My First Month!

Hi there!

Some of our social media followers or current clients might have noticed a new member joining the Salon Tracker team, but in case you haven’t... Hello! I’m Nicki and I’m sure you’ll be hearing a lot more from me in the up and coming months.

I joined the Salon Tracker team mid-April and have loved every minute since I arrived. Why did I want to work for Salon Tracker?  I have a passion for media, communication and of course, all things tanning, hair and beauty so a role within the sales and marketing team here was perfect for me!

In my first couple of weeks, I just got used to the role and my day to day responsibilities, of course.  This was a great time for me to engage in our company history, current clients, and locality in the market.  Starting a new job is so exciting but can be pretty daunting at the same time due to being ‘the-newbie’.  That being said, my manager, Rachel has been great at ensuring I settle in to the company well and get up to speed with the day-to-day routines of the business.

My role changes on a daily basis, which is what makes it so exciting. The days here are hustle and bustle, we are all very busy with networking, speaking to clients and negotiating sales.  As a people person, I love an environment like this and I am really enjoying getting to know new people and building relationships with you all.  Typically when you work for such a busy company weekly meetings are an absolute must. Here at Salon Tracker, Monday mornings are for exactly that and it’s definitely something I would recommend to any fellow business to get your week off to a successful and robust start.   It’s a great time to look at last week’s progress and envision the upcoming weeks plans and execution.  Being in a heavily technical focused environment is something I was once apprehensive about because I love a good pen and paper list, but I have definitely noticed it is much more time efficient for all involved!  And surprisingly, I’ve become accustomed to it very quickly!

May was a great starter month for me because I really was thrown into the deep end of things with the initial stage planning for PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY NORTH!  We are so excited to be attending this year.  It will be my first exhibition show and the first for Salon Tracker so I, along with everyone else, cannot wait (Make sure you come and visit us!).  Another huge area of concentration has been our ‘May= Tanning Month’ campaign. Tanning is such an important part of our industry with regards to all of the surrounding laws & regulations.  It is quite a big sector within our company too so the campaign push stems from this (so if you’ve noticed an increased amount of bronzed skin and sandy beaches on our page- this is why!) Anyway, I best get back to work - I hope you have enjoyed my first month blog and indeed May Tanning Month.  June is time for all things hair, nails and beauty and we also have a few tips for father’s day, best friend’s day and festival favourites with Park Life and Wireless coming up - so keep checking our news feed!

Speak to you soon!

Nicki@salontracker x

Sun Safety: How to clamp down on excessive tanners!

You may remember back at the beginning of May we wrote a couple of posts on the dangers of sun bed use when salons are not complying with laws, and how Salon Tracker software can increase the safety of your salon business.   To close our tanning month, we would like to just re-visit tanning safety and the legal procedures, after doing some research into individuals that are known as ‘Tan’orexics.’

Over the past decade, the awareness of skin cancer and its link to the over-exposure of UV rays from tanning beds has increased significantly.   Many salons are now subject to being on the receiving end of unannounced trading standards visits.  Research from the Daily Mail, Huffington post and Mirror have all suggested that there are certain individuals within the UK whom are obsessed with tanning.  The self-diagnosed tan obsessors are subsequently finding and visiting salons that are essentially ‘dodging the system’ in order to receive ample sunbed treatments in one day.  Granted, those salons will receive greater profits than others if they allow procedures like this, however you could face up to £20,000 in fines if you fail any tanning regulation laws.  This can happen in a split second and profits will be slashed.

According to a research article by the Mirror, one sunbed user told the newspaper that she was “Never asked to fill out a pre-tanning health questionnaire in her 8 years of tanning.” (2013)   In order to ensure that you are being as careful as possible when tanning your clients, you should always fill out a pre-health check and skin observation before allowing clients to book treatments.

A feature that Salon Tracker software does have implemented is a ‘tick box’ on the database for each client card, which prompts for a legal document to be signed before a client’s details are submitted on to the system.

This particular lady would visit tanning salons 6 times per day, in various different locations to achieve a daily 60 minute tan, when the UK recommended amount is for no longer than 15 minutes per day.

Another tan-a-holic, researched through a study by the daily mail, would go to up to SIX different tanning salons in any one day followed by 2 or 3 daily liquid tan applications.   She was naturally very fair, with auburn hair and a pale skin tone.   It is clients such as these that salons need to be very aware of, as later in life the individual suffered severe pain from skin dehydration, due to excessive exposure to UVA rays. (2014)   Salon owners should prohibit anybody with signs such as these from using the sun bed at all.

