Effective Salon security with Salon Tracker.

I’m sure the matter of your own Salon Security has crossed your minds multiple times; wondering if your customer data is actually safe and if your staff care about the well-being of the Salon just as much as you do… especially if you’re still old-school and use the paper diary as a way of organising your salon and a filing cabinet for all those disclaimers!

Well worry no more, Salon Tracker is cut out to keep your Salon more than secure and here are the reasons why:

User logins with passwords

Salon Tracker gives you the ability to create multiple staff logins for your staff, each protected with a pin and the option of finger print recognition. Each staff member will have their unique log in and pin and of course with finger print recognition only they can access their account and make actions on Salon Tracker. Furthermore, the owner of the account has the ability to prevent certain staff members from accessing certain parts of the software, such as specific reports or making admin changes.

Our software also has an ‘Action log report’ which entails every single detail of what's occurred within the software in any given time frame. From the minute the software is launched to the minute it is shut down, any transaction that was made, any movement on the software down to a report being pulled or a client card being looked at – it’s all tracked. So, nothing in the software would go a-miss! 

Auto log-out

Salon Tracker also has the option to turn on an ‘auto log-out’ feature where after a given amount of no movement on the software, it will automatically log you out and will need a user to log in with their fingerprint or password before it can be used again. Perfect for busy salons that doesn’t always have a receptionist or someone at the desk 24/7.

Finger print technology and secure ID
As mentioned previously, Salon Tracker hosts the ability to interact with fingerprint technology for staff members to log in with. The best part about it is that your customers can also register their fingerprint for added security, to protect their account and minutes/ pre-bought services. All you need to do is register their finger print when you register them as a customer and from there forward they will just need to place their finger on the reader and the software will bring their client card up already without you having to search for their name. Which is perfect for busy salons or new salon owners that haven’t got to know their customers yet. The option for secure ID to be turned on (where the client has to put their fingerprint down) is also available when they’re going on a bed or for certain services which can work as an authenticating feature for added salon protection.

On top of that, our software also allows you take a head shot of your clients and store it to their client card. You can do this by either using your integrated webcam or uploading a picture from your files, which is an alternative way of checking the client’s identification.

Virtual disclaimer

Sick of storing all those signed paper disclaimers in a full filing cabinet with no sense of organisation to it? Salon Tracker does all the hard work for you by giving you the ability to upload a PDF format of your Salon disclaimer to the software and by using one of our integrated signature pads, gives you the ability to store a signed copy of the disclaimer onto every client’s customer card. Say goodbye to those messy filing cabinets and hello to a much safer way of protecting your Salon disclaimers!

Secure shell

Secure shell is a utility we’ve created as a request by some of our clients. It is a utility that makes the computer in your Salon only accessible for the software itself so there isn’t any way of your clients being able access the internet in work hours; making your salon their number one priority. All you have to do is request this feature when setting up the software and we’ll be able to add that in for you!

I’m sure a secure Salon is just what you’re looking for, so why not give us a call to get booked in for a free demo and 2-week trial? You’ve got nothing to lose!

I look forward to speaking with you and being part of your Salon Journey.

Salon Tracker x

May Feature of the Month - My Reports

It’s 1st May, how time flies! Almost half way through the year already and about to enter one of the busiest times for Salons. So, with this in mind, we have tried to improve our features for you to stay in control of your business and be able to track sales data easier during peak times.

For those of you that have had our Salon Tracker Professional package for a while, you will be used to our advanced reports section, where you can view information on anything from takings, to stock levels and the productivity of each of your employees. And for any of you that are on our Enterprise package, these reports are then visible online where you can log on to our site view app and run them, 24/7, from anywhere you like!

We have realised from recent feedback from you guys that this feature has being really useful to those of you that are utilising our Site View application at the moment, but however some of you recommended that it would be furthermore beneficial if we could create some reports that could be viewed by individual staff members only. Especially if your salon is structured where a lot of your therapists are self-employed. So, with our recent release, we wanted talk to you about our new exclusive feature: ‘My Reports’.

For those of you that create individual staff log-ins, you will now be able to provide each of your employees with their own reports, detailing their individual takings and retail sales. For those that are self employed but working in your premises, they can then password-protect these reports to be viewed by themselves only, so that their colleagues don’t also know what they’re earning.

