Buying a franchise: check the ongoing support

The value of joining a franchise network is not measured solely on opening day. It also becomes clear when an operational problem arises, when procedures fail to deliver or when you need prompt technical assistance. Before buying a franchise in Greece, examine exactly what the brand means by ‘ongoing support’. What matters is not a general assurance that help is available, but a service with a clear scope, an identified person responsible, a response time and a known cost.

1. Distinguish ongoing support from oversight

Initial training prepares you to get started. Ongoing support covers what you need once your outlet is operating: resolving day-to-day difficulties, guidance on procedures, technical assistance and assessing problems that emerge in practice.

Ask for a detailed list of services and match each one to a genuine business need. For example:

• Who helps when the ordering system stops working?
• Who investigates recurring customer service failures?
• Are visits from an operations adviser scheduled?
• Is a written action plan provided after each visit?
• What help is available when operational results fall short of the plan?

A compliance inspection is not the same as support. A visit that merely records breaches of standards does not demonstrate that meaningful guidance is being provided. Ask for a clear distinction between inspections, recommendations for improvement and actions the franchisor itself undertakes.

2. Check whether the support can actually be delivered

A list of services has limited value without the people and systems needed to deliver it. Ask which team supports the network, what its responsibilities are and how cover is arranged when your main contact is absent.

Ask to be taken through the support request process: how the problem is logged, who receives it, when you receive updates and how it is escalated to a more senior person if it remains unresolved. If an external technical provider is involved, clarify whether you contract with them directly or whether the franchisor coordinates their work.

Speak to existing franchisees, with their consent. Rather than asking a general question such as ‘Are you satisfied?’, request specific examples: what their most recent request for help involved, how quickly they received a response and whether the proposed solution was implemented. Compare the experiences of outlets at different distances from head office and at different stages of operation.

Also consider continuity of service. The relationship should not depend entirely on one member of staff being personally available. A well-organised record of requests and follow-up actions allows a new contact to understand what has already happened.

3. Specify timing, scope and costs in the contract

Propose a support schedule to form part of the contract. For each service, record its scope, the communication channel, availability hours, the initial response time and any additional charge.

Distinguish the initial response from resolution. An acknowledgement of receipt does not mean the problem has been solved. For serious incidents, ask for a priority handling procedure, a temporary workaround where feasible and regular updates until the issue is resolved. Commitments should be realistic and take account of dependencies on third parties.

On costs, clarify:

• Which services are included in ongoing royalties.
• When additional visits or specialist advice incur extra charges.
• Who pays staff travel and accommodation expenses.
• Whether additional work requires prior written approval.

Check your own obligations too. Support may depend on your reporting the problem promptly, supplying information or providing access to equipment. These conditions need to be specific so that they do not become a blanket excuse for delays.

4. Understand the Greek legal framework and your options

Greece has no specific law providing a comprehensive framework for franchise agreements, nor any specific mandatory pre-contractual disclosure document. The general provisions of the Greek Civil Code on contracts and obligations principally apply. Articles 197 and 198 concern good faith in negotiations and pre-contractual liability, while Article 288 concerns the performance of obligations in accordance with good faith.

This framework does not prescribe a standard number of visits or a mandatory technical response time for every franchise network. That makes a precise description of support particularly important. Codes of ethics are self-regulatory tools, not specific legislation that, on its own, guarantees a particular level of service.

Ask a lawyer to review what happens if the agreed support is not provided: written notice, a period in which to remedy the failure and appropriate consequences depending on the seriousness of the breach. Do not assume that you can automatically stop making payments. Keep records of requests, responses and the impact on operations.

Practical takeaway: Before committing, make sure you have written answers to four questions: who provides help, with what, by when and at what cost.