Mid-Year Staff Performance Review: How to Make It Meaningful (and Data-Driven)

As we enter the second half of the year, now is the perfect time for a mid-year staff performance review, but not just any review. With the right tools (like Salon Tracker software), you can go beyond gut feelings and use real data to have productive, supportive conversations that motivate your team and grow your business.

Here’s how to run a successful mid-year review using insights from your Salon Tracker.

1. Start with Key Metrics That Matter

Your Salon Tracker already tracks performance stats so why not make use of them!

Look at:

• Bookings made by staff 

• Retail sales made by staff 

• Punctuality and attendance

These numbers help you have objective conversations and identify both high performers and those who may need support.

🔍 Tip: Use Salon Tracker's reports feature to pull a 6-month snapshot of each team                   member's performance before the meeting.

2. Make It a Two-Way Conversation

This isn't just about reviewing numbers, it's about growth. Ask your staff members:

• What have been their highlights so far this year?

• What challenges are they facing?

• Are there skills or services they’d like to develop?

Encouraging open discussion makes staff feel heard and value. It can also help you shape future training or promotions.

3. Set Clear, Trackable Goals for the Rest of the Year

Once you've reviewed past performance, set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). 

For example:

• Increase client rebooking rate from 55% to 70% by November

• Attend a product knowledge training in September

• Achieve £500 in monthly retail sales for the next 3 months

Use Salon Tracker's reporting features to revisit these goals regularly - not just at year-end.

4. Recognise & Reward Wins

Don’t forget to celebrate success. Whether it’s a personal best in upselling, amazing client feedback, or consistency in performance - recognition goes a long way.

You could:

• Feature them in your staff newsletter or social post

• Offer a small bonus or team incentive

• Let them choose a day off or early finish

🔍 Tip: On Salon Tracker we offer the option to set up commission for staff on retail sales. This can     incetivise staff to upsell on products!

5. Schedule the Follow-Up

Set a calendar reminder to review progress again in 3 months or during your year-end review. Ongoing check-ins build accountability and momentum.

Final Thoughts

Staff performance reviews don’t have to be awkward or stressful. With the data in Salon Tracker you can have fair, empowering, and strategic conversations that help your team, and your business, thrive in the second half of the year.

Need help finding the right reports in your Salon Tracker?

Drop us a message in the support chat or book a free training session by calling up on 0113 350 8230. We’re here to support you every step of the way.

Salon Tracker x

How Salon Tracker Can Help Reduce No Shows in Your Salon

No shows are one of the biggest challenges for salon owners and stylists. Not only do they disrupt your schedule, but they also lead to lost income and wasted time. Whether it’s a forgotten appointment or a last minute change of heart, missed bookings can add up quickly and affect your bottom line.

Thankfully, with the right salon software in place, you can take control of your appointment book and significantly reduce no shows.

Here’s how Salon Tracker can help you minimise no shows and keep your salon running smoothly.

 

Automated Appointment Reminders

People are busy. Sometimes, they simply forget they’ve booked in. Salon Tracker combats this with automated SMS, email, and push notifications that remind clients of their upcoming appointments.

You can choose when these reminders are sent 24 hours before, 48 hours before or even both, to give your clients plenty of time to confirm, reschedule or cancel if needed.

 

Online Booking with Deposits

Salon Tracker allows you to take deposits or full payments at the time of online booking. This upfront commitment means clients are less likely to skip their appointment, knowing they’ve already paid something toward it.

You can customise deposit rules by service type, staff member, or booking channel to make it work for your business.

 

Waitlist and Cancellation Management

No shows don’t have to mean empty chairs. With Salon Tracker’s waitlist feature, you can fill cancelled appointments quickly by offering them to clients waiting for an opening.

When a no show occurs, you can act fast, rather than waste the slot.

 

Client History and Behaviour Tracking

Salon Tracker helps you keep tabs on your regulars and spot patterns. If a client frequently no shows or cancels last minute, you can flag their account and apply special booking conditions; like mandatory prepayment or limited booking privileges.

 

Insightful Reporting and Analytics

With real time insights and reports, Salon Tracker helps you monitor no show trends, spot peak periods of unreliability, and measure the effectiveness of your reminders and policies.

