Many new froyo shop owners are new to the restaurant industry. The good news is that running a frozen yogurt shop is less complex than running a restaurant that serves cooked food. The bad news is that the simplicity and low entry barriers of the frozen yogurt model attract many more competitors.
We’ve visited and talked to many froyo shop owners over the years, and we’ve seen good and bad business practices. So, what are the key decisions that a frozen yogurt shop operator needs to make and what are some common mistakes made by inexperienced or unsuccessful shop operators?
Location, Location, Location
As with most businesses, site selection is critical. Most people won’t travel a long distance to get frozen yogurt, unless there’s something truly special about that froyo shop. Busy frozen yogurt shops tend to be located by schools, movie theaters and restaurants.
Investing in Soft Serve Machines
At the IFYA, we get a lot of questions about the best frozen mix suppliers and relatively few about frozen yogurt machines. It’s easy to change the frozen mix that you use. It’s not so easy to change your soft serve machines.
We believe that it is important to invest in a quality frozen yogurt machine, one that is certified and provides post-sales support and maintenance. Keep in mind that while the frozen yogurt that comes out of a cheaper machine may have good texture in the showroom or at the trade show, the true cost of the machine should consider how long that machine will last and how well it will perform over time.
A quality soft serve machine is built to last. Choose a manufacturer with readily available replacement parts and trained technicians. It’s not uncommon for frozen yogurt machines to need servicing and they will all need replacement parts.
Maintaining Soft Serve Machines
If you’re going to invest in quality soft serve machines, you should also maintain them so that your frozen yogurt is dispensed with the optimal texture. Many yogurt shops fall short when it comes to machine maintenance. Clean the machine regularly, know which settings to select, replace parts when necessary and if in doubt, ask the factory trained technician.
Frozen yogurt mix, regardless of its quality, that is served from a machine that doesn’t dispense the product properly will result in a poor product.
Cleanliness
A critical part of maintaining your soft serve machines is keeping them clean. Likewise, your shop needs to be clean so that it is an appetizing place to consume yogurt. Your toppings bar, machines, bathroom, and floors should all be spotless. Customers will spill toppings and yogurt, so keep cleaning throughout the day.
Customers will notice and will appreciate a clean shop. It’s definitely something that they look for in eating establishments.
Customer Service and Training
Many frozen yogurt shop employees are young and without much work experience. It’s imperative that these employees are trained so that they know what their tasks are and they know how to talk to customers. Hire a manager with experience who can serve as the role model. Here are some customer service basics:
- Greet customers as they enter the store and thank them for their patronage as they leave
- Offer sample cups
- Make eye contact and smile at customers when at the register. Use this time to tell them about your rewards program and current promotions.
- Get to know your regular customers
- Try to always have an employee present in the shop (vs. hanging out in the back, out of sight)
Marketing Your Shop
Most frozen yogurt stores have a loyal following but they need to actively market their shop in order to gain new customers and remind old customers to come back to the shop. Some of that marketing has to take place outside the shop and it needs to be ongoing. Ideally, your marketing will help differentiate your shop from the competition by highlighting what’s different and appealing about your shop.
Having a presence on social media is a must. Successful shops also build a presence in their local community. Share your excitement with customers and try new things to entice them back to your shop. Monitor what people are saying about your shop on social media and review sites like Yelp and Google – make adjustments, reach out to unhappy customers and learn about what your customers really think.
Underestimating the Importance of Marketing Research
Large, successful frozen yogurt chains understand the importance of marketing research, but gathering feedback from customers needn’t be expensive. We will continue to explore this topic in several upcoming blog posts.
Our article library has helpful articles for frozen yogurt shop operators. If you’re looking for information that you can’t find on our website, contact us.
