Owning a business is never smooth sailing – every salon owner has been there. From keeping clients happy and loyal, to understanding your numbers, to managing a team, there are so many factors at play in making your business a success. But if you have quality salon software by your side to help tackle issues, you’ll find that calmer waters are not far away.
Read on for tips on ways you can solve super common salon management issues.
Use your salon software to reduce no-shows
There’s nothing more rude (and more detrimental to your business) than a client that doesn’t show up for their appointment. Not only does it leave a giant gap in your stylist’s schedule, but it costs your business time and money. Especially when a more loyal client could have taken that time slot.
Upfront payments will help kick no-shows to the curb. Powered by Stripe, this mighty little Shortcuts feature allows you to charge a partial or full payment for a service when a client books their appointment. When they pay for a portion of the booking upfront, your client will be so much more likely to actually show up for their appointment, as they’re already financially committed.
When last minute cancellations or no-shows do occur, you can choose to keep the deposit or refund it to the client. It’s completely up to you, and how you like to run your business!
Use automated emails to stay in touch
Do you ever just get so swamped you run out of time to keep in touch with your clients? Especially the newbies that need a little coaxing while you build a relationship with them? One of our salon business software tools, Set & Forget Marketing, enables you to do just that with your communications: set it and forget it! This is such a great tool for regular communications, such as happy birthday emails, and ‘we miss you’ campaigns.
For example, with Set & Forget Marketing, you can create a ‘we miss you’ email campaign that will automatically send to a client if they haven’t returned in your specified timeframe. So if it’s been three months and they still haven’t booked an appointment with you, then you can send them an email expressing that you want them to return and include a link to your Online Booking. Handy, right?
Use your staff for feedback
High staff turnover is every salon owner’s worst nightmare and a too-frequent reality. If you’re feeling down in the dumps with high staff turnover and want to wave goodbye to endless interviews, there is one powerful thing you can do: talk to your team. They are your best source of information, and can help you get to the bottom of your high staff turnover.
Chat with them one-on-one in an open and transparent way, so you can better understand what you can do to make their work environment a place they will never want to leave. To learn more about building your very own A-team, check out this blog.
Use your smartphone to gain flexibility
We get it – it can be tricky to take a step back from the salon. As an owner or manager with a lot of passion for the business, it can be tricky to hold back and try to not do everything yourself. But the reality is, you shouldn’t have to feel tied to the front desk or even to the salon.
The Shortcuts Cloud Appointment Book allows you to experience a more flexible and balanced lifestyle so you can feel comfortable leaving the salon in capable hands, but still have peace of mind knowing you can check in whenever you need. The Cloud Appointment Book allows you to access the essentials while you’re on the go. You can see what appointments are booked for the day, make new appointments, and cancel them or move them if you need to.
Use Online Booking to streamline bookings
Your staff get busy. Your clients get busy. The last thing you want is rebookings to start falling by the wayside. Online Booking is the perfect tool to help give your clients the convenience they crave so they can rebook their own appointment if they’re not quite sure what time slot will work for them. At the same time, it takes the pressure off your staff if they weren’t able to rebook the client face to face.
Online Booking also opens your business up to new clients who may not have time to call you throughout the day. Instead they can jump online and book their service through your Online Booking link. And don’t fret! You’ll always know when you have a new booking as it will appear in the yellow ‘needs review’ color in your Appointment Book for you to accept.
To learn more about our hair salon software, feel free to get in touch.
