We're exhibiting at PBNorth! Here's everything you need to know about Salon Tracker Software before the event...

For those of you that have been following our news page for some time now, you’ll be aware that we exclusively exhibited at Manchester’s Pro Beauty North last September, followed by our first ever London show in Feb earlier this year. After having lots of fun at what were two really successful events for us, we have decided that we want to go and do it all again this year at PB North 16!

First off, why do we think it’s important to attend a trade show?

It doesn’t matter what the size of your business, whether you’re a start-up just figuring out what’s what, or you’re a multi-site owner of 15 salons, trade shows are a fantastic place to see new products, network with people and attend seminars to discuss business marketing and growth opportunities. Not only that, it’s a great day out! A good team-morale boosting session if several of you go, and the other bonus is that you get to see the city of Manchester in your spare time too, excellent for if you are thinking of attending both days as there is plenty to see and do around the city!

So, what can you expect from Salon Tracker this year?

Over the past few months, after carrying out some consumer research into the features that salon owners are particularly desiring nowadays, we have been working on a software update that includes several new features in which we will be showcasing in September this year. Also, we have a few new team members to introduce that will be accompanying us on stand this year; Lydia, our new Marketing and Sales Assistant and Danny, our latest tech support consultant, so pop and say hi if you get the chance!

OK, let’s take a look at those new features;

Each of these 3 features are a part of our Enterprise software package, in which this can be purchased for less than £25 per week and if you sign up with us from the show, we’ll offer you your first 3 months FREE!

Salon-branded Mobile App

After the increase in smart technology and mobile browsing, many businesses now have to ensure that their websites are optimised for mobile, to ensure that their online presence is maximised to its full potential. However, we wanted to make this process even easier, especially as not every salon business has a working website, therefore we have introduced the salon-branded mobile web app. Benefits of this feature include clients being able to book appointments 24/7, as the app is accessible to be used when on the move, in any location. Last minute slots can be advertised, which is great for keeping business profits on the up, as calendar gaps are filled as a result. Clients will each have their own personal login, great in terms of providing the client with a personable experience and also they can easily view & update upcoming appointments without having to ring the salon line for assistance! The fact that it is salon-branded improves a salons’ profile greatly as a new trendy app really contributes to the accessibility and desirability of a brand.

Home-View

One of the main gripes that we came across from salon owners whilst conducting our research is the need to be able to see salon activity from home on their days off, or over a weekend. Especially if they are the owner of multi-site businesses, as it can become very difficult to split your time across each of the individual salons. Therefore we have introduced the home-view feature that provides salon owners with the ability to be able to view salon activity and reports from the comfort of their own home. Great for giving salon owners transparency in to their business whilst they are absent from the location and also it ensures that they are still in control of the business out of working hours.

Online Registration

When we first introduced our original online booking system, clients had to be already registered with that particular salon to be able to book a treatment online. However, as technology advances and with other online booking systems offering salon bookings without a registration, we decided it was time to come up with a digital solution. Our online registration form can be accessed using any tablet, iPad or smart phone, in which the feature will synchronise all of the clients’ details in to the Salon Tracker calendar on the PC instantly. Equally this feature could be extremely useful for clients who have lengthy waiting lists within the salon, as they could have this registration page setup on iPads within the shop, to cut down on the administrative process as new clients could be signing themselves up whilst they wait.

So if you haven’t already committed to the show yet, why not think about heading down and having a chat to us? We’ll be offering free advice and giving demos on stand to show you how we can help to improve your salon management, plus there will be exclusive offers to all show visitors on sign up!

To register for your FREE ticket go to http://ow.ly/mVrk302GK3Q , we will be exhibiting at stand C42 across the 2 day event and look forward to seeing you there!

Salon Tracker x

Different Ways that our Salon Software Offers Online Booking:

Living in a world where everyone is constantly on the go, running their daily lives from their mobile phones and even tap and paying for things with their devices, if your salon doesn’t already offer online booking, are you missing out on a big market opportunity?

Accessible to clients 24/7, online booking can help you to enjoy your days off, weekends and holidays, knowing that your salon is consistently making money even when business doors are closed. The service is a great way for those in unsociable hours to contact you without having to phone the salon to find it is after opening hours and there is no one to answer the other end of the line...which could be a missed sales opportunity for you, and a profit for your competitor down the road.