Therefore it is in your salon technicians’ interest to keep an eye out for these individuals. If you suspect that a fair-skinned client is overusing the sunbed, offer them some advice on how to use a sunbed regarding their skin type. Sometimes if they hear this from a professional it can subsequently alter their perception of tanning.

Medical research from the skin cancer organisation shows that “over-using sunbeds can increase a person’s risk of skin cancer by up to 75 per cent, it is also advised by the Health and Safety Executive that people with fair skin and moles should not use sunbeds.” (2014)

Salon technicians are in a position now to be able to assess clients’ skin types and to give them recommendations on the lengths of the courses that they should be undergoing dependent on the tone of their skin and their family history.

Salon Tracker software also has an online client card that prompts technicians to set some notes regarding the clients skin tone prior to tanning, eliminating the chance of excessive tanners being allowed to tan as regular and also to ensure that clients are using sunbeds safely. 

Technicians are also equally able to spot early signs of melanoma, should their clients be unfortunate enough to have an experience of this.  Many tanning salons have already trained their employees on the early warning signs, however a good checklist to observe the way to tell the difference between a normal mole and a melanoma is to use the ABCDE checklist:


A stands for asymmetrical: Melanomas have two very different halves and are an irregular shape.

B stands for border: Unlike a normal mole, melanomas have a notched or ragged border.

C stands for colours: Melanomas will be a mix of two or more colours.

D stands for diameter: Unlike most moles, melanomas are larger than 6mm (1/4 inch) in diameter.

E stands for enlargement or evolution: A mole that changes characteristics and size over time is more likely to be a melanoma. (NHS 2015)


If you do require any further information regarding ‘safe-tanning’ or would like to know how our Salon Software can improve the safety of your business, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch, we are always happy to help!


Salon Tracker x

Looking for new ideas to deck your tanning salon out with this summer?

Are you bored of your current salon interior and want a bit of inspiration to spruce things up a bit?  Is there a certain atmosphere that you want to create and need a few indicators to point you in the right direction?  Here at Salon Tracker software, we've done a bit of research and come up with a few ideas to give you that bit of enthusiasm to go get creative with your salon!



1. Theme and Colour 

It is really important that décor in a salon is cohesive and is connected in some way throughout, as when a client visits for a treatment it is up to you to provide them with an experience.   A client’s first impression is very reliant on the aesthetics of your salon, as well as the personalities of your technicians.  As the salon owner it is up to you to decide the mood that you want to create for your clients to feel.  For example, if you want a client to feel relaxed when they come for a treatment, you should adopt a neutral colour palette for your walls teamed with calming

photography, such as beach scenes or landscape views.   On the other hand you may be a tanning salon that wants a client to feel ‘pumped’ for say an event or in a party-mode.  Therefore in this instance you should switch your salon colours to warm tones with ‘loud’ photography, I.e. pictures of neon lights, animal prints and so on. 

2. Displays

At every tanning salon, you will have your retail products; for instance tan boosters, ex-foliates, moisturisers, the works!  However sometimes rather than you having to push the sales of those first hand, the way in which you display them can do half of your job for you. Presentation is key, a client is much more likely to notice a product if it is shown on an interesting mantel piece or a cleverly designed shelving system.  This enhances the value of a product in many cases.  At Salon Tracker we are loving the vintage frame shelves for product displays.  You can get them in any colour to match the theme 

of your salon, against any wall back ground! 

3. Wall Art

This is a lovely way to highlight meaningful quotes to clients or to display room signs within your salon.  Calligraphy writing is our favourite at the moment and sometimes a few nice words on the wall can evidently make a

client’s day and improve their salon experience.  It only needs to be something subtle, for example ‘you look beautiful’ above mirrors in the salon or something similar.

4. Word Art

If you don’t want to start painting and putting stickers all over your walls but still want to add a little something to your salon, framed word art is another way of doing this. You can get frames with glass words in, or similarly design the canvas’s yourself!  Just of a few words that will give your clients that little ‘pick-me-up.’  This is one of our favourites!





Salon Tracker x

Promoting products with salon software...

Now is the perfect time to really start promoting those retail products to clients.   In the height of the tanning season, your bookings for sunbeds, spray tans and the like go on a massive increase.  Excellent for profits but what about pushing those a little further by advertising products that pro-long a customer’s tan? 

It isn't rocket science to yourselves or your clients that a tan will naturally fade if it isn't maintained, whether it be spray or sunbed, your skin naturally sheds the top layer every 7-10 days.  However, if the correct hydrating and replenishing skin lotions are used, this helps to reverse and prolong that cycle a little, extending that time-span to around 10-14 days.

