth in the operations manual, which may be updated periodically by Deer Solution. These measures are in place to protect the brand's reputation and ensure customer satisfaction.

Specifically, franchisees must maintain an initial and ongoing inventory of system supplies purchased from Deer Solution or its designated suppliers. All branded items and marketing materials must meet Deer Solution's standards and be purchased from approved sources. Franchisees are also required to use a designated business management system, computer equipment, and credit card processing vendor. Additionally, franchisees must utilize Deer Solution's Sales and Support Center Services, for which Deer Solution may deduct up to 8.5% of gross sales on a weekly basis for these services. Compliance with these requirements is essential for maintaining the operational standards of the Deer Solution franchise system.

Disclaimer: This information is extracted from the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document and is provided for research purposes only. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decisions.