We understand there may be some daunting factors initially to getting going with online booking, especially if you’re still running with the paper appointment book. And some of you may ask if clients can see all of your spare appointments on days that you aren’t as busy, or perhaps you’ve got a new therapist on board and you therefore don’t want to ‘throw-them in at the deep end’ and showcase their services online just yet!

You needn’t worry- these are all things that can be altered within the Salon Tracker system, meaning that you don’t have to showcase all of your spare appointments, so a client doesn’t realise if you are going through a quieter period and also you can select exactly which services you want to be available to be booked online, and which you’d rather not.


So, what methods of online booking do we offer?

Below I’ve listed our 3 main online booking channels, explaining how each one benefits the client and how they can book with ease using these different methods.


Website 

It’s important that your salon caters for all individuals in your target audience, and your salon website is the most predominant channel in which to appeal to the vast majority of age ranges, as it can be accessed on a PC, tablet or smart-phone (if you have it optimised for mobile). Online booking through your website also offers a chance for new clients to register with your salon and begin booking right way, as we have recently introduced a sign-up feature that can be accessed through your website, which saves clients having to come and fill out their details in the salon. We would add an online booking widget to your website that links up with the Salon Tracker calendar, so that the new client registrations and appointment bookings synchronise straight to the salon. As mentioned above, you can alter the time slots and bookings in which you want to be visible to the client when they are making an online booking, however it may sometimes be beneficial for clients to be able to see your availability without having to call the salon, then they can book a time most suitable to them and your calendar gaps are being filled in the process.


Facebook

For those salons who already hold an established following on Facebook, this is a great way in which to get customers making bookings through the social network. Similarly to your website booking facility, we would add an online booking widget to your Facebook page, however this time clients would have an exclusive login as they will be already logged in to their own FB account, in which your salon database will recognise and that client can then also access their personal services with your salon. So for example this could be how many tanning minutes they have remaining, or when their next booking is with you, and so on. A great benefit of having the Facebook booking feature is that our Salon Software also links up with Facebook reviews, so you can prompt clients via our automated SMS marketing service to leave you some feedback following their treatment. The more positive reviews you have on your Facebook channel, the higher the chance of gaining new custom and receiving further online bookings as a result!


Salon-branded mobile app

New to our Enterprise package this year, we have created a Salon Branded mobile app which is fantastic for providing your clients with the freedom to contact you at their own convenience whilst on the go, again widening your salon opening hours. Clients will have their own exclusive login, which allows them to be able to book and update their services at the click of a button, and any appointments made will synchronise straight to your Salon Tracker calendar. Another benefit of the mobile app is you can advertise your last-minute salon deals, which clients can then book instantly from the app, filling your unwanted calendar gaps and increasing business sales. Your customers can see their remaining services with you, meaning that if they have any treatments in a bulk package that are near to expiry, they can easily identify this and make a booking before they run out of time.


…Now you may ask, how will you know if an appointment has been made online?

The great thing about our Software and Online Booking feature is that we sync the two calendars instantly. This means that there will be no issues with double bookings because your salon system will book out within a matter of seconds as your client has booked in online. The system will then notify you through symbols in the appointment box whether the booking was made via your Website, Facebook page or mobile app, which is great in terms of being able to track which online booking channel is working best for you and then you can advertise this to clients accordingly.


For your FREE salon software trial call up a member of our team on 0113 350 8230, we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have and help to grow your online client-base today.

Salon Tracker x

Whether you’re at Home after Work, on a Day-off or on Vacation, Stay in Control of your Business with our Salon Software

Keeping track of every aspect of your salon business can become very difficult and time consuming once you are past the start-up stage. Especially as your client database grows and even more so if you are the owner of a multi-site business.

Here at Salon Tracker we have just released a new software version for our Enterprise package, in which allows salon owners to access all necessary information regarding their business without having to actually be present in the salon.

The headers below show the different features that we offer and how salon owners can use these benefits to the best potential to remain in business-control at all times.

