How does a 1-800-Radiator & A/C franchise operate after opening?
1-800-Radiator & A/C operates as a territory-based auto-parts distribution Warehouse, not a repair shop. The franchisee stocks approved Products, develops local Shops through required visits and calls, receives orders through the Network, and fulfills them by delivery; the franchisor controls the catalog, suppliers, technology, data, marketing standards, and key-account rules.
- Legal franchisor
- 1-800-Radiator Franchisor SPV LLC
- FDD basis
- Issued July 3, 2025; amended December 29, 2025
- Applicable transaction paths
- Start-Up Warehouse and Re-sale Warehouse; the ongoing Products and services are the same
- Primary evidence
- Items 1, 6, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16, 19 and 20; Franchise Agreement §§4, 8-10; Software License Agreement
- Item 20 period
- Fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 through December 28, 2024
- Research check
- Official operating pages and current brand materials checked July 29, 2026
Evidence: 2025 FDD, Items 1, 8, 12, 15, 19 and 20, pp. 11-13, 36-42, 54-56, 59-60, 66-74 and 75-82.
What does the Warehouse sell, and who buys it?
The Warehouse primarily distributes automotive cooling, air-conditioning, fuel-delivery, exhaust and heavy-duty parts to commercial Shops, while also handling approved Chain Accounts and retail consumers through the Network and official ordering channels.
The FDD defines radiators, condensers, air-conditioning compressors, fan assemblies, fuel pumps, hoses, exhaust-related products and services, and heavy-duty hard parts and services as Core Products. The franchisor may add Additional Products and require specified categories, inventory levels and quality tiers. The official franchise operating overview also emphasizes availability, fast delivery and repeated sales contact.
Shops
Automotive repair shops, parts stores, body and collision shops, dealers and related repair businesses within the Territory. The franchisee maintains local Shop records and develops relationships through field visits and outbound calls.
Chain Accounts
National or regional multi-territory customers and fleet owners whose pricing, warranty, billing and service standards may be negotiated and changed by the franchisor. The local Warehouse must follow those account terms.
Retail Customers
Retail buyers can order through official web or telephone channels. The consumer site provides account registration and parts access, while territory fulfillment remains subject to Network routing and the Franchise Agreement.
Start-Up Warehouse and Re-sale Warehouse describe acquisition paths, not different ongoing formats; Item 1 says both provide the same Products and services. A Re-sale Warehouse may involve an existing location, equipment, inventory and operating records, but the FDD does not standardize their condition.
How does an order move through the Warehouse?
The operating cycle combines local business development, Network-based order intake, inventory allocation, delivery, billing and continuous reporting. The exact route differs between Metro Customers, Non-Metro Customers, Chain Accounts and retail orders.
Generate and prioritize demand
- Actor
- Franchisee or Field Sales Representative
- Action
- Visits Metro Shops, contacts Non-Metro Shops, makes outbound calls and follows franchisor-directed mailer priorities.
- System or asset
- WIZMO Software System, Network customer records and field-sales iPad
- Output
- A logged customer contact, quote request or purchasing opportunity.
Receive and qualify the order
- Actor
- Customer Service Representative or Inside Sales; designated call center when required
- Action
- Answers inbound calls or electronic requests, identifies the vehicle and part, creates a quote and checks availability.
- System or asset
- Approved phone system, WIZMO, official portal or electronic procurement channel
- Output
- A priced order tied to a customer, Territory and available source.
Allocate or source inventory
- Actor
- Warehouse team and Approved or Designated Supplier
- Action
- Allocates local stock; if unavailable, orders through the Network from an approved supplier or another 1-800-RADIATOR & A/C Warehouse.
- System or asset
- WIZMO inventory model, Network purchasing and DrivenAdvantage Platform when designated
- Output
- A part reserved locally, drop-shipped or transferred from a neighboring Warehouse.
Stage and deliver
- Actor
- Warehouse staff, employed driver, contractor or approved delivery provider
- Action
- Stages and labels the part, assigns the route and delivers locally or transfers the shipment to a common carrier.
- System or asset
- Delivery vehicle, label printer and approved Delivery Logistics Platform when used
- Output
- Same-day Metro delivery or usually next-day Non-Metro delivery.
Bill, collect and support the warranty
- Actor
- Franchisee staff, Network and centralized billing service for applicable Chain Accounts
- Action
- Records the sale, processes payment or account billing, applies returns and follows the national lifetime-warranty procedure.
- System or asset
- WIZMO, Network settlement, credit-card processing and warranty records
- Output
- A completed transaction, receivable or warranty adjustment.
Reconcile, report and improve
- Actor
- Franchisee, 1-800-Radiator Franchisor SPV LLC and designated support personnel
- Action
- Reconciles orders, supplier purchases, inventory and Gross Sales; reviews visit logs, out-of-stock data and required financial reports.
- System or asset
- Network, WIZMO reports, accounting records and inspection access
- Output
- Weekly settlement, operational direction and an auditable compliance record.
Workflow basis: 2025 FDD, Items 6, 8, 11, 12, 15 and 19; Franchise Agreement §§4.2-4.9 and 9-10.
Who performs the operating functions?