Initially, you should inform clients that they need to thoroughly exfoliate 48 hours prior to having any form of spray tan or sun bed treatment.  This is a key indicator in preparing the skin for tanning in which so many people are still so blaze’ to, so this is something you could promote on a treatment booking.  Evidently, by informing clients of this routine, this is your first marketing point to get some sales of your salon retail products through the till.  It is then when the client comes back for their treatment that you can further promote the products used for within the tanning process, followed later by ones for the up keep of their tan.

Water-based moisturisers are a brilliant product to apply to the skin prior to any form of indoor tanning, as the natural moisture helps the skin to absorb tanning solutions or stops it from drying out in intensive sunbed heat.  An excellent tip to push to all your sunbed users!

Little will your clients probably know, there are some products that actually contain antioxidant benefits that keep their skin in a youthful condition and prevent ageing!   In regards to tanning, anti-oxidants help to keep the skin in a healthy condition, by replenishing the skins minerals that are lost during the sunbed tanning process.

These are all facts that you can inform clients of when they are paying, use them as an opening line for add on sales.  Maybe even have a range of these products at your till point?  Or you could allow free testers with their next purchase as a bit of ‘try before you buy’?

It might be worth planning a little strategy for the rest of May and June and taking a visit to your supplier, to see the ranges of products that they have on offer.  Retail add on’s are a brilliant selling point for tanning salons over the summer and once a client is hooked on a product, they’ll continue visiting your salon and re-purchasing.  Win win!

Salon Tracker x

Bank Holiday ideas for your salon!

May is always a busy month for all salons, especially in the tanning sector, as the demand for the ‘golden glow’ goes on the up in time for the two bank holiday events. However, salons can capitalise on their increase in custom by planning promotional events to give sales that little boost! 

Here at Salon Tracker software we have thought of a few different ideas that may be of benefit to your salon.


Skin Consultation Night

On the lead up to Bank Holiday weekends, everyone wants to be pampered and looking their best, so why not have a little appointment night that gives clients the chance to have in depth skin treatments.   We realise that many salon technicians now actually give their clients a skin analysis prior to booking any form of tanning or beauty treatment, normally regarding skin tone or any product allergies.  However, if you expand on this a little bit and get your salon technicians involved in a ‘treatment night’, this could attract lots of clients who are unaware of how treatments and routines can improve their skin condition.  Consider perhaps staying open later one night and holding 20-30 minute slots over a 2 hour period, where you book 5 or 6 clients in at a time.  Your technicians could give the clients a cleansing and exfoliating treatment, followed by a lesson on how to maintain this routine at home.  It is an excellent way for your salon to boost its reputation with clients and also to increase the sales of your retail products.  It would be up to yourselves how you would want to price the event, maybe the consultation is free when a certain treatment is bought, or alternatively you charge a small fee which is then redeemable from the purchase of a retail product after the consultation.  Make it fun with some champagne and nibbles?  Just a little idea for you!


‘Bank-Holiday Specials.’

Offers are always appreciated by your clients, especially your longest and most loyal and when better to hold them than in a peak period!   If you properly promote the deals on your social media portals, in your salon window and to clients via SMS, it will increase your custom levels significantly.  Some of our ideas for you to think about are;

· ‘Bank-holiday Bronze’, where you could offer 10% off spray tans on certain nights of the week or off certain sunbed courses for the month.

· ‘Bank-holiday Brows’, where you could offer half price brow treatments with any other tanning service.

· ‘Bank holiday Beauty’, for those of you that offer facials, you could similarly offer a discounted cleanse and exfoliation treatment on a certain night of the week.

You may already do something similar to this in your salon and if so, have a think of how you can refresh it a little bit to capture the interest of your clients!


Beauty School Evening

Beauty enthusiasts are always keen to know new product regimes and how to apply products to better care for their skin.   If you sell retail products in your salon then why not hold a bit of a ‘learning night’, for clients to come along and receive training from your technicians on how to use some of your products.  For instance, if you are the owner of a tanning salon, why not hold a night for clients to be shown how to exfoliate properly to achieve a better tan?  Or if you are the owner of a beauty salon, perhaps hold a night that gives clients the chance to learn how to carry out mini facials at home.


Bring a Friend

All promotion is good promotion, and what better way to bag yourself some extra clients by using the good old ‘word-of-mouth’ method.  Advertise to your existing clients that on their next visit to the salon they can ‘bring a friend’ for a free mini treatment or a discounted package of treatments.  If you promote this offer to your loyal client database then you are more than likely going to receive a lot of footfall from their friends, whom essentially are new clients for you!   A great way to receive extra sales around the Bank Holiday weekend, just in time for your busy summer period!