Site View

This is an application in which can be downloaded on any tablet or smart phone once you are signed up to our Enterprise software package. Salon owners will be able to login and see their cash takings for the day, stock levels and KPI’s from anywhere in the world providing they have an internet connection. A great way to ensure business is operating as it should when you are on a long vacation! Another benefit is all salon therapists will also have their own individual login to Site view, so that they can see their working calendars for the next few weeks and prepare for certain appointments before they have even reached the salon. Staff however will not have access to the financial information unless the Salon Owner has specified that they can.


Home View

We have introduced a version of Salon Tracker that can be operated from the comfort of your own home. Manage and update appointments if you need to work from home for a day, keep an eye on the salon on your days off and also, if you have our fingerprint reader feature installed, you can keep track of staff shift patterns by viewing daily sign-in and out reports. A benefit of this is you can keep track of who was logged in to the Salon Tracker system at any one time within the salon and also, you can double check if any staff members were late in your absence and follow this up accordingly.


HQ

If you are a multi-site business owner, you can now keep a track of all of your salons’ activity under one roof. ‘HQ’ stands for ‘Headquarters’ and by that we mean the 'HQ' for all of your salons, so it may be that you have this feature downloaded at an office for example, or in the back-of-house at your ‘flagship’ salon. A benefit of this again is that you can see all of the data instantly by accessing it from one office, whether this be stock control, bookings, cash flow or staff rotas. HQ provides salon owners with improved time management, as they are no longer having to rush around to try and split their time across different locations. Reports from the HQ system can also be exported via email to salon managers and into PDF formats to print for records, making the administrative side much more efficient too.


Sound like this could help you? Get in touch today for you FREE consultation & trial.

http://ow.ly/tWd2302mfic 

Remember, we offer a no-obligation fortnight tester period, so you can ensure that the software is right for you before signing up to any contracts!


We hope to hear from you soon!


Salon Tracker x

A Seamless Client Journey using Salon Tracker Software:

Your customers’ salon journey starts from the moment they walk through your salon door, not just the duration of their treatment. First impressions are the biggest factor in client retention, and this impression will be long lasting and most likely what they tell their friends about, so you want to make sure it is a good one!

Our salon software is designed to help make this journey much more seamless, less stressful and organised for both you guys as salon owners, your therapists and then also, the client.

So let’s look at the customer journey, right from booking the appointment and see how our software helps to improve each step along the way.


Client Registration:

All client details are stored within a digital client card on the Salon Tracker system. The registration process however (depending on what software package of ours you have got) can either be carried out in the salon at a reception desk or online through your website or mobile web app. Client details can be secured with a fingerprint, meaning only the recognition of that same fingerprint will then prompt the system to open up that client card, which is good for client safety. Especially in tanning salons as the fingerprint reader will secure that customers details so no-one else can use another persons client card fraudulently to tan, as the fingerprint must match the one saved in their bio-metric data records stored within the system.

Appointment Booking:

We offer 3 different software packages, one of which offers online booking facilities. However, whether it be that this particular client has booked the appointment online or whether they have called up the salon to make the booking, both appointments will be inputted in to the Salon Tracker System at the correct chosen time on the digital salon calendar, meaning that bookings won’t get lost in a paper appointment diary and salon workers are not spending minutes trawling though pages to find it.


SMS Booking Reminder:

Once the appointment is booked, SMS booking reminders can be set up to be sent out to clients 24/48/72 hours before their treatment, depending on what works best for your salon. A great reminder for the client, to keep up the rapport between you and them and also it is profitable for salons in terms of reducing no shows, should a client have needed to cancel but forgotten all about their appointment.


Client Arrival:

On the day of the appointment, the client comes in to the salon to have their treatment. There are little things that you can do throughout this process to make it more enjoyable, like perhaps making free complimentary drinks, offering sweets/biscuits and magazines for clients to read while they wait and throughout their treatment. However in terms of organisation, the customers’ appointment will be shown on the digital Salon Tracker calendar, therefore it is easily identifiable to anybody manning the reception and you can clearly see the treatment that the client is having and with which therapist. This treatment can then be updated, say for example if the client now wants to add an extra service on that they have decided to have whilst in the salon, this can then be added to the same appointment and the total amount will be updated accordingly, so you don’t have to manually work that out.