Armed with this data, you can fine tune your approach for even better results.

 

No shows might feel like an unavoidable part of salon life, but they don’t have to be. With Salon Tracker, you gain a powerful set of tools to help you communicate better, enforce policies, and keep your appointment book as full as possible.

If you're ready to stop losing time and money to no-shows, it might be time to let Salon Tracker do the heavy lifting.

Want to learn more? Book a free demo and two-week free trial by calling 0113 350 8230 to see how Salon Tracker can transform your salon’s efficiency.

Salon Tracker x

Hiring New Staff for Summer? Here’s How to Set Them Up for Success

The summer rush is in full swing, and with it comes the need for extra hands on deck. Whether you're bringing on junior beauticians, part-time tanning specialists, or reception support, it’s crucial to onboard new team members quickly and smoothly.

Thankfully, Salon Tracker can help you with this process!

Here’s how to set your new hires up for success using Salon Tracker:

1. Assign Services by Group for Faster Setup

When adding a new staff member to your system, we can help you set up Service Groups to assign them the treatments and appointments they're qualified to perform.

• No need to scroll through all the treatments, each staff can have their own group set up

• This ensures your online booking system only shows relevant services, avoiding booking confusion.

• You can always update their groups later as they learn more treatments.

💡 Pro Tip: Create pre-set service groups to make future onboarding even faster - we can help with this!

2. Manage Their Calendar with Smart Scheduling Tools

Whether they’re working part-time or covering seasonal gaps, Salon Tracker can help you build flexible, accurate calendars:

• Block out availability for training days, limited shifts, or holidays.

• Set up staff shifts to keep track of their working hours.

• Make sure new staff appear in the correct booking columns online and in-salon.

This not only avoids double-bookings but ensures clients can book with confidence.

🕒 Bonus: Use the weekly rota option if summer staff have different working hours each week

3. Train Them on the POS System – For Free!

The last thing you want is a queue of clients waiting at the desk while your new staff fumble with the till. That’s why we offer free POS training to all our clients and their teams.

With just one session, your new hire will learn:

• How to book customers with ease

• How to add retail products to bookings

• How to upsell retail products by viewing customer history

🎓 Let us do the heavy lifting - book a free training call for your new staff today.

4. Keep Their Learning Ongoing

New hires can take time to get up to speed. Use built-in tools like:

• Activity reports to track their booking volumes and retail performance.

• Client feedback, with our review option, to help them improve their service quality.

• Help videos with tips on how each section of Salon Tracker works.

This helps you coach them effectively, and see their progress over the busy season.

Final Thought: Don't Just Hire... Empower!

Hiring seasonal staff isn’t just about filling gaps, it’s a chance to build long-term team value. With the right tools and support from Salon Tracker, you can make onboarding faster, training easier, and your client experience even stronger this summer.

Need help with setting up a new staff member?

Reach out to our support team via our support chat or call up on 0113 350 8230... We're here to help you get customers booked in and ready to go during the busy season!

Salon Tracker x

Why You Should Keep Your PC Up to Date – A Must for Salon Owners

Running a busy salon means juggling appointments, stock management, staff schedules, and customer communications – often all from a single system. That’s why it's essential to make sure your PC, especially if you're using Salon Tracker, is well looked after.

But when was the last time you shut down your computer completely, or installed those pending updates? If you can’t remember, keep reading. 👇

 

1. Software Updates Keep Your Salon Running Smoothly

Your PC isn’t just a device - it’s the heart of your business. Regular updates ensure:

• Better security: Updates protect against viruses, malware, and data breaches. This is vital when storing sensitive client information.
• Improved performance: Bug fixes and optimisations help Salon Tracker (and other tools) run faster and more reliably.
• New features: Software developers (like us!) release updates to give you access to the latest tools that make managing your salon easier.

Pro tip: Salon Tracker regularly improves features based on user feedback. Keeping your system updated means you don’t miss out.

 

2. Why You Shouldn’t Just Put Your PC to Sleep

It’s tempting to just close the lid or leave your PC on all week - but here’s why that’s a bad habit:

• Updates don’t install properly: Many updates only finish when the system is restarted or shut down.
• Sluggish performance: Without a regular reboot, your PC’s memory gets clogged, slowing everything down.
• System health suffers: Constant uptime can shorten the life of your hardware and increase the risk of crashing during a busy workday.

