If you’re based in the EU, you’ve probably come to realise that with GDPR in effect since May 25th, 2018, running a salon or spa on pen and paper has become be increasingly difficult, if not impossible. In today’s fast-paced world, where more and more consumers are turning to social media, apps and other technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, it makes a case for businesses to also go down that road. The hair and beauty industry is no different. Change is scary, but if you find yourself stuck with any of the following 5 challenges, it’s probably time you invested in a salon software solution.
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Is Fear Holding You Back?
I was reading a few growth, business and personal development articles this weekend, and I stumbled upon one on Medium –a great platform, by the way- by the writer, speaker and coach Christopher D. Connors. Halfway through it, he explains what successful businesses have embraced, and what many others have yet to do the same:
“When we don’t have a long-term strategy or plan, we lose the necessary high-level view that helps us analyze and put our affairs in proper perspective. It becomes easy in the short-term to think only about trudging forward. We then fail to question why or to think strategically. Everything becomes tactical.
So when we inevitably make a “wrong turn” or need to change direction, it’s so much harder because we lack the big picture perspective of knowing why things went wrong and how to best remedy the situation. Short-term thinking and strategy is always imperative. But if it is not accompanied by a big-picture view that can recognize change, we’re in trouble.”
5 Signs You Should Invest In A Salon Software Solution
Could you imagine how arduous it would be to run a second location to your salon or spa on pen and paper?
Why fight the old when you can build on the new? You don’t have to settle for “reactive” responses and short-term thinking. You’ve worked hard to get your business off the ground and if anything, when the need for software becomes evident, it’s a testament to your hard work! Congratulations: your business is growing! Give yourself credit and don’t be afraid to avail of software to streamline some of your operations.
Your Appointment Book Is A Mess
There’s nothing worse than having to call a client to cancel an appointment because you’ve doubled booked the slot. Or what about losing the post-it note on which you jotted down Linda’s next visit? Clients are the bread and butter of your business and providing them with the best customer experience is crucial to your operations. Using a salon software can enhance that journey. For instance, salons that use Phorest Salon Software can allow customers to set up appointments online taking a small deposit, and it even reminds them of the booking, which considerably reduces no-shows.
To find out what makes Phorest’s salon & spa scheduling software so special, click here.
You Don’t Know Your Numbers
Our guest writer Gloria Murray would confirm it; you can’t expect your business to grow if you don’t know your numbers. Can you tell what your current salon’s staff utilisation is? Your client retention rates? Rebooking rates? Unless you’re clear about your figures, it makes it extremely difficult to identify areas of your salon or spa you need to improve on to drive it to success.
Administrative Tasks Take Up Too Much Time
If you’re spending to much time on monotonous tasks, it (most likely) leaves you little to no time to make clear decisions for your business, and even less to maintain staff engagement. Computers are excellent (and much faster) at repetitive tasks. Plus, if the setup is done correctly, they don’t have what we call “human error.” Getting a salon software solution can streamline stock intakes and orders, staff rosters, accounting… which is something to think about. Plus, with GDPR, you’ll need to start collecting and storing data under specific regulations, making it nearly impossible to comply without a GDPR compliant software solution.
To find out what you can expect from good salon management and software solutions, click here.
It’s Hard To Keep Up With The Growth Of Your Salon/Spa
If you find yourself trying to manage procedures, chase payments, make a sale, keep inventory, manage new hires, rosters and salaries and all you see is an overwhelmingly increasing amount of paperwork, that’s a good sign you need software. Switching to a paperless solution can make an incredible difference to both efficiency and effectiveness. Just think of how much time you could save allowing clients to book on their own time using your online booking system or a salon booking app!
Click here to learn about one of the best ways to maintain standards in your business.
You’re The Main Character In “Mission Impossible VII: Retaining Clients”
Let’s assume that after taking the risk of starting your own business and investing time, sweat and tears, you want to be renowned for being the salon that makes people look and feel great. Retention marketing is a simple method of getting those clients back in more often, spending more and getting new clients through referrals. It’s all about focusing on what you have and showing love and appreciation to those to have kindly spent money on your great treatments, styles and products. Food for thought: if it costs 10x more to acquire a new customer than to retain one, and that software could help you retain more clients, is it not worth the investment? How often do you find yourself thinking, “I feel as though I haven’t seen Lisa in a very long time…”
For more information on salon client retention, click here.
Before You Go… We Can Help!
Running your business doesn’t have to be that hard. Often, change is only scary because we don’t know what to expect of it. The beauty of a salon software solution is that it comes with a stream of dedicated support. With the Phorest Salon Software solution, we even have an amazing training team waiting to help you feel secure navigating the system and this entire period of change!
Being a part of the Phorest Family isn’t just about salon software. We strive to bring the most relevant, proven, up-to-date salon content to help you ensure that your clients keep coming back for more. Most importantly, we’re here to help you grow. Request a quote today or take a peek at all the different features our salon software solution has to offer!
Got feedback? Let us know either in the comments below or tweet us @ThePhorestWord! (Pssst! We’re on Instagram too!)
Thanks for reading! #LetsGrow