Confirm Booking/ Payment/Transaction History:

Once the client has completed their treatments, this is then confirmed by double clicking the appointment on the calendar and confirming this on the customers’ client card. You are then taken to the transaction, where the system prompts the different payment methods so that when the customer pays, this is then recorded on a daily report so cashing up can be undertaken accurately at the end of each working day. If the customer is paying cash, the system will work out the change for you, so you don’t have to, limiting the chance of human error mistakes. Transactions are then stored in the clients’ history, should you ever need reference of a payment this will always be saved there. Once the booking is confirmed and paid for, the appointment box then goes green on the calendar, to signify to everyone that those appointments are complete, so you can easily differentiate between open and closed appointments.


Re-Booking Appointments:

Once the client has had their booking confirmed and they have paid for their service, the system will then prompt the cashier at that time to ask the client to re-book. Firstly, this is a good way to increase business profits, as you are ensuring that you are going to receive custom for the same service in a few weeks’ time. Re-booking through Salon Tacker means that the system will copy everything from that particular service and copy it in to the calendar on the clients chosen future date, increasing the efficiency of the re-booking process as therapists are not having to flick through an appointment book to weeks in the future, before then having to write down all the details of the treatment. As the client leaves the salon, you could then add little complimentary extras thanking them for their visit, just something simple like sweets or mints. Token gifts go a long way with customers!

SMS Review Requests

As well as SMS booking reminders, Salon Tracker can also send out SMS review requests. The software integrates with Facebook’s review feature, which is great in terms of building up your social network and increasing salon testimonials. A benefit about linking with Facebook is that the majority of a salon’s target market is likely to be a user of the social network and with Salon Tracker also having an online booking feature through Facebook, if potential clients visit your salon Facebook page and see lots of positive reviews, this may then prompt them to go and click your online booking option and make an appointment. Another advantage is that you can select who you want to send the review requests out to; they don’t have to automatically be sent out to every single client, which means you can tailor the requests a little.


Mobile App/My Services

As part of the Salon Tracker Enterprise package, salons will receive a mobile web app, solely branded to their salon. Each client will then have their own personal login to the app, meaning that they can view and update their appointments, see past purchases with your salon and if they have booked say a multi-buy product or if they have a sunbed course, they can then clearly see how many treatments they have left of that pack quantity or how many remaining minutes they have. Benefits of the mobile app for salon owners are that last-minute deals can be promoted if you have calendar gaps and also you can reward clients with offers by sending them a notification within the app. This is great in maintaining client retention and also improves profitability, as customers always have access to make a booking with your salon and can snap up those exclusive deals at the click of a button, starting the customer journey process off all over again!


So, there’s a little run-over of how the software can improve the day-to-day customer steps within the salon. We offer a no-obligation 2 week trial, should you wish to try before you buy and see how the software could benefit your business.


Why not get in touch at http://ow.ly/4a9G3025ShJ for more information and your free software demonstration? We look forward to hearing from you and providing a helping hand with your salon management!


Salon Tracker x

Improving your Salon Software and the Client Experience with: The Salon-Branded Mobile App

Nowadays, according to Statista, 52% of the population use their mobile devices to browse the internet and this is expected to rise to 60% by 2017. (Statista, 2016) Judging by these stats, businesses should be prepared for the increase in mobile browsing, as customers may opt for companies with online assistance, as their services are more accessible rather than having to telephone somewhere and risk perhaps waiting in a queue or not getting through on an engaged line.

Many salons now already offer an online booking service through their website, however if the target market is predominantly using their mobile to search the net, now is the time to switch up and prepare your online-booking feature to go mobile. Whether this be through making your website optimised for mobile initially, and then later looking at introducing a mobile app.

At current, competition between salons is extremely high when it comes to smart tech, and for a lot of salons these kind of features are fairly new to them and so the switch can sometimes be daunting. However, we have introduced a feature that provides salon customers with the ability to book services 24/7 using a salon-branded mobile app. The app is really simple to use, and appointments synchronise straight to the Salon tracker digital calendar already on the system in the salon, without the salon owner having to do anything. Clients will be able to access the app when on the move, including being able to pick a preferred therapist and chosen time slot when making a booking. Each customer will have their own exclusive login, enabling them to view and update upcoming appointments at the click of a button. Other great benefits of our app include free marketing, where salons can advertise last-minute slots, salon offers and customer rewards!