So, we have currently created 2 reports that are visible under the ‘my reports’ section. We have a ‘booking sales by staff’ and ‘retail sales by staff’, breaking down each individual therapist’ takings based on their treatments carried out and also retail products sold. See examples below: 

The benefit of this is your staff members can now check this throughout the day, which should hopefully prompt self-motivation to boost sales figures, as it is only the staff members themselves that can improve their own individual takings. It is also useful for self-employed staff members, as they are no longer having to bother their owners each time that they would like a copy of their own sales -improving sales privacy for those therapists too.

Staff members would have to be subsequently logged in on their own account when confirming their own appointments and when taking payments for all treatments & retail products in order for the ‘My Reports’ to generate properly. However, any staff member can still make a booking for any therapist, so it won’t hinder the productivity of appointments being booked in the salon. This process is just to ensure that the staff member is dealing with their own appointment takings, to ensure the ‘my reports’ are accurate. Plus, this also helps to personalise the customer journey, as the same therapist will deal with their own clients for the duration of their appointment, from arrival through to payment and leaving the salon.

So if you are currently on our Pro or Enterprise package and would like to upgrade to this feature, please get in touch with our team and we can sort this for you! Alternatively if you’re not currently a Salon Tracker customer and would like to get an insight in to how our software could help to improve the day to day management of your business, you can request a FREE demo & trial download at https://www.salontracker.co.uk/FreeTrial.aspx or just call a member of our Sales Team on 0113 350 8230 who would be happy to help you!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Salon Tracker x

What to Expect From us at Beauty UK and Our Show Tips!

If you don’t know already…we’re exhibiting at Beauty UK this year! For the past few months we have been working on a number of different features, and we can’t wait to show them to you at the upcoming event. If you’ve never been to one of these shows before, it can be quite daunting at first, purely because of the vast number of people there. But I can guarantee that it’s definitely worth the visit! You’ll be able to not only have a demonstration of our Salon Tracker software and ask any burning questions, but you’ll also be able to have a look around hundreds of other exhibitors and even get some great deals!

So, you might be wondering what new features we’ve been working on? 

My Reports

Our new ‘My Reports’ feature allows each staff member to look specifically at only their sales, and this can only be seen when that specific staff member is logged into their staff user account. For this to work, staff just need to make sure that they are logged into their accounts when they are confirming any bookings, as this will ensure that the money shows on their personal report. The reports are currently separated into two sections, my retail sales and my booking sales. We are currently working on a couple more that we are hoping to add in the near future. This feature is great for those of you that rent out chairs in your salon, as you can see exactly what each staff member has brought in, in both bookings and retail sales.

QR Code & NFC-Tap

The QR Code & NFC-Tap feature is something that we introduced briefly at the Professional Beauty show in London last February. This feature enables your customers to easily register their details or access their online account, simply by just scanning the QR code or by tapping the NFC chip. The mount board will be salon branded to your salon with your colour scheme and logo, which you will then be able to display at the front of your shop. With the QR Code and NFC-Tap feature it will not only help to persuade more of your customers to use your online booking but will also help to speed up to wait times and reduce queues as customers will be able to register themselves on their phones instead of taking a few minutes to do so at the reception desk.

Online Split Booking

For a lot of hair and beauty salons some treatments need development time, and for many people they use that time to serve another customer. For example, if someone is having a hair colour treatment, there will be development time before the colour is washed off, so the booking will need to be split. This is a feature that has been available within the actual software for a few years, and more recently it’s something we have now developed for people who are wanting to book online. How it works is that on the software you will set the time needed for the delay, and then when someone books that treatment it will automatically put the delay in for you, making it very easy for both you and the customer to use. It will also help you get the maximum amount of bookings you can, as the development time will then be available for someone else to book in for an appointment.

Beauty UK Offer

At Beauty UK this year, Salon Tracker are offering 30% off your first 3 months subscription, as well as up to 30% off hardware purchases. This is an exclusive offer to those of you at visit us at the Beauty UK show, and will be available until the 14^th of June 2019.

Our Show Tips

If you want to come see any of these new features on display at the Beauty UK show then feel free to drop by our stand T40 and we will be happy to give you a live demo of the software. Although when we go to the show we will spend most of our time on our stand demonstrating our software, it won’t be the same for you. There will be around 750 brands exhibiting at the show, and it’s even FREE to attend as long as you register for your tickets before-hand, here’s the link for anyone that’s interested http://www.beautyukshow.com/register.jsp.  

Beauty UK have released an app where you can see all of the exhibitors, and you can even favourite them, which is perfect for those of you that want to plan the stands you want to visit. All you have to do is click on the love heart next to the exhibitor name and it will then add it to your exhibitors list, which you can find under the ‘My Show’ tab. At the show you will have access to an event guide, where you will be able to view a stand plan, so you know exactly where each stand is, which again is great for those of you that are wanting to plan your visit. The stand plan is also available on their app; however, it doesn’t currently show who’s on each stand, but this might be added in nearer the time of the show. On the app you can also see the schedule for the different stages, and these can be favourited as well, so if there’s a demonstration you are wanting to watch then you can favourite it and it will be added to your ‘My Show’ Section. At the Beauty UK show there are a four different shows under one roof, so there’s Beauty UK which is the main event, and then there’s also Hair UK, Barber UK and Holistic Health, and these can all be viewed again on the app. So, if you’re wanting to plan you’re visit I would definitely recommend downloading the app, as this pretty much gives you any information you would need about the show.

I hope that this has given you not only an insight into what we’re going to be demonstrating at the show, but also on how you can plan your visit to make sure you get the most out of the day and out of your time. You've got just over 3 weeks to plan your visit, that's got plenty of time to make sure you’re ready. Don’t forget, we will be exhibiting at Stand T40 in the Beauty UK area of the show, we can’t wait to see you there! 

Salon Tracker x

How to manage a busy tanning Salon this Season!

As we get into the spring and summer months, here at Salon Tracker we know that there will be an increase in people desperate to get that pre summer tan. With this in mind we know that tanning salons and sunbed shops will be getting a large increase in customers in this time.  Due to this we decided to share with you our little tips and tricks on how to manage your tanning salon during these busy periods.

Online Booking

Online booking is a great feature to have in your salon, especially in these busier periods. As your customers are pre booking beds and are choosing what times they want to be going on, this means there will be a shorter wait time. This will make the busy tanning experience more enjoyable for both your customer and staff members. This is because customers will no longer have to wait ages for a bed whilst it will also mean staff are less stressed and will therefore be happier when they’re at work.

Wait List Feature

Having seamless waiting list feature being used in your salon will also help you and your staff manage these busy periods with a lot more ease. Salon Trackers waitlist feature has recently been improved where it will now show you how many people are waiting, what bed they’re waiting for and what order they came into the salon in. This will mean there will be no mix ups and people will no longer be able to queue jump or anything like that.

A New Look

Freshening up your salon in time for this busy period may just be what your salon needs. Changing the theme or even just doing a bit of spring cleaning may just be the thing to entice new customers in and help keep your regular customers coming back to your salon.  Adding things such as flowers and reed diffusers will help your salon feel fresh to customers and there is no better feeling than stepping out of a warm sunbed into a nice, fresh and relaxed room.  We especially like the ‘New York’ range from next, you can buy it here: https://www2.next.co.uk/g722013s24#625289

Site View

Salon Trackers site view is also a useful tool for salon owners to have over the summer. This feature helps salon owners keep an eye on their salon and its bookings. By having our site view feature this means you and your staff will be able to view appointments and their calendars from home. This means that even when you’re away from the salon you will still be able to ensure that everything is running smoothly and correctly.

Stocked Up

Even though this is a simple one, ensuring that all your tanning lotions and your drinks fridge is stocked up is another way you can easily keep your customers happy over this period whilst making a little extra money on the side.  Studies have shown that 71% of customers are more likely to buy something if it is on display when they enter a shop or salon. This means your salon can make a little bit of extra money with hardly any effort at all!

If you would like any more information on any of the Salon Tracker features mentioned here or would like to discuss any of these tips further please don’t hesitate to contact us on 0113 350 8230 or email us at info@salontracker.co.uk.

Salon Tracker x

2019 Spring Style

I know you're all probably wondering how we got to spring so quickly and where did those 3 Months since Christmas just go?! Well there's no time to dwell... Spring is upon us and we are loving some of the styles that are IN this year. 

