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Did you know that 87%of Brits tip and 74% consider themselves generous tippers? Today - we can pay for most things with plastic except those we appreciate and make our day. We are slowly becoming a cashless society and the service industry is missing out. Waiters, bartenders taxi-drivers seem to still get a cash tip but we have find that many companies in the hair and beauty industry do not seem to get their fair share. How well is your salon performing in the tipping war? Do you and your staff get the tips their good service deserves? If your answer is 'no', 'maybe' or 'I don't know' then more than likely it is either: 1. Your customers simply do not always have the cash to leave a tip. or: 2. Your business does not facilitate tipping via card machines because according to HMRC guidelines, as soon as gratuity goes through the business, the proprietor is liable to run PAYE for everyone who benefits from these tips. Not only an administrative cost occurs but the staff and the business have to pay National Insurance on tips because the transaction has…

Today’s clients have an appetite for all things mobile – and they want to do business with you on their terms. One of the smartest ways to attract new clients and keep your existing ones coming back for more is by serving them up all the modern conveniences they crave. Great service is about more than just a fantastic consultation; it starts when the client searches for you online and continues after they leave. Here are our top mobile technologies to help you satisfy your tech-hungry clientele! Online Booking Convert web traffic to sales with online booking, and allow clients to secure an appointment 24/7. There’s nothing more delicious than instant gratification! Self Check-in No reservations? No problem! Allow your customers to check themselves in online before they arrive. Two-way SMS confirmations Chop your no-shows in half by giving your clients a convenient way to confirm their appointments in their own time. Special offers Whet your clients’ appetites for a hot deal with targeted, last-minute offers sent to their mobile device. Mobile app Bring your mobile offering together and put your business in the palm of your clients’ hands with…

It’s that sinking feeling every salon owner can relate to – you’ve spotted a negative review about your business online. You could have the toughest skin in the business – but it still doesn’t change the fact that getting caught off-guard this way hurts!

Social media is a business owner’s playground. Who doesn’t love taking a break from crunching numbers to post a happy snap of your team on Facebook? If you approach it with a plan in mind, you will be well on your way to effective social media. Fun included.

It's that time of the year again! Celebrating those hard working stylists for National Hairdresser Appreciation Day. We thought we’d give you guys some ideas of how to celebrate it in your salon and in-turn help you promote your business.

Left to its own devices, social media can turn into a hungry beast that is impossible to tame! Here’s five ways to keep your social media under control, so that it will become a powerful tool for your business.

So you’ve made your salon business sustainable… that’s fantastic! But don’t let your hard work and commitment go to waste; market it! April is Earth Month, which is the perfect time to create awareness in your community about your sustainability message.

In April, businesses all over the world are turning over a new leaf to help reduce their impact on the environment for Earth Month. There are a few simple, practical steps you can take to help your business become more environmentally friendly.

In the spirit of Earth Month, Shortcuts has partnered with Sustainable Salons Australia to form the ultimate green team, making it easier than ever for businesses to be sustainable.

Do you ever feel you don’t have time to review all your hard work and plan for the future? Shortcuts Reporting & Marketing does all the hard work for you by collecting all those facts and figures of your hard work for you to analyse at the click of a button. Shortcuts collects, measures and translates complex data into invaluable information and insights about your organisation. It let's you take the guesswork out of your business strategy and produce highly intelligent reporting customised specifically to your business. Try having a look at producing these reports. It’s as simple as clicking on the type of report (e.g. employee performance), date range and view! You can then save these reports to compare against in the future. All of the reports are located in: TOOLS - REPORTS Let's have a look at the following reports: •TRADING SUMMARY •VALUE OF FUTURE APPOINTMENTS •TOP SELLING APPOINTMENTS •TOP SELLING SERVICES •EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE INDEX •CLIENT RETENTION 1. TOOLS - REPORTS - END OF DAY - TRADING SUMMARY The trading summary is something that many of our clients use on a regular basis. You can choose to view…

Sometimes we have to discard our preconceptions with price and almost start with a blank canvas. We can all get a bit obsessed with: •The prices we have always charged •What the competition is charging •What our staff think we should charge The danger is you end up forgetting that it is the client who chooses the service and that price can be a barrier for some. 1. Analyse your Actual Charge Rate per Hour Your charge rate per hour must give you a comfortable profit margin after paying wages, stock and fixed overheads such as rent, rates utilities etc. Then all your prices should be as near to that desired hourly rate as possible.-then add on an additional cost of product. Remember that products used in highlighting can sometimes be as much as 25%of the whole service! 2.Identify your Most Popular Services Use your software to clearly show which services you do the most of and importantly have the highest re-booking rate. If it is Cut and Finish or perhaps half head highlights, then you could charge more, than perhaps other, less popular services. 3. Develop Pricing Tiers Ideally, you…

Your guests visit you because they want to look good, so they will be seeking your advice and expertise. But how can you leave them feeling truly radiant, and make them want to recommend your business to everyone they know?

One of the best ways to prioritise your wellbeing, while keeping your business healthy, is to automate as much as you can. Here are five cool Shortcuts features that can help you create more downtime without needing to become a time-traveller.

If you aren’t actively romancing your customers, you can be sure that somebody else is! So when you’ve got a business to run, how can you help keep the spark alive with your clients, without running yourself into the ground?

February is the most romantic month of them all, making now the perfect time to make your guests fall head over heels for your brand, your salon and most importantly, you! Give them something extra special and you’ll be sure to win their hearts.

Gone are the days when you had to elbow your way in at the front desk just to book a client in for their next visit, or when you had to juggle multiple logins just to swap between features. You can now do this and more from the convenience of an iPad or tablet!

Hit refresh on your marketing in 2017 with a new strategy that will really pack a punch! The salon, spa and grooming industry is going through such rapid change that keeping up with the latest business crazes can seem almost impossible! Almost.

We asked a handful of our wonderful clients to share their New Year’s resolutions for 2017 and were blown away by everyone’s enthusiasm. We hope their resolutions ignite a little spark of inspiration to help you define what’s most important for you and your business in the new year.