How SoBol’s New POS System and Increased Communication Have Supported Franchisees to Serve Customers During an Unprecedented Time

Like so many restaurant brands, acai bowl franchise SoBol has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The brand has had to temporarily close doors at seven of its stores and has hit the pause button on opening new locations. 

That said, the acai bowl brand has also implemented certain processes that are helping franchisees move forward during this difficult time and continue to provide customers with their favorite products. For one, hours of operation have been shortened at the locations that remain open and services have pivoted exclusively to takeout and delivery. When customers do enter a store, they are encouraged to practice social distancing. 

“We’ve put markings on our floors and provided protective, clear tarps between customers and employees working behind the register,” Director of Marketing Nick Pesko said. “These actions encourage a safer environment for everyone.” 

SoBol has also increased communication between the leadership team and franchisees. There are frequent exchanges of phone calls, text messages and emails, as well as webinars and regular newsletters to keep everyone updated with the latest developments. 

“We’ve always been available for our franchisees, but now we are even more available,” Pesko said. “The leadership team is doing everything we can to stay in touch and we’ve added communication on a more structured basis.”

This support extends to franchisees who recently signed on with the brand. The SoBol leadership team is continuing to support new franchisees and work hand-in-hand with them, Pesko said. 

“We want to be able to fulfill the promises that we made to them and open more stores as soon as possible,” Pesko said. 

Most importantly, franchisees have been able to utilize SoBol’s new POS online ordering platform, which was installed in July 2019 and is hosted by Open Dining. The timing turned out to be fortuitous, as online ordering has become SoBol’s biggest revenue stream since the outbreak of COVID-19.

“We’ve been seeing an increase in online sales each week in the stores that have remained open,” Pesko said. “The week of April 3 through 10, for example, we saw a 21% increase over the week prior.” 

Thanks to the new POS platform, the average ticket is almost 100% higher than in-store tickets, according to Pesko. 

“That alone speaks volumes to the level of success a solid POS platform can bring to a restaurant,” Pesko said. “The average SoBol ticket runs between $10 to $12. Today, we’re seeing tickets at almost $24 thanks to online sales. It’s really good to see that large difference in the average ticket price.”

Through the platform, SoBol has also offered promotions for online ordering and third-party delivery. The POS platform also provides a great way for franchisees to garner customer feedback. Franchisees can market to previous customers and let them know about new promotions. They can also share brand-wide online and in-store promotional codes. SoBol is also utilizing its social media channels to promote offers. 

“Our website has been a piece of our messaging and how we’ve been able to connect with customers,” Pesko said. “We’ve changed it to be a little more relevant to what’s going on now. Our email marketing efforts have been stronger, and it’s been nice to see franchisees engaging with customers over social media and using the resources we’ve provided them.” 

Significantly, the tool allows franchisees to provide customers with a brief survey on their overall experience with SoBol. Pesko noted that SoBol has received a great deal of valuable feedback thanks to those surveys. 

“Hundreds of customers have provided some very honest feedback, which is helpful for our brand,” he said. “Franchisees really like the survey because it tends to hinder the customer from posting any negative reviews on Yelp or Google. They have the ability to answer the customer directly and the power to refund them or send a coupon for the next visit.” 

SoBol will continue to support franchisees throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and make sure they are provided with as many resources and updated information as possible. 

“The leadership team is not going anywhere,” founder and CEO Jason Mazzarone said. “We are a strong and positive group of fighters, and we will continue to fight for our brand and provide a delicious product. We’re truly doing everything we can to make sure our brand is still relevant and that franchisees continue to get some kind of profit.” 

The startup costs for a SoBol franchise range from $174,800 to $249,500. The franchise fee is $25,000. To learn more about franchising with SoBol, visit https://ownasobol.com/.