All systems go

A software system can enhance the smooth running of a salon; here are some of the key areas of your business that will benefit from digital assistance.

1 Competitive edge

With an effective salon software system, clients can experience a faster, more convenient booking process. As a result, this enhances their overall satisfaction with your business, and puts you a step ahead of your competitors.

“Salons need to meet and surpass client expectations, not just in terms of actual services and treatments, but in the whole client experience,” says Martin Flynn, founder and managing director of OK Who’s Next. “When a salon removes barriers to clients booking their services by using a salon management system, they provide convenience to clients that their competitors may not. This also allows salons to reduce time and money spent in managing appointments, while typically increasing revenue. Clients will always drift towards convenience, so a salon that provides it will thrive more than the one that doesn’t.”

“The average person now spends up to four hours a day on the internet; they want to purchase products online and they want to make their appointments online,” says John Donnelly, managing director, Digital Salon Group, which provides the Shortcuts system. “Without software, you can’t give clients the choice of booking online, and if that option is not available, they will more than likely look elsewhere. Similarly, by offering online bookings when other salons don’t, you will capture customers who are looking online to make an appointment, particularly out of business hours.”

2 Decreases no-shows

According to data from Phorest Salon Software, when salons reopened in June 2020 after the first lockdown, a national average of 6% of people didn’t show up for their appointments without giving any notice, costing the salon industry in Ireland an estimated €519,086 daily in lost revenue. This year it introduced a new deposits feature to allow salon owners to automatically charge higher upfront deposits for higher-risk clients, such as new ones or those who have been no-shows in the past, as well as for services with higher outlay costs.

“Salon owners, already dealing with reduced capacity due to social distancing, will be left with an opportunity cost of thousands of euro if clients book appointments and don’t show up,” says Ronan Perceval, CEO, Phorest Salon Software. “We have armed salons using our software with the ability to charge larger deposits upfront when taking online bookings, which should help to deter people from making bookings at multiple salons and not showing up for appointments. In the UK, where some of our salon clients have been using the feature since reopening in April, it has helped to reduce their no-show rate by 65%.”

“There are always situations where a client just forgets or has a genuine reason for missing an appointment, but a salon management system can help reduce client no-shows or clients arriving late by engaging with them in the form of reminders for appointments,” says Flynn. “SMS messages are becoming more and more redundant as in many cases there is a cost to the salon. Our system can send free booking emails and in-app reminders for appointments, and many of our salons that did not previously have a reminder system in place in the past, saw a reduction in the number of no-shows and clients arriving late.”

‘Without software, you can’t give clients the choice of booking online, and if that option is not available, they will more than likely look elsewhere’

3 Scheduling and time management

Appointment scheduling is an ongoing task that can be time-consuming. Through an automated booking system, clients can easily make an appointment at your salon at any time of the day.

“Online bookings or having your own salon-branded app gives your clients access to your salon, any time, anywhere,” says Perceval. “You can continue to get bookings, day and night, which is great for business because 50% of bookings are made outside of opening hours.”

“Many salons still primarily take bookings over the phone,” says Flynn. “Some have a booking form on their website or even advertise last-minute or cancelled slots on social media. This means that staff members are often using different mediums to manage their appointments, instead of consolidating all their efforts into one system, where they can easily see and manage all appointments for all staff in one place. This saves the receptionist time and effort, allowing them to use any free time for other revenuegenerating activities in the business. One of the most valuable assets in your salon is your staff’s time, so optimise it wherever possible.”

4 Staff productivity

Salon software can also save the time spent on manually creating client cards, setting schedules and analysing sales history, thereby improving the overall productivity in the workplace.

“Searching through manually-written client cards is probably one of the greatest wastes of an employee’s time,” says Donnelly. “Software systems ensure that those details are available at the touch of a button so clients can be dealt with as soon as they enter the salon. The software can also help with staff targets, which are a brilliant way to motivate staff to get the most out of their clients and maximise takings.”

Last year, Phorest introduced a staff performance feature, which aims to make it easier for salon owners to keep their teams motivated by giving them access to their key metrics, such as revenue and transactions for services, product retail and client bookings. They can compare their performance over time, encouraging them to improve their results and achieve their goals.

‘Ideally, when a salon is looking to use software for their business, choosing a system that provides an all-in-one solution will be their best option’

“We spoke to thousands of salons about the struggles and opportunities the new normal has brought,” says Perceval. “What came up time and time again is that having a team that is invested in success to the same degree as owners and management has been crucial to pulling through the toughest of times. We saw that the highest performing salons were not the biggest by square foot or the ones with the most expensive treatments – they were the ones with the most invested, highperforming teams.”

5 Marketing tool

A salon software system can boost your marketing efforts by integrating your social media accounts. “Ideally, when a salon is looking to use software for their business, choosing a system that provides an all-in-one solution will be their best option,” says Perceval. “Software that looks after all aspects of your business, including your marketing, will save you time and money, and will ultimately make for an easier and more seamless experience.“

“Shortcuts recently carried out a survey, which found that 87% of salons believe social media to be an effective way to communicate, with 65% of them reporting that their followers increased during Covid,” says Donnelly. “Salons should make sure their online booking system is linked to their social media pages to capitalise on this.”

“Any salon owner will tell you that marketing and advertising costs money and effort, and can be a chore and drain on funds,” says Flynn. “Ideally, a salon management system is an extension of your marketing activities for your business if it has free integrated apps; it means that your salon is literally in the pocket of your clients 24/7. You can engage with them easily en masse, making them aware of special offers and promotions.”

6 Covid compliance

Since the pandemic began, salon businesses have had to adapt to new ways of working, including complying with Covid-19 regulations. This is another area that can be addressed by technology. For example, Count Me is a mobile app that aims to create a cost-efficient alternative to maintaining and managing paper records, while ensuring businesses fulfil Government regulation obligations.

“It enables you to track movement of clients and sanitisation practices within your business, while maintaining your GDPR obligations,” says Peter Dunlea, managing director, TB Smart Solutions, the company behind the Count Me app.

“Small businesses do not realise how vulnerable they are if they are found to be non-compliant by the HSA, or if they don’t manage the data effectively. This app safeguards customers and staff with efficient and reliable tracing measures, while protecting the business from negligence claims, and the possibility of temporary or permanent closure, or loss of earnings.”