All Business has a decent article describing the ten key provisions of a franchise agreement.  However, I do take issue with the comment in Section 1 that "most franchisors offer ongoing support including administrative and technical support."

As I discussed in my last post on franchising, it is my experience that "most" franchisors DO NOT offer much in the way of ongoing support including administrative and technical support.  I believe this is a major item that separates the good franchisors from the bad ones.  And trust me, the MAJORITY of franchisors I have seen are downright awful in this category.

The majority of franchisors are good at only one thing – getting you into business.  After that, you’re on your own and you’ll be left to wonder why you are paying all those franchise royalties.  Perhaps harsh words for the industry overall but the truth hurts.  If you are buying a franchise make sure to do your due diligence and find those franchisors with a system for ongoing support.  Otherwise, why buy a franchise?