Buying a Franchise in Belgium: Assess the Support on Offer

A strong brand name does not automatically prepare you to run an outlet. Buying a franchise in Belgium means joining a community of independent business owners where sharing knowledge and providing support matter. But what does ‘intensive support’ actually mean? Before making your choice, investigate what help you will receive, who will provide it and which commitments are enforceable. This allows you to compare brands on the value they deliver day to day, rather than just their sales pitch.

1. Turn sales promises into specific commitments

Start with your own experience. Do you mainly need help with staff scheduling, sales, stock management or attracting local customers? An experienced business owner has different needs from someone opening a business for the first time. Begin by listing the tasks you cannot yet handle independently.

Then ask each franchisor to describe its support at each stage: preparation, opening and day-to-day operations. ‘A dedicated contact’ means little if that person is rarely available or has no authority to make decisions.

For each important type of support, have the following set out in writing:

• Scope: what work will the franchisor carry out, and what remains your responsibility?
• Frequency: is support provided at scheduled intervals or only on request?
• Provider: will you be helped by an in-house specialist, an external supplier or another franchisee?
• Availability: how should you report problems, and when can you expect a response?
• Costs: is the help included, or is there a separate charge?

Distinguish between an obligation to make reasonable efforts and a commitment to provide a specific service. Advice on attracting customers does not guarantee sales. An agreed training course or site visit, however, is something you can check has actually been delivered. Rather than asking for unrealistic profit guarantees, seek clear commitments about the support itself.

2. Check whether the support works in practice

A training programme on paper does not prove that new franchisees start out sufficiently prepared. Ask for a sample timetable, the learning objectives and details of how your essential skills will be assessed. Also check whether staff can take part and how replacement staff will be trained later.

Speak to several franchisees in the network, ideally with different levels of experience and types of outlet. Do not simply ask whether they are satisfied; ask them to describe specific situations:

• What problem have they reported recently, and how was it resolved?
• What help did they receive during their first few months?
• How useful are the manual and training during busy working days?
• What support did they ultimately have to pay for themselves?

Where possible, ask to visit an outlet. This will show you how procedures, systems and support work together. Respect confidentiality, and do not request personal data or commercially sensitive documents you are not entitled to see.

Look at the capacity behind the promise, too. Who will support your opening if other outlets are launching at the same time? Is someone available to cover your usual contact’s absence? A growing network can be valuable, but support must be able to grow with it.

3. Match each fee to what you receive

Support may be funded through the initial franchise fee, ongoing franchise fees, separately charged services or margins on mandatory purchases. Do not assume that a single monthly fee covers everything.

Create a simple comparison table with three columns: promised service, what is included and potential extra costs. For training, for example, check course fees, travel, accommodation and the time you or your staff will spend away from the outlet.

For technical support, ask who pays for installation, maintenance, updates and replacement. Also distinguish between help with using software and fixing a fault. A helpdesk that provides guidance will not necessarily repair a faulty till system.

A marketing contribution deserves the same scrutiny. Central campaigns do not automatically mean someone will manage your local advertising. Ask what reports you will receive on activities and spending, and which local marketing efforts remain your responsibility. Assess the overall value you receive, not just the percentage charged.

4. Make key promises clear and verifiable in the contract

Belgium does not have a single, comprehensive franchise law governing every aspect of how the relationship operates. However, Title 2 of Book X of the Belgian Code of Economic Law, Articles X.26 to X.33, contains specific pre-contractual information rules for commercial cooperation agreements that fall within the statutory definition.

Article X.27 requires the franchisor to provide the draft contract and pre-contractual information document at least one month before the contract is concluded. Use this review period to compare verbal promises of support with the written terms. The disclosure obligation does not, by itself, turn a vague sales promise into a specific entitlement to support.

General contract law and the applicable rules on unfair terms between businesses are also relevant to the performance of the agreement. Ask a Belgian lawyer to assess whether crucial promises are set out clearly enough in the agreement or a contractual schedule.

In particular, check whether the manual allows support arrangements to be changed unilaterally, which document takes precedence if terms conflict, and how you must report failures to deliver. Agree an escalation procedure and appropriate time limits for putting things right. If a dispute arises, do not stop paying on your own initiative without legal advice.

Practical conclusion: only commit once you know who will help with each essential support need, what is included and where the commitment is recorded in writing. A strong franchise network makes its support not just appealing, but verifiable.