Aside from that, after the training, franchisees stay in close contact with the franchise owners, Conway and his brother JP, for support. JP, being more experienced in mechanics, supports franchisees with maintenance and repair-related issues, while Mike handles support for sales and franchise development. “We want to build a relationship with our franchisees, so we try to keep things as open as possible and give them as much information as we can,” Conway says. In fact, one of the key pillars of Mister Softee’s operational model is its emphasis on long-standing relationships, not just with franchisees but also with vendors. Whether it’s sourcing truck bodies, dairy mixes, or insurance, many of Mister Softee’s current vendors have been on board for decades—some for as long as 40 years. “All these companies that we’ve dealt with have dealt with all three generations of our ownership,” Conway explains.“It’s kind of cool—they dealt with every little step of the family here.” Among the many partners highlighted, Morgan Olson stands out as a staple in the business, having built the bodies for Mister Softee trucks for more than three decades. More recently, Freightliner stepped in about 11 years ago, following a legacy of Workhorse and Ford trucks. The brand’s ice cream toppings come from I Rice, a Philadelphia-based vendor that’s been in the fold for over 40 years. Joy Cone, through its acquisition of Novelty Cone—a former longtime partner—has continued to provide cones for the trucks. Lieby’s Dairy supplies most of the mix for the frozen treats, a partnership Conway describes as both consistent and collaborative. And when it comes to the construction of the trucks themselves, a local metals shop, Sica Metals, has been instrumental since the 1970s. 79 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 05 MISTER SOFTEE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx