How to convert a walk-in customer to a loyal client!

A question at the forefront of salon owner’s minds is ‘how do you add value to ensure a loyal client?’ 

There are several marketing strategies that your salon can use to get people through your door, but what's important is making sure they come through it again. This means retaining the volume of new customers you get in the salon as a result of the better marketing, salon renovations, offers or whatever it is that your doing to get fresh friendly faces in your salon. 

 With the power of social media and Salon Tracker's SMS and email marketing feature  

A main aspect of running a business is running the hype of your business. If you cannot shout about your offers and promotions then how can you expect others to? 

Besides the techniques such as refer a friend schemes and new customer loyalty vouchers, here are a few friendly pointers to remember when consolidating your message with clients… 

• Personalise messages- Entering a customer’s name into an email is more likely to increase click through rates and loyalty, get this information by capturing as much client data as possible with Salon Trackers customer information cards. Our software provides a great marketing feature enabling you to tailor your marketing messages to a various customer types in your salon. Turn those once in a while customers to consistent visitors by using the SMS and marketing feature to draw them in with exclusive deals or loyalty schemes which can be promote using SMS or email marketing.

• Be consistent- Emails and texts should go out to customers on a consistent basis, whether its once a month or once a week ensure there is a structure to your marketing. Of course not everyone takes advantage of the deal or promotion in the message but customers will take a mental note that you do have consistent marketing promotions and deals available should they want to use them as customer loyalty is created by heightened familiarity. 

• Use client purchase history- Marketing products to a client’s purchase history is a brilliant way of utilizing information as you know at some point or another they have expressed interest in this product. Research has shown that emails are more likely to be read if they are of relevance to the reader, so make content informative through a friendly tone. 

 • Aesthetics- Well-chosen imagery, logos and colour enormously enhances a messages impact by distinguishing your company from competitors and making it pleasing on the eye, get set up on our enterprise package to have your online booking web page with complete customised colours and logos for your salon implemented on the site.

 • Short and Sweet- Due to the high popularity of short form content and an increase in low attention spans, do not overload your messages and email, keep them short and straight to the point, include emojis, bold lettering and enticing titles to stand out.

 • Undertaking a loyalty scheme- providing new customers with discount vouchers encourage customers to return frequently to get that ‘tenth tan FREE!’

Contact us

If you would like to know more or want to have a chat with a member of the sales team please call on 0113 350 8230 or email info@salontracker.co.uk

How Can Your Salon Be More Secure?

In today's digital age, it's crucial to protect your salon from cyber-attacks like ransomware. But what exactly is ransomware, and how can you keep your business safe?

Understanding Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of harmful software that locks you out of your computer until you pay a ransom. It's often spread through fake emails or attachments, and it can wreak havoc on businesses, including salons.

Protecting your Salon with Salon Tracker

Salon Tracker is designed to keep your data safe. It's installed directly on your computer, so you don't always need an internet connection. Plus, if you're using our online features, you can be assured that your data is securely stored in our cloud system.

Simple Security Tips

Be careful with your personal information online. Think twice before sharing it.

Keep client data safe and only share it with trusted team members. Delete it securely when necessary.

Protect your computer with strong passwords and keep your software updated.

Be cautious when downloading anything from the internet and avoid opening suspicious attachments on emails.

Salon Software Features

Salon Tracker offers extra security features like Secure Shell, which limits staff access to non-business websites. You can also create separate logins for your team and control what they can do within the system.

Get Help When You Need It

If you're unsure about keeping your salon safe, reach out to us. We're here to help with any questions or concerns about security.

For assistance, contact us at info@salontracker.co.uk or call 0113 350 8230.

By taking these steps and using Salon Tracker's security features, you can protect your salon from cyber threats and keep your business running smoothly.

Salon Tracker x

Effortless Stock Management with Salon Tracker

With our stock levels section on Salon Tracker, keeping track of your retail products has never been easier! 

This blog will give you a step by step guide on how you can track your stock on Salon Tracker, as well as add in extra features such as notifying when stock is running low and adding commission on products.

In the products section of Salon Tracker you can add your retail products that you sell within your salon. 

This section is completely customisable with options to add beauty and salon products as well as tanning products, and any snacks you may sell too!

To add a category simply select Retail Products then the plus (+) button.

Then you can add in the category you’re wanting to by typing into the description box (e.g. typing beauty) and clicking OK

Then to add a product you can select ‘Add’ and similarly name it (in the description box) and add in your retail price and trade price

Note: adding the trade price is optional, but it may be useful to you if you want to calculate your profit per product.