If you haven’t yet got a software package in the salon, we also offer a FREE 2 week trial, so you can try & test our system for yourself before looking at introducing the mobile features.

So, why do we think having a mobile app is useful and how will it benefit your business?

- The app will be branded to your salon, improving salon awareness and the accessibility for customers to be able to communicate with your salon, by being able to access the app at any time when on the move or at home.

- Customers can access your Salon Calendar and book appointments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

- No more phone line queues or salon lines being engaged. Busy phone lines could mean missed custom for some salons, however with an app there is an unlimited client usage at any one time, meaning appointments can be booked simultaneously. Another benefit is it also prevents therapists from having to break off from treatments to answer the phone.

- The booking service seems more personable to your customers, as each client has their own login, in which they can access their services, rewards that you have given them and update their appointments at the click of a button.

- You can promote your Salon freely, by advertising last-minute deals to fill slots on the calendar and highlighting any upcoming offers or events that you are hosting.

- More time for salon staff to focus on other areas of the business rather than managing bookings, as the mobile app links with the Salon Tracker system and will therefore keep track of the bookings for you.

For those of you that didn’t already know, we will be exhibiting at Professional Beauty North this September where we will be giving live demonstrations of how the app works in everyday salon situations. Keep posted on our news page and social media sites for the link to register for your FREE tickets to PB as this will be coming soon…

Salon Tracker x

How to improve your tanning business with our Salon Software

For those of you that follow our news page regularly, you may recall that we covered a lot of tanning safety and how salon software can improve the security of your tanning business during busy periods.

As we’re in the height of tanning season again, we just wanted to re-visit some of the daily hindrances that owners of tanning salons find and how our salon software can solve some of those problems.

Under-age tanning

You’ll get several that will try it, and especially if they’re the younger sibling of an elder who is over 18. You’ll find many trying to pass as others using fake ID’s and the like, and sometimes, these may look so legitimate you actually end up allowing someone to tan, who shouldn’t be, without even realising! So, we came up with a fingerprint recognition feature that prompts clients to scan their fingerprint on registration. Obviously as a fingerprint is unique to any one person, this then secures their details and also provides salon owners with piece of mind that no one is using another’s details maliciously, as each time a sunbed is booked the system will require the fingerprint to match before that client is able to use the bed. The system also simply stores date of births, another requirement upon client registration. Therefore if you have clients that are under 18 and they use your salon for other treatments, such as beauty etc, if they then come and try to book on to a sunbed the system will physically put a block on that client being able to as it will show up that they are under 18. A great feature for when salon owners are away as this ensures security and legality by making sure that therapists can’t make mistakes of allowing underage clients to tan.

High volume of paper disclaimers and client record cards

When your salons client database starts reaching the thousands, it can become very time-consuming to search through realms of paper documents when looking for a particular client’s records. Our salon software stores all client information digitally, from their name and address to their skin type and tanning minutes. Another great feature is that we can also link up with an electronic signature pad, meaning that clients can sign your salon terms and conditions electronically, again meaning that you no longer have to refer to searching though paper documents. Essentially, your salon can become paperless, improving efficiency and also space management!

‘Mysterious Minutes’

From time-to-time, you may have human error mistakes made where minutes are accidentally not accounted for, or someone has given somebody more minutes than they may have paid for. You however unfortunately may find that on the off-occasion you have malicious behaviours going on in the salon, where ‘freebie’ minutes are given out and you have no record of this happening. So, we came up with an integration that allows us to link with T-max timers, meaning that the system accurately tracks all minutes used in real-time, and assigns them to clients meaning that no-one can book on to a sunbed without being registered within the Salon Tracker system. And even if you don’t want to implement a timer manager yet, our software tracks all client minutes accurately meaning that you can see how many minutes a client has purchased, when, and how many of that package they have remaining. These can all be identified on digital reports and on the client’s record card stored within the system, therefore if anything doesn’t add up you can easily identify why.


