Can Dollar Rent A Car change the required Computer System for franchisees?
Dollar_Rent_A_Car Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We reserve the right to change the counter automation software systems, in which case you must, at your expense, purchase new software licenses.
We reserve the right to require you to acquire, and thereafter use and maintain, the Computer System (and each part of the Computer System) from an approved supplier as we may from time to time designate in the Operations Guide or otherwise in writing. We may designate ourselves or an affiliate as an approved supplier (and we or an affiliate may be the only approved supplier) for the Computer System (or any part of the Computer System).
We may revise the list of Approved Counter Systems to Computer Systems with certain specific compatibilities with our proprietary Computer System or we may require you to purchase our proprietary system, even if you are utilizing a previously approved system.
We shall have the right from time to time, and at any time, to retrieve data and information from your Computer System, by modem or other requested means, and use it for any reasonable business purpose both during and after the term of this Agreement. We may, from time to time, specify in the Operations Guide or otherwise in writing the information that you shall collect and maintain on the Computer System installed at Your Franchised Business (including rental transactions, Vehicles, reservations, customer profiles and other pertinent information relating thereto), and you shall provide to us such reports as we may reasonably request from the data so collected and maintained.
You shall keep the Computer System in good maintenance and repair and, at your expense, shall promptly install such additions, changes, modifications, substitutions, and/or replacements to the Computer System, as We direct. We cannot predict the cost or frequency of required modifications of the Computer System; however, we estimate that the costs of any updates or upgrades will range from $0 to $500 per year.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 61–69)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Dollar Rent A Car's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Dollar Rent A Car reserves the right to change the counter automation software systems franchisees are required to use. If Dollar Rent A Car changes the required software, franchisees must purchase new software licenses at their own expense. The FDD specifies that Dollar Rent A Car can, from time to time, require franchisees to acquire the Computer System (and each part of the Computer System) from an approved supplier as they may designate in the Operations Guide or otherwise in writing. Dollar Rent A Car may also designate themselves or an affiliate as an approved supplier.
Dollar Rent A Car can revise the list of Approved Counter Systems to Computer Systems with certain specific compatibilities with their proprietary Computer System or they may require franchisees to purchase their proprietary system, even if a franchisee is utilizing a previously approved system. The cost for the Approved Counter System, which consists of the hardware and software, is estimated to be between $11,500 to $250,000, depending on the number and extent of the Approved Counter Systems that a franchisee chooses to install.
Dollar Rent A Car also has the right to retrieve data and information from a franchisee's Computer System, by modem or other requested means, and use it for any reasonable business purpose both during and after the term of the Franchise Agreement. They may specify the information that franchisees must collect and maintain on the Computer System installed at the Franchised Business (including rental transactions, Vehicles, reservations, customer profiles and other pertinent information relating thereto), and franchisees must provide reports as Dollar Rent A Car may reasonably request from the data so collected and maintained. Franchisees must keep the Computer System in good maintenance and repair and, at their expense, promptly install any additions, changes, modifications, substitutions, and/or replacements to the Computer System, as Dollar Rent A Car directs. The estimated costs of any updates or upgrades will range from $0 to $500 per year.