Are Dryject franchisees required to have their employees sign a confidentiality agreement regarding customer lists?
Dryject Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
(c) Any and all customer lists and their contents relating to the Franchised Business, whether compiled or developed by You or any other person, are owned by Us, constitute confidential information and are Our proprietary property (whether supplied by Us or not) and You shall not use the customer lists for any purpose whatsoever other than in the normal conduct of the Franchised Business prior to any default under this Agreement, or termination or expiration of this Agreement and for no other purpose and You must require any of Your employees, agents and independent contractors who have access to customer lists to sign a confidentiality agreement. To the extent that You may have or claim any right, title or interest in or to such customer lists and contents, You agree to, and do hereby, assign to Us all of Your right, title and interest therein. You will, upon demand, promptly deliver to Us a complete list of current and former customers, including name, telephone number, complete mailing address, frequency of service, last date serviced and price of service, and other information concerning such customers as requested by Us. You expressly acknowledge that Your ability to operate, develop and expand the Franchised Business is based largely on the goodwill of the Marks and know-how embodied in the DryJect System. Accordingly, You agree that We are the sole owner of all customer lists and relationships and all other goodwill arising from Your operation of the Franchised Business. Any attempt by You to offer any services or products similar to those provided by the Franchised Business to any customers or prospective customers of the Franchised Business following any expiration or termination of this Agreement shall be a violation of Our rights in such customer lists and relationships and goodwill. You agree that in the event of any such action or threatened action by You, We shall be entitled to a preliminary or permanent injunction or other equitable relief to restrain such actions, and to recover Our damages equal to the amount of profits received by You from any such action in violation of Our rights.
Source: Item 8 — BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP (FDD pages 68–229)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Dryject's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Dryject franchisees are required to have their employees, agents, and independent contractors sign a confidentiality agreement if they have access to customer lists. The FDD states that customer lists and their contents are owned by Dryject and constitute confidential and proprietary information. Franchisees are restricted from using these lists for any purpose outside the normal conduct of the franchised business before any default, termination, or expiration of the agreement.
This requirement ensures the protection of Dryject's customer data and proprietary information. It prevents unauthorized use or disclosure of customer lists, which could harm the franchise system. By mandating confidentiality agreements, Dryject aims to maintain the integrity and value of its customer relationships and goodwill.
For a prospective Dryject franchisee, this means they must implement a formal process for ensuring that all employees, agents, and independent contractors who handle customer data sign a legally binding confidentiality agreement. This adds an administrative responsibility to the franchisee but is a standard practice in franchising to protect sensitive business information.