Last year TCBY hosted The Great TCBY Store Giveaway, a contest where TCBY lovers from all over the country submitted videos of why they should win their own TCBY store and why their town was the perfect place for TCBY to open. As winners of the store giveaway, Jared and Sara Greer are excited to start this new adventure in their lives. Their enthusiasm is contagious, making them a perfect fit for TCBY.
What made you decide to open a TCBY store versus any other franchise opportunity?
Sarah and I have always loved TCBY products and I even worked at a TCBY when I was in High School. We are firm believers in the need to have a passion for the products we sell and since we absolutely love TCBY products, we knew it was the right opportunity for us.
What's your favorite thing about owning a TCBY franchise?
We aren't sure just yet since the store won't be open until April, but we anticipate that our favorite part will be making sure our customers walk out of the store with a smile. We are big on customer service, customer interaction and community involvement, so we are really looking forward to it.
What was your favorite experience while attending TCBY training at Famous Brands University in Salt Lake City?
I really enjoyed working at the two self-serve corporate stores in Salt Lake City while I was in training. It was great to help new customers who had never been in the store understand the self-serve process and taste the wonderful flavors that TCBY has to offer as well as get hands-on experience working in a store.
What do you consider to be your biggest success so far?
Winning “The Great TCBY Store Giveaway” out of over one hundred applicants nationwide.
How have you thrived during lean times?
We hope to minimize the impact of lean times by planning ahead during busy times and also doing a lot of local marketing activities to drive business during the slow times.
What have you learned about yourself through this venture?
Sarah and I have learned that we are meant to be business owners. This has been the most exciting and fulfilling thing that we have ever done professionally.
What's your favorite menu item?
Jared – White Chocolate Mousse Shiver with 3 scoops of Cookie Dough and 1 scoop of M&M's.
Sarah – Golden Vanilla with Hot Fudge
How do you manage your time, from day to day?
Very carefully! We have to be very efficient with our time, so we spend about 15 minutes each night planning the next day and we prioritize to stay on task. These time management and organization skills will be very helpful in the day-to-day operations of our TCBY store.
What are the biggest benefits of owning a self-serve store?
The customer is able to personalize their order just the way they like it. The self-serve concept is very relevant with today's consumer.
What did you learn during your TCBY training at Famous Brands University that has helped you be more efficient in running your franchise?
Food service is not something we have been involved with in almost 15 years. Training helped provide us with a solid background in the appropriate cleaning and food handling standards that we will need to be successful in our store.
How often have you needed to contact the TCBY corporate team with questions? How was the experience?
We're in contact with someone at the corporate office almost daily, whether it be the Construction Department, Training Team, Operational Team or Marketing Department. We have had a positive experience as we've been taking the steps toward franchise ownership. We very much look forward to our store opening in April.
