Initial franchise training: what to agree before you buy

Joining a franchise network means learning a particular way of running a business. But ‘training included’ does not tell you what you will learn, how much attending will cost or what happens if the franchisor decides you are not ready. Before you buy, turn that promise into a commitment you can check: a programme, named people responsible for delivering it and written conditions for completing your initial training.

1. Check what you will learn and how you will practise it

Ask for the training programme before making a commitment. A list of topics is not enough: you need to know which tasks you will be able to carry out afterwards and which will still require support. The training should match the responsibilities you will take on, whether you will be working in the outlet yourself or managing a team.

Ask for the proposal to specify:

• Participants: the franchise owner, outlet manager and any staff covered.
• Content: day-to-day operations, financial management, tools and systems, customer service and business-specific checks.
• Format and duration: face-to-face sessions, remote learning and supervised practice.
• Trainers: who delivers each module and what operational experience they have.
• Assessment: exercises, tests or practical demonstrations.

Distinguish between watching and doing. Seeing how a return is handled is not the same as processing it correctly; listening to an explanation of stock management does not demonstrate that you can identify stock discrepancies. Ask for examples of practical activities and whether you will work through both routine and unusual situations.

If the programme is marketed as suitable for people with no experience, check that it covers the basics. That sales claim is no substitute for a training pathway tailored to the candidate’s background.

2. Separate legal requirements from contractual commitments

In Spain, Article 62 of Law 7/1996 on Retail Trade and Royal Decree 201/2010 establish the specific legal framework for franchising. Article 3 of the Royal Decree requires written pre-contractual information that is truthful and not misleading, provided at least twenty working days before signing a contract or preliminary agreement, or making any payment to the franchisor.

Among other things, this information must explain the nature of the know-how and ongoing commercial or technical assistance to be provided. However, these rules do not prescribe a universal number of initial training hours or a compulsory syllabus for every franchise. That is why the training offer needs to be set out clearly in the contract or an annex forming part of it.

Check that the document identifies the applicable programme, the people covered and each party’s obligations. If the franchisor can change the programme, ask for limits to ensure that changes do not undermine the substance of the commitment.

The brand’s internal training is also no substitute for any qualifications, authorisations or training required for particular activities. Clarify which ones you need, who is responsible for obtaining them and who pays. An internal certificate should not be confused with professional authorisation.

3. Calculate the full cost of attending

Even if tuition is included in the initial franchise fee, taking part may involve additional expenses. Ask for a written breakdown of what is included and excluded, rather than assuming that ‘free of charge’ also covers travel or staff training.

Prepare a separate budget covering transport, accommodation, meals, wages for those attending and, where necessary, staff cover. Add any materials or access to tools and systems you must pay for, as well as the cost of repeating sessions.

Also ask what happens if your designated manager changes before the business opens. Can a replacement attend? Will they have to complete the entire programme? Is there a fee for training another person?

You do not need an indicative figure from another franchise brand: you need to know the terms offered by the brand you are considering. Ask for any additional costs to be clearly identified before you agree to the training.

4. Agree what happens if you do not pass the assessment

If passing the training is a condition of operating the franchise, the assessment has contractual consequences. Avoid leaving it subject to a vague requirement to meet ‘the franchisor’s satisfaction’.

Ask for objective criteria, a named assessor and written notification of the result. It is worth agreeing on opportunities to retake assessments, additional support sessions, deadlines and how costs will be shared. Distinguish between failing to attend and struggling to learn despite completing the programme.

Clarify what happens if the franchisor fails to deliver a planned part of the training or has no places available. The contract should address how this will be put right. If failing the assessment allows the relationship to be terminated, ask a lawyer to review the financial consequences: do not assume that payments you have made will automatically be refunded.

Practical conclusion: before you buy, bring together three documents that are consistent with one another: the training programme, the attendance budget and the assessment clauses. If you cannot explain what you will learn, how much you will pay and what happens if something goes wrong, there are still terms to negotiate.