Even just shutting down once a day can keep your system in top shape.

 

3. Data Safety & Security Matter More Than You Think

As a salon, you're likely holding personal client data - names, contact info, booking history, even payment details. Failing to update your PC:

• Leaves it open to cyber attacks
• Increases the risk of data loss or corruption
• Could even put you in breach of data protection laws

Protecting your clients = protecting your business reputation.

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✅ Quick Tips from Salon Tracker:

• Restart your PC at least once a day.
• Install updates when prompted - don’t delay them endlessly!
• Set updates to run outside of working hours if possible, to avoid interruptions.
• Keep your Salon Tracker software up to date for the best experience.
• Shut Salon Tracker, save data to a USB stick and shut down your PC at the end of every day

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Final Thought: Treat Your PC Like You Do Your Salon

You wouldn’t skip cleaning your tools or servicing equipment, so treat your PC with the same care. A well-maintained system means no surprises during peak times and a smoother experience for your team and your clients.

If you have any questions about Salon Tracker updates or need technical support, our team is always here to help.

Salon Tracker x

Benefits of Good Quality Equipment

When you’re running a salon or tanning business, having the right tools in place is essential. Not just for smooth day to day operations, but also for ensuring your equipment integrates properly and delivers a seamless customer experience.

At Salon Tracker we don’t just offer software,  we offer complete peace of mind by supplying salon hardware that is guaranteed to work with our system. Here’s why it makes sense to buy your hardware from us and who we recommend when it comes to tanning products and sunbed equipment.

 

Guaranteed Compatibility with Salon Tracker

When you purchase your salon hardware directly from Salon Tracker, you can trust that it’s fully compatible with our software. Everything we provide, from our all-in-one PCs and receipt printers to barcode scanners and cash drawers is tried, tested, and configured to work seamlessly with our system.

If you choose to buy hardware elsewhere, we can’t guarantee that it will integrate properly. This could result in frustrating connection issues, unsupported devices, and delays in getting up and running.

We’re also only able to offer full technical support for hardware that has been purchased through us, giving you added reassurance if you ever need help or advice.

 

Built for Professional Use

All of the equipment we supply is designed for high traffic salon environments. That means it’s reliable, built to last, and offers a professional appearance that enhances your customer experience. With pre-configured setup and ongoing support, you save time, avoid unnecessary headaches, and get the most from your investment.

 

Here is a list of the hardware we sell and the prices:

 

Individual items: 

·       Cash drawer - £149 +VAT 

·       Barcode scanner - £179 +VAT 

·       Receipt printer - £249 +VAT 

·       Fingerprint reader - £149 +VAT 

·       Signature pad - £179 +VAT 

·       All-in-one PC - £999 +VAT 

 

Bundles: 

·      All-in-one PC, cash drawer, barcode scanner (or fingerprint reader) & receipt printer - £1399 + VAT

·      Cash drawer, barcode scanner, receipt printer - £549 + VAT 

 

For T-Max Timers - Use Trusted Providers

While we don’t sell T-Max timers directly, we strongly recommend purchasing them from trusted industry suppliers. These providers offer reliable equipment that we know works well with Salon Tracker, and many also supply full sunbed solutions.

Here are the T-Max providers we recommend:

• Tan Empire
• Bronze Direct
• Sun & Health
• Cyrano

These companies are highly regarded in the industry and offer not only timers, but also a wide range of tanning equipment including sunbeds and accessories.

 

Important: When purchasing a T-Max timer to use with Salon Tracker, it’s essential that you also buy the correct communication cable. This specific cable is required to ensure proper integration with our software. Without it, the timer may not connect correctly, so double check with your supplier or speak to our team for guidance.

 

Purchasing your salon hardware through Salon Tracker means guaranteed software compatibility, professional grade quality, and full technical support. When it comes to specialist tanning equipment like T-Max timers, choosing trusted suppliers ensures everything works properly, looks great, and lasts longer.

Need help setting up? Want a hardware quote or advice on timer integration? Get in touch with our team today by emailing support@salontracker.co.uk or opening a chat through our website.