Sound like this may benefit you, why not try it out for a couple of weeks? We offer a FREE no-obligation trial, just simply sign up here http://ow.ly/wNrl301GhQV

Salon Tracker x

Salon Tracker: How our Salon Software can improve your Business Management

Running a salon can be extremely stressful, especially if you have been around a while and your client database is quite excessive. Using the latest technologies, Salon Tracker have created three different software packages that are guaranteed to help you manage and grow your business and also achieve your goals. You may have also noticed that now all of our packages are on a subscription payment method, meaning we will give you software updates throughout your contract free of charge.

So having said that, how can our software improve the day-to-day regimes in your salon? Under the below sub-headings, I’m going to analyse key points throughout a typical day in the salon and explain how Salon Tracker will help with the management of those.


Reception Process

How many of you are fed up of searching through realms of paper documents on a client’s check in to the salon or when they simply want to make a booking? Starting off on the Standard package and above, our software includes a built in digital client card, meaning that all clients records are stored on the Salon Tracker system. We provide a seamless client registration process, which allows all of their details to be inputted and stored digitally, taking only a couple of minutes to complete. If you go for our Professional package or above, you can then link your disclaimers and patch tests to the clients’ records and have the client sign for these via an electronic signature pad. Appointment, retail purchases and transaction history will all be stored under the same record file within the system in case you should ever need reference of that client’s history with your salon. A great space saving feature also, as this means that your salon can go entirely paperless.


POS System/Service Transactions

Struggling to cash up accurately and sometimes find that you can’t account for certain missing payments? Salon Tracker provides a seamless POS system that can be integrated with the software itself, in which all transactions are recorded, including the method in which the customer paid, which is highlighted on digital reports. A benefit of the integration is that a client’s transaction total & change is automatically worked out and the cash drawer operates automatically upon payment, which will improve human error mistakes.


Salon Security/Staff Shift Tracking
Looking to improve Salon Security and Staff management? On our Professional Package and above, we have introduced a Fingerprint sign in and out method, which can be used for both client security and also staff login/logout of their shifts. Especially useful in tanning salons as the finger print recognition means that only the client in which has registered with the salon can book on to a sunbed and use the salon services, as the system will prompt a fingerprint requirement before that client can book a treatment. This ensures that no one is illegally tanning and using a ‘friend’s ID to fraudulently use a sunbed, which is great for ensuring that tanning salons are meeting the legal requirements set by trading standards. For hair and beauty salons, this security feature works in the same way that someone wouldn’t be able to pretend to be an already registered client, which then eliminates risking the fact that they wouldn’t have had their patch test before a treatment, improving overall salon security and client protection. For staff, this is a great way to track employee shift patterns and also provides salon owners with the ability to be in control of the salon even when absent, as they can access staff-rota reports from home if they use our Enterprise Software package. 


Stock Management
Throughout the day, you will make several retail sales, will use measurements of your stock throughout services and if this is during a busy period, it can be hard to keep track on paper of exactly what you are using/selling per day. Salon Tracker’s Professional Software Package allows access to digital reports, in which the system will track daily usage of stock measurements in specific treatments and client retail purchases. Our stock management suite also enables salon owners to set low stock warning levels and default stock quantities, great for when you are re-ordering as the system will just update the levels automatically. The reasoning behind this is so that stock takes can be accurately carried out using the digital stock report that is generated daily by the system, and also to improve space management as there will no longer be need for excess over-stock.


Digital Business Reports

Speaking of reports, on our Standard package and above salon owners have access to a wide range of digital reports that can be used to track cash flow, client spending activities, stock control and so on. The standard package provides staff with a digital end-of-day report, which provides the ability for accurate cashing-up quickly and efficiently at the end of each working day. Salon Tracker’s Professional package and above offers a wider range of reports, which allows Salon owners so manage areas of their business effectively, without having to track data manually. These reports can be accessed from home via a tablet or mobile if our Enterprise Software package is purchased, meaning Salon owners have full management over the salon even when they are on the-move or on vacation.


To let us help you to improve your business management enquire for a FREE trial with this link: http://ow.ly/kkIm301jHJo


Salon Tracker x