The FDD requires active, full-time supervision by the franchisee or an approved owner representative unless the franchisor consents otherwise. It does not disclose a standard employee count, but it identifies the principal functions used in a typical Warehouse.
Absent written consent, the contract does not establish an absentee or manager-run default. The owner supervises full time, and the owner or Field Sales Representative must complete required Shop visits and outbound calls. Missed activity can be treated as a default.
Inside Sales
A Customer Service Representative answers inbound requests, identifies parts, creates orders and may stage deliveries, receive supplier shipments and make outbound calls during available time.
Field Sales
A Field Sales Representative visits existing and prospective Metro Customers, contacts Non-Metro Customers through approved methods and records each visit or call in WIZMO.
Delivery
Drivers may be employees, contractors or on-demand providers. The franchisee selects the labor mix, subject to any later designation of a required Delivery Logistics Platform or delivery-services provider.
The franchisee controls hiring, firing, wages, benefits, schedules, training, safety and daily assignments. The franchisor does not hire Warehouse employees. Account Manager, inventory, accounting and ongoing-training support does not replace unit management.
Which suppliers and systems are mandatory?
Inventory sourcing and transaction data are tightly centralized. Every Product must be ordered through the Network from an Approved Supplier or Designated Supplier, and the Warehouse must operate the WIZMO Software System on franchisor-specified hardware.
Driven Product Sourcing LLC operates the DrivenAdvantage Platform. When designated or approved for a Product, purchases generally must run through it. A Designated Supplier may hold required minimum quantities or sole-source status, although designated purchases may not exceed 90% of required Network purchases. Supplier Approval Forms remain subject to approval and revocation.
The Computer System includes two qualifying computers, invoicing and Zebra label printers, approved phones, internet, security hardware, remote-access software and an iPad for each Field Sales Representative. WIZMO manages selling, purchasing and Warehouse operations. The franchisor may require upgrades or additional systems and access inventory, customer, sales-call, financial and Customer Data.
The 2025 FDD identified DeliveryTrax and DoorDash as the only approved logistics platform and delivery provider, while use remained optional. The Franchise Agreement permits later designation and mandatory use for some or all orders, so current requirements require verification.
What does the franchisor control, and what remains a franchisee decision?
The franchisee controls daily execution and employment, while the franchisor controls approved Products, supplier access, inventory, the Network, customer data, brand channels, marketing standards, Chain Account terms and compliance.
Operating responsibility map
The same transaction passes through three distinct responsibility layers.
Franchisee
Franchisor
Affiliates and third parties
The franchisor may change required Products, inventory specifications, out-of-stock thresholds, software, hardware, operating hours and Manual procedures, and may impose lawful pricing controls and system discounts. Local advertising and alternative suppliers require approval.
Is the Territory exclusive?
No. The FDD calls the Territory non-exclusive, while separately limiting the opening of another branded Warehouse and ordinary branded solicitation inside it. Chain Accounts, referrals, alternative channels and service failures create material exceptions.
The franchisee may not solicit or accept orders outside the Territory. It generally gets the first opportunity for internet and alternative-channel orders inside it, but another Warehouse, affiliate or third party may fulfill without compensation if the franchisee declines, is late or noncompliant. Chain Accounts may also be reassigned for service failures.
The Territory divides into Metro Areas and Non-Metro Areas. Metro Customers receive same-day delivery through local vehicles or contractors; Non-Metro Customers usually receive next-day UPS or FedEx service. The FDD does not disclose a specific resale's route map, Shop list, delivery density or account exclusions; those records require unit-level review.
Protection applies to a defined branded Warehouse and certain solicitations, not to every customer, channel or affiliated brand. The franchisor retains alternative-distribution rights and final authority over Chain Account disputes and customer referrals.
What does Item 20 show about the U.S. outlet base?
At December 28, 2024, the U.S. system had 194 Warehouses: 193 franchised outlets and one company-owned outlet operated by the affiliate A/C Corporation. The franchised count decreased by one during 2024.
Outlet composition
Reporting date: December 28, 2024
Item 20 depicts a nearly all-franchised U.S. network, but it does not establish the staffing, route density or operating condition of any Warehouse.
Source: 2025 FDD, Item 20, Tables 1, 3 and 4, pp. 75 and 78-82. Percentages: 193 ÷ 194 and 1 ÷ 194; total reconciles to 100.0%.
Which operating facts should be verified for a specific Warehouse?
The FDD defines the architecture, but high-impact variables sit in the Manual, supplier notices, territory data and unit records rather than disclosure tables.
Where can the operating system be checked publicly?
Contractual statements cite the 2025 FDD and agreements in plain text. These official pages add context without replacing FDD requirements.
What is the central operating conclusion?
The central mechanism is repeat B2B parts distribution: build Shop relationships, keep the territory-specific inventory available, take the order and deliver quickly. The franchisee's most important responsibility is full-time execution across inventory, sales activity, staffing and delivery. The strongest dependency is the franchisor-controlled Network, supplier system and data access. The key distinction is Metro same-day versus Non-Metro next-day fulfillment within a non-exclusive Territory. The largest undisclosed question is the actual staffing and route capacity required for the specific customer file and inventory model.
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