Salon Tracker x

How Your Data Is Stored Depending on Your Salon Tracker Package

At Salon Tracker, we know how important your data is - from customer appointments to sales records and everything in between. Depending on your subscription package, we offer different methods for safely storing and backing up your data. Here’s a quick guide to help you understand where your data is stored and how to make sure it’s backed up correctly.

 

Standard & Professional Packages: Local Storage

If you’re using our Standard or Professional package, your data is stored locally. This means that it stays on your computer and is not saved on our servers.

To protect your valuable information, we strongly recommend regularly backing up your database to a USB stick. We suggest using a USB drive with at least 8GB of storage to ensure there’s enough space for the backup.

How to Back Up Locally:

1. Close Salon Tracker as you normally would at the end of the day.
2. Insert your USB stick.
3. Make sure the ‘Backup the Database (Removable Drive)’ option is ticked and turns green.
4. That’s it - your data is now safely backed up on your USB stick.

By following this simple step daily, you’ll always have a recent backup in case anything goes wrong with your PC.

 

Enterprise Package: Cloud Storage

For those on the Enterprise package, we offer the convenience and security of cloud data syncing. This means your data can be securely stored online - giving you peace of mind.

How to Sync to the Cloud:

1. Shut down Salon Tracker as usual.
2. Make sure the ‘Sync Data Online’ option is ticked and turns green before your PC powers off.

This feature ensures your data is uploaded to our secure cloud server, so there’s no need to manually back up using USB drives.

 

Need Help?

If you're unsure which package you're on, our support team is here to help. Regular data backups are vital to keeping your salon running smoothly, and we want to ensure you're covered no matter which plan you're using.

 

Stay safe, stay backed up, and thank you for choosing Salon Tracker.

Summer Marketing with Salon Tracker

Summer is the most profitable season for tanning salons. As customers prepare for holidays, festivals, and long-awaited beach days, everyone’s chasing that golden glow. But with high demand comes the challenge of staying organised, delivering great service, and standing out from the competition.

That’s where Salon Tracker steps in, your all-in-one salon management software that helps you fill every bed, boost bookings, and run smarter campaigns.

Whether you’re managing a single tanning studio or multiple locations, Salon Tracker gives you everything you need to keep operations running smoothly and your marketing sharp, all from one powerful platform.

Keep Every Bed Booked, Every Hour of the Day

Timing is everything during peak season. With Salon Tracker’s real-time bed scheduling, you can ensure no slot goes to waste. With our Enterprise package, clients can book and manage their own appointments online, which means fewer phone calls and less admin for your staff.

You can also use the system to promote off-peak time slots, helping you spread demand more evenly throughout the day and avoid bottlenecks during the busiest hours.

Supercharge Your Marketing with SMS & Mailchimp

Salon Tracker takes your marketing up a level with built-in SMS campaigns and seamless Mailchimp integration. This means you can stay front-of-mind with clients all summer long, whether it’s to promote a new tanning package, share an exciting giveaway, or fill last-minute availability.

Send flash promotions straight to client phones, email summer offers with eye-catching visuals, and trigger automatic reminders for expiring sessions. And because all activity is tracked, you can see exactly which messages are driving results and adjust your approach as needed.

Better still, marketing can be tailored to each client’s history and preferences, helping you build stronger relationships with minimal effort.

Convert Social Followers into Summer Clients

Social media is where your clients spend their time, especially in summer. With our Enterprise package, you can link your live booking calendar directly from your Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok posts or stories, making it easy for followers to book in just one tap.

This opens up exciting new ways to promote your business. Share last-minute appointment slots, showcase seasonal products like tan accelerators, or run giveaways that reward loyal followers with free sessions or discounts.

Analyse Your Success in Real Time

Salon Tracker’s reporting features help you do more than just run promotions, they help you understand what works. You can easily see which tanning beds are most popular, and monitor average client spend across your business.

These insights allow you to adjust your strategy mid-season and help you make better-informed marketing decisions next year.

 

Salon Tracker gives you the tools to stay fully booked, market more effectively, and build long-term client loyalty, during summer and beyond.

 

Book your free demo and trial today
Call us on 0113 350 8230 to get started!

 

Salon Tracker x