What made you decide to open a TCBY store versus any other franchise opportunity?
I grew up loving the product and the brand. When the one near my house closed, I remember being very upset and realizing that others in the community were equally upset. Once we moved to the Charlotte area, I thought it would be an excellent time, climate, and customer base (a melting pot of people from all over) to bring back the brand better than ever with the new self-serve platform.
What was the biggest surprise or revelation once you opened?
The biggest surprise was seeing how nostalgic customers were about their past experiences with TCBY and how they were so excited that TCBY was in their community and better than ever. We've had people waiting in lines out the door in the rain and coming in during snow storms. It's amazing!
What do you consider to be your biggest success so far?
So far, it's been combining the best frozen yogurt brand with the self-serve platform. It allows customers to get exactly what they want and have a completely different experience each time. It's amazing the combinations that people come up with and absolutely love. I just can't imagine these days going into an ice cream shop and simply ordering a vanilla cone with sprinkles.
Do you have many regular customers?
Absolutely! Our lunch crowd is 75% regulars. We have a loyal group of yogurt lunch eaters. We still see new faces and return customers, but a good percentage of our business is our regulars. We know their names and what flavors they like and they know us and look forward to seeing us as well. In fact, one of our Managers knows one of our regulars so well that, even though we don't always have Cocoa Pebbles on the topping bar, she keeps a container of them under the bar and brings them out when he'd come in, no request necessary.
What kinds of things do you do to consistently increase your business?
We always have many coupons out there, Facebook deals, and specials. In addition, we strive to do a lot of community outreach via sponsorship of community events and School Spirit Nights at the stores. We try to change our flavors and toppings as much as we can (obviously, keeping the favorites). Our greeters work very hard to ensure our customers become regulars and we continue to sample everywhere in order to attract new customers.
What have you learned about yourself through this venture?
I've learned that I am able to give up some control. With opening several stores in the area, hiring became paramount and finding people whom I could really trust to manage the stores the way that I would if I were running all of them all day every day was my priority. Giving up the control was something that was extremely difficult for me to do initially. Our current management team and family is extremely exceptional and loyal.
What's your favorite menu item?
It would probably be Banana frozen yogurt with vanilla wafers and chocolate sprinkles.
As a multi-unit owner, how is it different than owning just one store?
I love being a multi-unit owner! I am able to take advantage of efficiencies of scale at times and share product between stores when demand is more difficult to anticipate, especially in the first year. I love that the stores compete against each other and have contests among stores for sales and Facebook fan numbers.
Do you have any suggestions to people who are considering opening more than one store?
Prepare yourself for letting go of some control, as it's more difficult to manage more stores than one, and thus you have to rely on others. Therefore, it is worth the investment and very important to hire fantastic management.
How often have you needed to contact the TCBY corporate team with questions? How was the experience?
In the beginning, I was speaking with the corporate office every day at all levels, to ensure that we were going to pull this off successfully. As time went on, I continued communicating with my Regional Operations Manager regularly. The TCBY corporate team is great to work with and so helpful in providing their past experiences, advice, and recommendations on everything from how to handle issues to marketing tips.