We've got some budget fitting styles we think you're going to love just as much as us, and we've even included the link to make it that bit easier for you.

PRETTYLITTLETHING

This tea-party style smock dress comes in at just £20 from the nation-loved website PRETTYLITTLETHING. It comes in both black and white and has intricate detailing following through the dress which makes it appear a lot more expensive than it actually is. The flared out short sleeves are very popular and add the finishing touch to the dress making it the perfect item of clothing for a sunny spring day.

Paired with vibrant coloured bag and heels and jewellery to make it more formal or dress it down with a pair of boots and over the shoulder bag for a chilled day.

PLT also offer routine free delivery and if you're lucky enough you'll catch them doing 20% off everything on the website - bargain!

Find the dress here - https://bit.ly/2D7e7xO

BOOHOO

This mix print polka-floral wrap playsuit has Spring written all over it and is perfect for an up-coming occasion. Mix prints are 100% in at the moment and this is one of my favourites i've seen so far. Giving off the dress-like feels but having the practicality of a playsuit is a winner all round!

We think this outfit would be perfect paired with a pink clutch and ankle strap heels, statement earrings and a simplistic necklace for a day on the town or even at the races. 

Again Boohoo is well known for the routine discounts they offer and free delivery opportunities so be on the look out for them but never the less this playsuit is just £25.

Catch the playsuit at - https://bit.ly/2WZdONb

NEW LOOK

This simplistic yet effective washed blue denim paperbag skirt is a must have in your wardrobe this Spring. The buttons in the middle and the tie waist add that extra bit of detail to make it the perfect skirt for a sunny day.

It can be paired with any kind of top whether it's a walk in the park or lunch with friends with a pair of sandals and matching shoulder bag. 

Newlook retail this skirt online and in stores making it easy to get hold of. Their website also offers a feature allowing you to check if they have the skirt in a store near you if you don't want to pay delivery... perfect!

Get this must-buy at - https://bit.ly/2KlDeD2

NEW LOOK

I think culottes are a must-have in everyone's wardrobe and more than just one pair too! These fashionable linen ones are ideal for Spring and the off stripes make them easy to pair with any coloured top whether it be vibrant or just plain white.

These trousers can be worn at work with a blouse and slip on shoes or dressed up with sandals and a strappy top. 

Yet again another great buy from New Look!

Add to your culottes collection at - https://bit.ly/2Ii3trA









These are just a few of our clothes favourtites; we could go on and on but i'm sure you'll find exactly what you're looking for to add to your spring collection on the links I provided above. Now for a bit of nail inspo!

Pinterest 

Pinterest

Pinterest 

Pinterest

Pinterest

Happy Easter!

Salon Tracker x

Bank Holiday & Easter Marketing

Well aren’t we a lucky lot, 3 Bank Holidays coming up, weeks apart from each other! Easter is really late this year, but sometimes that’s a good thing for salons, as it’s further in to the Spring months and so you can really push your new season products. You always have the footfall in Spring/Summer anyway, and with all of these Bank Hols thrown in, it’s an extra Marketing freebie for you to use to your advantage.

There’s lots of ways that you can advertise and also run some mini salon-events/promotions around Easter and Spring Bank. Plus, over the past few years through our research and speaking to people, we’ve heard that it’s not always about Easter eggs, people actually apparently now get Easter gifts - bonus for your salon’s retail sales! But also, a great time to introduce friends and family events, as we all know the Sunday’s of any Bank Holiday are prime-time for going out! You could create pamper packages for the girls and grooming kits for the guys, or couples’ sunbeds (depending on what type of salon you are) – but you get the idea.

This may also be a good time to offer parent/child treatments. As most Mums/Dads take their kids to get their school-holiday haircut over the Easter term. So, if you bundle this in as a family package, this is often a good time to put services like this together, as a lot of parents will be off work during the Spring holidays with their little ones so will really appreciate offers like these.

Holiday treatments are also a great thing to advertise from April, as in the middle of the two May Bank-holidays, you have another school half-term break and so lots of families will use this time to go away. If you start advertising your slots for holiday services now, this should prompt anyone going away during that time to make a booking with you.

So, what different ways can you use these marketing messages to get the word across?