Salon Tracker x

Salon Tracker software supports your tanning salon!

You may have previously read our blog post on Tmax integration, and how Salon Tracker can ensure that your salon runs smoothly through our software.  In this post I want to introduce you to some further specialist features that will improve business for all salons in the tanning sector.

Online Client Card with Fingerprint and PIN registration

With the latest tanning regulation laws and the safety of indoor tanning being a topic of high focus in the headlines, it is important that your client cards are kept up to date and stored safely. One of the main gripes from tanning salon owners is that client information cards are regularly miss-placed, this consequently meaning that their personal information is ‘lost.’ The dangers of this is that you cannot determine when their last sunbed course was, if they have any product allergies, their age, or any notes regarding their skin tone.   Salon Tracker software has a ‘client-card’ feature, that ensures all client information is stored in one place.   Before a client can even register for a sunbed course the system prompts for the salon technician to see formal identification, therefore keeping you safe from illegal tanners!   The client then sets a PIN code or alternatively you can set up a fingerprint method by purchasing one of our fingerprint reading pads, to ensure that no one can access a client’s account other than themselves.   This is a perfect method for you as a salon owner as it eliminates the worry of under age tanning, clients ‘over-tanning’ and the use of ‘freebie’ minutes from friends or staff in your absence.   Salon Tracker’s online client card provides the salon technician with details of when the client last had a sunbed, prohibiting them from tanning again in the next 24 hours and also flags up the clients’ skin tone, prompting technicians to advise clients on how to tan safely in regards to this.

Site View

Ever wished there were a few extra hours in the day to plan and manage your salon?  Salon Tracker now has a ‘Site View’ feature that enables salon owners to access all business happenings, reports, track KPI’s and monitor staffs' behaviours when on the move or from home.  As administrator you can also give other staff members’ permission to view their calendars from home using the ‘Site View’ feature, so they can prepare for specific clients and give those a more tailored personal service!  A brilliant feature to improve your time management and take a little bit of weight off of your shoulders.

Secure shell lock your PC

Are you really aware of the information that you’re staff have access to within your salon? No matter what sector your salon specialises in, privacy is always on the forefront of a business and with Salon Tracker’s secure shell system you needn't worry any longer. The feature comes with password protected security levels, so as salon owner you are administrator and can manage which areas of the database certain employees can and can’t see.  Client cards and employee’s personal information will be safely stored and any financial business reports, all under one database so it is easily accessible to you.

Free Installation, system transfers and support

If you’re intrigued by our software, get in touch and we can set you up with a demo via remote assistance!   If you like what you see, we then give you the opportunity to test our software for free with a 14 day trial, a bit of a ‘try before you buy’ deal.   From there we install the software on your PC free of charge, and if you are already with another existing software package, we will convert your data onto Salon Tracker, again for FREE!

So if you are a tanning salon and feel that our salon software would benefit you, your team and your business, then contact our Leeds head office who will be more than happy to give you some advice!  Alternatively drop us an email and we can fire a brochure over to you with all the other information you want to know! Hopefully hear from you soon…

Salon Tracker x

   

Salon Software integration with Tmax Timers

Are you struggling to manage minutes in your salon, or have any ‘mystery’ minutes that have disappeared, causing a dwindle in profits?  Salon software could be the answer! Your salon life will be made easier as our software promises to ensure that your tanning business runs smoothly, even in your absence!

Salon Tracker software can integrate with Tmax Timers, encouraging business security!  It has an advanced seamless integration process that tracks sunbed usage from the software. Not only does the software operate the timers, and ensure that no client is going over the duration of their selected course, it also accurately tracks all minutes and produces reports that can be printed daily. These show recordings of all sunbed activity in that particular day, including the details of the client that has had a sunbed treatment, to ensure that they can’t book a tanning course for at least another 24 hours.

There are many other features of the salon software to suit tanning, for example the prompt of ID on booking (to ensure clients are over 18) and also the ability to link multiple salons. This essentially allows you to manage each site from the comfort of your own home, when abroad and on the move, 24 hours a day.

The key to this is that you can oversee all business happenings, including cash flow, staff movements, client bookings and end of day reports without having to actually be present in the salon.

So if this sounds like it would benefit you don’t hesitate to get in touch…and remember to keep checking our news feed for further info this tanning month!

Salon Tracker x