A Day in the Life of an Ice Cream Business 

Ice cream shop employee handing over a cone to a young girl who is there with her mother

While ice cream shops or ice cream trucks may seem like they have it easier, there is much more to running this kind of business than you may think. An ice cream shop owner and employees have several responsibilities to attend to on a daily basis. For example, owners usually take care of customer service while employees prepare orders. No matter how big or small a shop is, there is so much that goes into an ice cream business. We describe what goes on in these kinds of businesses on a daily basis! 

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Store Duties 

For most ice cream shops, proper etiquette from the employees is to wait for customers when they are deciding what they will order. With enough employees, a manager can usually let employees take care of store duties. During busy times, a manager will assist employees as needed. A manager’s help may also be needed to keep dining areas clean while employees deal with taking orders and serving customers. 

Backroom Duties

When the time is available, it is good for both managers and employees to keep an eye on inventory and ensure that nothing is running low. It never looks good to turn a customer away due to a lack of inventory or ingredients at your ice cream shop. If some menu items require special ingredients, managers and employees will want to make sure that the store has enough supply to meet demands. 

Managerial Duties 

A store manager’s duties are often different from an employee’s duties. Most managerial duties include accounting and keeping track of sales. When working for a franchise, managers are responsible for reporting to the company directly and letting corporate employees know what sales are looking like, considering profits are partially theirs. Payroll is not done on a daily basis, but payroll and payroll taxes are often prepared by managers. 

Organizing Inventory 

Inventory should be looked at every day, even on busy days. Not only do managers and employees have to look out for stock on items and ingredients, but managers and employees have to keep reports of what has been used. This is important to do because ice cream shops, like many other businesses, undergo inspections. This is also important to keep track of so that way items can be replaced immediately when running low. 

Shared Duties Between Employees and Managers 

As we have briefly mentioned, there are times when employees and managers have to work in conjunction to keep the store running as needed. As an owner and operator of an ice cream business, managerial duties will vary day to day. How many of these duties managers need to perform also depends on how many employees you have and how much trust a manager instills in them to complete tasks such as reporting inventory. 

Tips to Keep in Mind When Running Your Business  

It can never hurt to pick up some tips, even if you are only considering running your own ice cream shop. The more you know, the easier it’ll be to run your business, whether it’s a private company or you end up working under a franchise! Either way, we’re here to help you! 

Make Everyday an Adventure

Not every workday will be an easy day, but you can help the situation by making the owner-customer experience an adventure. Treating oneself to ice cream is always a great way to bring joy, simplicity, and excitement to one’s life. When customers come in, you should always do your best in creating a warm and happy environment for an unmatched experience!

Become Acquainted with Customers 

This is something to especially keep in mind when you own a local business. Customers are more likely to come into your shop regularly if you have a small, local business, especially if you are located near residential communities. If you start to notice regular customers, don’t be afraid to initiate small talk and welcome them back! 

Keep a Positive Attitude 

This goes for any professional in any field of work: the best way to accomplish a successful workday is by always maintaining a positive attitude. Of course, it can be hard when things aren’t operating as usual, but the more positive you are, the more you will get out of your work experience. Needless to say, customers pick up on an employee’s attitude. Set the example for your business! 

Choose Big Boy Ice Cream to Help Start Your Business 

You can’t run an ice cream business without having enough inventory to get you started. That’s what Big Boy Ice Cream is here for! Contact us today to learn more about our ingredients and how we can help you get started with your new ice cream business. 

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