If you wish to keep track of the amount of stock you have of your products you can customise this in the stock info tab. 

To do this simply tick the ‘Monitor Stock Levels?’ tab and add in your stock level (i.e. the amount of retail products you have in your salon) and if you wish to do so you can also add in a low stock warning level so you know if you are running low on stock and need to get more.

Finally if you wish to add commission on your products you can do this by selecting the commission tab, ticking the override commission box and typing in what percentage commission you wish to add to the product.

Once you have added all of your products in you will be able to see your stock levels, as well as which products are running low which are highlighted in red. This shows as a list on the right hand side of the products tab.

This can then be further edited once you have more products in.

I hope that this blog gave you more insight into one of our many great services on Salon Tracker. Please note that this feature is available on our Professional and Enterprise packages.

If you’re interested in getting booked in for a look at these services in a FREE demonstration of our system or FREE two-week trial, please don’t hesitate to contact us by calling 0113 350 8230 or emailing us on info@salontracker.co.uk .

If you’re an existing customer and are wanting more information about upgrading your Salon Tracker package to our Professional or Enterprise packages, again please don’t hesitate to contact us by calling 0113 350 8230 or emailing us on info@salontracker.co.uk.

Salon Tracker x

Frequently asked questions!

 

This blog is going to go through all the frequently asked questions we get here at Salon Tracker from new and existing customers. We hope that this will answer some of your questions too. 

Sales - 

What features are included in each package?

At Salon Tracker we have three different packages to suit every Salon's needs. Our standard package has all of your digital customer cards, complete client history, 8 business reports and SMS booking reminders. Our next package is the professional package, this package gives you access to an SMS and email marketing suite, stock management and password protected staff logins. All of the Salon features you could need in one place. Our final package is the Enterprise package which gives you access to your very own online account. This means you can have a customised online booking page with payments, your data backed up to the cloud and an app which gives you access to booking and reports from home. This package is perfect for boosting your sales outside of salon hours. 

Are there any hidden costs of the software?

No, Salon Tracker has no hidden costs. We do have optional extras but these are not required. If you are wanting to send out SMS marketing campaigns we sell SMS credits in bundles of 1,000 or if you would like to setup online payments we use a third party payment provider. However, if you are just wanting to use the software without any added costs that's what we do best! We also offer free training, setup and support to keep your costs down. 

Do you sell hardware? 

At Salon Tracker we sell a range of hardware from POS bundles to PC's, we have hardware to meet everyone's needs. We sell POS bundles which include a receipt printer, cash drawer and barcode scanner at a lower price than when you buy the items separate. Or if you want hardware to enhance your Salon's security and safety we sell fingerprint readers and signatures pads. We also sell PC's which fully meet the Salon Tracker specification so you know you won't have any issues. To buy hardware from us, all you need to do is call us on 0113 250 8230, it's that simple. 

Support - 

How do I connect my TMAX if it disconnects?

If Salon Tracker stops sending minutes to your beds the first thing you need to do is check the TMAX box, if it shows 00 that means the beds are connected and if it shows – they are not, and the box will need to be restarted. Once you have done this step or when 00 is showing you will need to follow these steps to connect the TMAX to Salon Tracker.

• Un-plug and re-plug the TMAX cable from the PC
• Re start Salon Tracker – this should re connect the beds, if not use the following steps
• Shut down Salon tracker
• Go to ‘Device manager’
• Look for ‘Ports’ – if there is nothing showing the cable is faulty or not plugged in
• If it shows ‘this device is not supported by windows11’ double click on it
• Go to ‘driver’
• Then click ‘update driver’
• Then ‘browse my computer for drivers’
• It should give you a list to pick from click the ‘2018’ one – if that doesn’t show ring Salon Tracker
• Once it is installed reopen Salon Tracker and the beds should be connected

How can I back up my data on Salon Tracker?

If you're on our Enterprise package you don’t need to worry about backups as we store your data on the cloud for you!

But if you're one of our customers on our standard or professional package your data will back up to your PC, but we always recommend getting a removable device back up. You can get this at most shops, all you need to do is find an 8GB (recommended) memory stick and plug it into your PC. It’s that easy! Just make sure when closing Salon Tracker down you tick the ‘Backup the database (Local drive)’ and ‘Backup the database (removable drive)’.

Where can I find support outside of Salon Tracker hours?

