Simple operations is one of the many reasons Smoothie King franchise owners invest in our business model. There have always been fewer moving parts when it comes to running a Smoothie King – you need refrigeration units, freezers, blenders and an exceptional team.
COVID-19 has changed how the world operates – particularly restaurant owners – and Smoothie King is no exception. With a mission focused on inspiring people to live a healthy and active lifestyle, it is essential for us to adapt to the evolving circumstances to ensure we’re able to support our franchisees and continue to be part of every guest’s health and fitness journey.
From delivery and curbside pickup to deferring franchisee payments on royalties, we are working hard to make sure our franchisees are successful in running their businesses.
1. Partnering with Third-Party Delivery Systems
Recently, Smoothie King decided to enter an exclusive, new partnership with DoorDash to make accessing our delicious products even easier than before. On June 7, we offered a month-long “Try Me Free” program, so that DoorDash users could try our products without having to pay a delivery fee. We are even available on DoorDash’s subscription service, DashPass, so delivery is free on orders of a certain dollar amount.
By making our delicious, healthy products available to a larger reach beyond communities in closest proximity to our locations, franchisee owners can keep their revenue at a steady pace, even if we’re in the midst of a pandemic.
2. Keeping Guests and Employees Safe
While a healthy and active lifestyle is a value we uphold every day, the health and safety of our loyal guests and our employees is just as important. We’ve implemented cleaning and safety standards for our employees, such as an increase in handwashing, wearing gloves and masks, as well as making sure those feeling under the weather stay home.
On top of that, we have continued to adapt our locations so they are equipped to continue being open, by implementing curbside pickup, hands-free delivery, and for some locations, drive-thru. We want our franchisees to succeed, especially when many are the only income source for their families during this pandemic. In that effort, we’ve doled out development extensions to franchisees who need it most.
3. Looking Out for Our Franchisees
Every one of our franchisees has chosen to become a member of the Smoothie King family, so when a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic hits, we know we have to step it up to take care of our franchise family. Whether that means deferring payments or providing franchisee support through weekly webinars, we want to do all we can to help ease the stress of business ownership during any crisis.
For all of March and April, we deferred payments on royalties, tech fees and ad fees, along with waiving the requirement for franchisees to pay us. If foregoing our revenue from franchisees means they can maintain success and sustain their income for their families, that’s the least we can do.
As we continue to adapt and learn new strategies for operation through this pandemic, we continue to uphold our values of living healthy and active lifestyles even in the face of adversity and challenges.
