Buying a franchise: check the initial training

Initial training bridges the gap between buying a franchise and being able to run the outlet. In franchising, the transfer of know-how is a central part of the relationship. Yet the phrase “full training provided” is not enough to assess an offer. Before committing, you need to know what you will learn, who will train you, what you will pay and how your readiness will be assessed.

1. Ask for a programme, not a general description

Ask for a detailed initial training programme before signing. This does not mean the network must hand over all its confidential know-how without safeguards. It should, however, provide enough detail for you to judge whether the training meets the business’s practical needs.

The programme should specify:

• Participants: will only the franchisee be trained, or will the outlet manager and opening team be included?
• Content: does it cover products, customer service, ordering, stock control, software and complaints handling?
• Format: which modules are delivered in person, which remotely and which in an operating outlet?
• Duration and timing: how much hands-on practice is included, and how close to opening does the training take place?
• Trainers: who is responsible for delivering the training, and who will answer questions afterwards?

Pay particular attention to the difference between observing and doing. Watching a demonstration of the ordering system does not mean you can handle returns or errors during a busy period. Ask for examples of exercises that simulate a normal trading day.

If you have no previous experience of running a business, make this clear early on. Check whether the programme assumes knowledge you do not have and whether additional preparation is available.

2. Check how the training works in practice

Your assessment should not stop at a well-designed programme. Ask to speak to franchisees who completed the training relatively recently, preferably with a professional background similar to yours.

Ask what they could do independently on their first day, what difficulties arose and whether they needed additional help. One useful question is: “Which process do you wish you had practised more before opening?” The answer is usually more specific than a general satisfaction rating.

Where permitted, ask to observe part of a training day. Look for clear instructions, time for questions and supervised practice. Also confirm that the training covers the tools and equipment you will actually use, rather than older versions.

Distinguish the network’s operational training from any mandatory professional qualifications or certifications. An internal certificate of attendance does not automatically satisfy legal requirements for particular activities or roles.

3. Record the full costs and completion requirements

Training being included in the initial franchise fee does not mean that all associated expenses are covered. Ask for a written breakdown distinguishing the training fee from additional charges.

Include travel, accommodation, meals, materials and any charges for extra participants in your budget. Work with your accountant to calculate the team’s payroll costs during the preparation period too. Clarify who pays if a training date changes after bookings have already been made.

The completion criteria are equally important. If opening depends on passing an assessment, ask for the skills to be assessed, the assessor and the way results will be communicated to be specified in advance.

Ask what happens if you need more practice: is repeat training available, at what cost and within what timeframe? If a replacement manager needs training before opening, is there a process in place? These details can have a significant impact on your opening date.

4. Secure specific contractual commitments

Greece has no dedicated law comprehensively regulating franchising, nor a statutory minimum training programme. The relationship is governed primarily by the Greek Civil Code’s general provisions on contracts and obligations. Articles 197 and 198 concern conduct and liability during negotiations, while Article 288 requires obligations to be performed in good faith.

There is no specific mandatory pre-contractual franchise disclosure document or statutory deadline for providing one. This does not permit misleading statements about training. However, general legal principles are no substitute for clear, agreed terms.

Ask a lawyer to incorporate the programme, eligible participants, costs, assessment and repeat-training procedure into the contract or a binding schedule. Also agree what should happen if the franchisor delays training or omits an essential module, rather than assuming you have an automatic right to a refund.

Practical takeaway: before signing, secure a specific programme, a complete breakdown of costs and clear readiness criteria. Training should be a service whose delivery you can verify, not merely a promise of support.