The Jargon Buster Directory is your central resource for locating an explanation to typical terms found for within all industries , professions and governments. Use our directory to locate and decipher jargon that you would like an explanation for. Keeping our directory up to date and to include all the spheres where jargon is used is a never ending task for us. We have started with what we can locate but but it is a vast subject and can be very niche specific. Are you in a profession or industry that uses jargon that is NOT included here? Then why not send us your own jargon buster text and we will include it within our database. to say thank you we will provide you with a return link back to your web site.
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Jargon Buster
Business - FranchiseFranchise jargon is pretty much well established as this is a fairly old industry with many tried and tested methods. Much of this franchise jargon is is clearly put and easy to understand unlike some other forms of jargon we encounter. Franchise jargon is required to fully understand certain legalities of business especially when first considering a business to start up. New business owners need to fully understand what they are committing themselves to and franchise jargon serves this purpose very well. Any business will experience jargon from time to time so cutting your teeth on franchise jargon is a very good start. No business can avoid the jargon and much of the business franchise jargon has legal overtones that needs to be assessed by the business owner.
Franchise Jargon.AREA DEVELOPER Effectively a regional-size franchisee who has the rights to expand a region by either appointing sub-franchisees or managed outlets BFA The British Franchise Association, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2002. It was set up by Business Format Franchisors in an attempt to regulate the business on an ethical basis, granting membership to those franchisors it considers meet the demands of its Code of Ethics and procedures BLOCK EXEMPTION The European Union concessions to franchising which bypass the normal EU anti-restrictive trade practices legislation seeking to protect competition - which, for example, 'exclusive areas' can be deemed to contravene BUSINESS FORMAT The purest form of franchise in which the franchisee buys into a total system of brand, know-how, training, methodology and support BUYBACK Where the franchisor agrees to purchase a franchise back from a franchisee if the latter no longer wishes to continue - sometimes in packages for 'peace of mind' DISCLOSURE The practice of revealing detailed information about the franchisor's business track record and franchise package. This is a legal obligation in, for example, the US, but only voluntary in this country EXCLUSIVE AREA That territory licensed out to the franchisee in which to conduct the business. It is exclusive only in the sense that the franchisor contracts not to allocate more franchises there. Beware contracts which do not exclude the franchisor from setting up company outlets in the designated 'exclusive' area FDS - Established in 1981 by Roy Seaman. Now recognised as one of the world's largest and most comprehensive franchise companies. Offices around Europe, the Middle East and Asia along with representatives around the world allow us effectively to provide Franchise products and services to everybody interested in Franchising. FRANCHISE/LICENCE The operating package licensed to the franchisee by the franchisor - for which an Initial Franchise Fee is charged by the franchisor FRANCHISE CONTRACT Also known as the 'Franchise Agreement', it documents the legal relationship of obligations existing between franchisor and franchisee Franchisee - The person who buys a licence to replicate a business system. The Franchisee pays fees to the Franchisor in exchange for the training and materials required to start up in business and receive ongoing training and support. They become their own boss and run their Franchise themselves. FRANCHISING Method of marketing goods and services via a proven business formula licensed for others to copy Franchisor - The owner of the original operation. The Franchisor decides to allow other people to replicate their system in exchange for a fee. FRANCHISE PACKAGE The sum total of franchise system rights licensed to the franchisee, including branding, know-how, systems, territory and initial training - for which an Initial Franchise Fee is charged by the franchisor INTELLECTUAL RIGHTS Intellectual property rights refer to the franchisor's secrets of doing business and to his various trade marks, branding, manuals etc which should be legally protected before being sold in a franchise package JOB FRANCHISE A franchise type in which the franchisee is a hands-on owner-operator rather than a manager, usually linked with van-based services such as cleaning, maintenance and supplies JOINT VENTURE Franchise co-operation where the franchisor also takes a financial stake in the project - often seen in major international collaborations KNOW-HOW The sum of the franchisor's secrets of doing business, also referred to as 'intellectual property' MANAGEMENT OPTION A franchise in which the owner manages the operation and co-ordinates operatives to do the actual work while he focuses on business-building MASTER FRANCHISE The owner, known as the 'Master Franchisee', of a large territory licence - a country, region or city. Mostly used in global situations MASTER FRANCHISOR The entity which grants master franchises to others, usually found in an international context MSF - Management Service Fees another term for Royalties, usually in the form of a fixed fee or percentage OPERATIONS MANUAL The detailed document or 'bible' which describes every item of the business system and work procedures. It is closely linked with pilot experience and training elements and should act as the franchisee's personal one-stop 'owner's guide' to running the business, incl. troubleshooting P&L PROJECTIONS The calculations, based on the franchisor's, pilot's or franchisees' experiences, which try to predict how soon franchisees can expect a return on their investment PILOT OPERATION Although franchisors often use their own experience as the 'pilot' basis for shaping a franchise package, P&L projections and training programme, it is recommended that a true independent pilot operation is tested out - which incorporates actual financial, organisational and logistical pressures to be faced by franchisees in different areas REGIONAL FRANCHISE Another term for Area Developer or Area Franchisee RENEWAL Refers to the legal provisions in the Franchise Agreement for renewing or not renewing the franchise for a further term of years. Non-renewal could result from breach of contract RE-SALE Refers to a franchised area already developed or 'established' by a franchisee, offered for sale because the original franchisee wants to realise his investment, move on, or simply retire. More expensive to buy than a 'virgin' franchise area, but with the advantages of an ongoing customer base, referrals, goodwill and income from day one - so very attractive indeed RETURN ON INVESTMENT The calculations or expectations which franchisees work on to assess when they can 'break even' on their initial investment in the franchise and start earning profits ROYALTIES Ongoing fees paid to the franchisor by franchisees in respect of ongoing training and support services provided, usually a % of turnover SUB-FRANCHISEE A subordinate level of franchisee to a Regional Franchisee or Area Developer, usually appointed after the Regional or Area franchise has set up a training and support infrastructure for the territory TERM Refers to the agreed period of years (eg., 5, 10, 15) for which a franchise is granted through the Agreement. TERMINATION Refers to the legal provisions by which either party in the relationship may terminate the contract , eg., for breach of contract TERRITORY/AREA That 'exclusive' portion of land, on a national, regional/area, county, metropolitan or postcode basis, which is allocated to franchisees as part of the franchise package TIE-INS Where part of the Agreement is for the franchisee to buy product from the franchisor - often justified in terms of quality control or cost TRADING ACT (UK) Better known as the Trading Schemes Act (1996), this was introduced to combat the excesses of 'pyramid selling' which reached a peak in the 1980s. It is valuable in that it distinguishes franchising from such dubious schemes. Today, the diluted offspring of pyramid selling are often to be found in magazines covering 'network marketing' or 'direct selling', where it is still the norm to earn money chiefly from recruiting subordinate levels
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