Buying a franchise: agreeing the scope of initial training

Initial training is crucial to your ability to take charge of a franchised business. Yet a phrase such as “training included” tells you neither which skills will be taught, who can attend nor what additional expenses you may face. Before joining a franchise network in France, turn that promise into a commitment you can check against: a programme, a timetable, a budget and clear assessment requirements.

1. Get a programme tailored to your role

Do not settle for a number of training days quoted in a sales presentation. Ask for a written programme that distinguishes between theory, practical exercises and time spent learning in an operating outlet. Also check who delivers the training and how: in a group of prospective franchisees, through one-to-one support, remotely or on site.

The content should reflect the tasks you will actually undertake. A future business owner who recruits an operations manager will not have exactly the same needs as a franchisee working behind the counter every day.

In particular, ask for details of:

• who is included: the business owner, business partner, manager and initial employees;
• the prerequisites for starting the training;
• the tools used during exercises: till systems, management software, ordering or scheduling tools;
• the practical scenarios covered and the materials available after the course.

Also distinguish between training in the franchise concept and legally required qualifications. Depending on the activity, specific qualifications, authorisations or compulsory training may be necessary. The network’s training does not automatically replace these. Have the requirements applicable to your project confirmed and establish who must meet them before opening.

2. Calculate the total cost, not just the advertised price

Initial training may be included in the initial franchise fee or charged separately. There is no standard fee set by law. Ask for an itemised quotation or a financial schedule explaining what each charge covers.

Separate three categories: the training fee, travel and accommodation expenses, and the cost of making participants available. If you have already recruited employees, factor their time spent training into the budget. Depending on your circumstances, also allow for replacement staff or care costs that enable you to attend.

The most useful questions often concern exceptions: how much does an extra place cost? Is a second course charged for if someone is absent or fails the assessment? Who pays if the franchisor changes the training arrangements? Does an additional day require prior agreement?

Do not deduct any anticipated funding from your budget until it has been confirmed. Any financial support will depend on the scheme, your status and the training’s eligibility. Certification of the training provider does not, in itself, mean that funding has been approved. Obtain a written response from the organisation you have approached before relying on that money.

3. Align training, recruitment and opening

Training held too far ahead of opening may be less effective. A course scheduled too late, on the other hand, could delay the launch while some costs are already being incurred. Work with the franchisor to draw up a shared timetable based on your intended opening date.

This timetable should specify dates, locations, participants and registration deadlines. Add the dependencies: the manager’s availability, team recruitment, access to software and any qualifications required beforehand.

Set out in writing how the main potential disruptions will be handled:

• delays in securing the premises or obtaining the necessary permissions;
• trainer unavailability or a shortage of places;
• replacement of the manager originally enrolled;
• interruption of the course or a need for catch-up training.

The aim is not to secure a guaranteed opening date regardless of circumstances. It is to establish who must notify whom, within what timeframe, and how additional expenses will be shared. Finally, distinguish initial training from on-site support by a franchise network representative at opening: one does not necessarily include the other.

4. Set out commitments and assessment criteria

In France, there is no single statutory programme prescribing the duration or content of all initial franchise training. The contract and its schedules are therefore crucial, within the framework of general contract law.

Pre-contractual disclosure is governed in particular by Article L. 330-3 of the French Commercial Code, introduced by the Doubin Law, and Article R. 330-1. Where the statutory conditions are met — the right to use a trade name, trade mark or trading sign is granted in return for an exclusive or near-exclusive commitment — the pre-contractual disclosure document, known as the DIP, and the draft contract must be supplied at least twenty days before signing or making any required advance payment. This period is not a general right to withdraw after signing.

Use this period to have the training commitments incorporated into the contract or a contractual schedule. If opening is conditional on passing an assessment, insist on clear criteria: tests, skills assessed, the assessor, notification of results and opportunities to resit. Have the consequences of failure clarified, including what happens to sums already paid, and ask your lawyer to review these clauses.

Key takeaway: before signing, obtain four things in writing: the programme, total cost, timetable and assessment requirements. Well-defined training prepares you to run the business independently while clarifying commitments within the franchise network.