Social posting. And make sure you use photos. It’s like the saying ‘a picture paints a thousand words’ plus our minds process a store images much easier than words – so the more visual a post is the better!

Make sure however to post an image that is relevant to the message that you are discussing, so if it is for holiday packages, post something relatable such as a beach scene or a summer cocktail, as this is the part of the post that will really catch the eye of your potential clients. If it’s for Easter, post an image reflecting that, and so on! It is the attention of the visitors to your social media page that you first of all have to attract. Visitors then read the message that you have wrote alongside the image, to ensure your latest offers and promotions are heard.

Here’s a couple of messages to get you started with your social media marketing:

“Triple Bank Holiday! Appointment slots are booking up fast, so to secure your treatment to make sure you’re feeling-fresh this Spring, call <salon no> to book today!”

“Easter Weekend is fast approaching! Got a little Easter gift to buy? We’re offering <x amount> off our <product/bundle> until <date>. Check out our latest gifts here”

Another way to reach your clients quickly and easily is through SMS marketing. Text messaging is one the fastest and most direct ways to reach your clients and so it is key to get this marketing channel right. You can also include links in SMS messages, in which if your client is opening this on a smart phone it will then take them directly to your webpage or app.

A few examples could be:

Hi <<Forename>>

Easter Treats! We’re offering <x amount> off all of our fantastic products this weekend only! Hurry while stocks last!

<<CompanyName>> <<CompanyTel>>


Hi <<Forename>>

Bank Holiday Bonanza! It’s <%off> all of our courses and treatments until <date> Don’t miss out! Head to <weblink> to view our latest deals!

<<CompanyName>> <<CompanyTel>>


You can also look at using email, as another option to market directly to clients. Email doesn’t have as high of an open rate as text-messaging, however if you promote say a ‘salon newsletter’ or maybe ‘enter a competition’ if clients sign up to receive your emails, then this will prompt them to check their mails from you! Email after all is a cheaper way to market than SMS, and you could use an online provider such as ‘Mailchimp’ to make your emails more visual. Plus, they also provide reports on open and click through rate to the links you embed in your emails, giving you further insight in to which clients are regularly viewing your content.


Hope this has given you a bit of something to think about, and make sure to start planning your Easter offers and be thinking about your Bank Hol as soon as possible! As Easter is only a couple of weeks away and so you need to utilise these upcoming weeks to advertise your promotions.

However, if you need a bit of inspiration for your marketing ideas, our team are always on hand to help you create some campaigns. We’re free Monday to Fri 9-5, so give us a call on 0113 350 8230 if you want some extra tips!


Look forward to hearing from you. 

Salon Tracker x

How Online Booking Can Help Tanning Salons

As we know with winter finally coming to an end and spring arriving, it will officially be tanning season before we know it. Here at Salon Tracker we know how busy tanning salons can get at this time so we have many technicians and developers working on new ways we can help with the running of these salons. One feature we have come up with to help is online booking and we feel there are many ways in which this can help with the running of your Salon.

Shorter Wait Times

If your salon has online booking, this will ensure that wait times are kept to a minimum. This is because customers will come in to the salon at the time they have the bed booked out for meaning that there will no longer be multiple people in your waiting room when there are no beds free. This will mean that your customers will have a better experience with going to your salon and will therefore be more likely to recommend it to a friend or family member therefore increasing your profit and customer base.

Out of hours bookings

Having an online booking system also means that customers are able to book for their sunbeds out of your shops opening hours. For example, if they work late and are wanting to book in for a sunbed for 10 minutes of their lunch the next day, they will be able to do that they night before even if you’re not open then. They will then be able to know that they will be able to go on the sunbed at a specific time the next day as there will be no long waiting times. 

Track Minutes

With Salon Trackers online booking feature, customers of your salon will also be able to track their minutes. This means that on their online account, they will be able to see how many minutes they’ve used and when they have used them. This will mean customers will no longer be able to cause a dispute in the salon or argue that minutes are being taken off them as every time they have been used you will be able to see when they got used.

If you would like any information on the online booking services we have here at Salon Tracker or would like to book in for your free demo and trial don’t hesitate to give us a call on 0113 350 8230 or email us on info@salontracker.co.uk.  

Salon Tracker x