As our office hours are 9-5 Monday – Friday, we’re not always available but one of the things we have introduced to help out customers are our support videos. This can help with training staff or just common queries, and can be found on Salon Tracker. The help section of Salon Tracker shows all the help videos from how to use the calendar to advanced reports. We hope this continues to help all our customers when we are not around to. 

We hope that this blog has helped to answer all of your questions on both the sales and support sides of Salon Tracker. However, if you do have any questions which we haven't answered here then just give us a call on 0113 350 8230 or email us at info@salontracker.co.uk.

Salon Tracker x

How Hiring Apprentices can Benefit your Business

Here at Salon Tracker, we believe in the value that apprentices can add to a business. Many of our staff members have been through or are currently going through a degree apprenticeship through Salon Tracker which has been beneficial to both the individual and the business alike!

Apprentices can be beneficial to all types of businesses, from office environments to beauty salons! In this blog we will explain different ways that apprenticeships can benefit your business.

Government funded training  When you hire an apprentice for your business, you may think that this would come with a lot of costs, but this is where you’re wrong! The government will pay 95% of the costs of an apprenticeship, making it a cost-effective way to produce skilled employees. This means that you will be able to develop the skills in your workforce in order to transform your organisation, at a fraction of the cost of other types of training. 

Diversify your workforce 

Because apprenticeships allow individuals to earn an income while studying their qualification, it is attractive and available for a broader range of people, as not everyone can afford traditional methods of gaining qualifications or be able to study full time. This opens up a wider range of people that you will be able to hire, making your workplace more diversified and bringing in fresh minds with new ideas! 

Training tailored to your business 

Unlike a traditional qualification, an apprenticeship will be tailored to your business, with the apprentice’s off-the-job training being relevant to your needs. This allows the apprentice to understand your organisation in greater depth, which will allow them to exceed in their job role. Research shows that 86% of employers say that apprenticeships have helped to develop skills relevant to their organisation.  

Improved staff retention 

Research shows that 69% of companies reported improved staff retention since hiring apprentices. Generally speaking, apprentices seem to be more loyal to the business and more motivated to learn and implement new skills into the workplace. Giving your employees the chance to learn new skills via an apprenticeship has been shown to increase job satisfaction, which in turn increases staff retention as they are happier in their job. This also decreases the cost of recruiting as you won’t have to do this as often due to retaining staff better. 

Developing new skills in your workforce 

Apprenticeships can help to develop professional skills in your workplace which will increase productivity and improve business performance. The combination of on-the-job and classroom learning enables apprentices to put into practice new skills as they advance, which allows you to develop a more highly skilled workforce even in the short-term, with skills getting more developed throughout the journey of the apprenticeship. This then boosts the talent in your organisation so that employees can make valuable contributions. 

Boost Productivity 

Apprenticeships can be a great help in boosting productivity in the workplace in many ways. When you first hire an apprentice, due to the training that they receive, the minimum wage is lower, which can make this a cost-effective way to increase the number of employees in your business, allowing an improvement in productivity for lower costs. Also, as apprentices progress through their course, the skills that they develop will be implemented into your business and they will be able to work more efficiently and to a higher standard, increasing the productivity per employee. There is supporting research which shows that 78% of businesses found that their productivity improved after hiring apprentices and 74% saying that apprenticeships have helped to improve the quality of their product or service. 

 

But don’t just take our word for it; this is what some of our past and present apprentices have to say: 

Elyse: “I am currently starting the 2nd year of my apprenticeship here at Salon Tracker and, so far, I have really enjoyed it. The apprenticeship has made me feel more confident at work and has allowed me to contribute new ideas backed up by things I’ve learnt.” 

Leah: “I finished my apprenticeship with Salon Tracker a few years ago and found that it has helped me a lot with progressing in the business up to my role as head of sales and marketing. The apprenticeship has greatly developed my understanding of business and allowed me to excel in my position and bring in new ideas.” 

Apprenticeships are becoming increasingly popular in many types of businesses, why not consider it for yours? 

Salon Tracker X 

Frequently Asked Questions

At Salon Tracker, we get asked a lot of questions, some more frequently than others. Below are some of the most reoccurring questions we are asked:

Why should I choose Salon Tracker?

Salon Tracker is suitable for salons of all different sizes. Whether you are a single employee business, or a multi-site salon, we have different packages and features available that are tailored to suit your needs.

Which is your most popular package?

Our most popular package is our Enterprise package. This package contains both our in-salon features as well as our online features, such as online booking and siteview.

Can I use my own hardware?

Our hardware is entirely optional. If you already have your own hardware, we will always try to get this working for you, however there are some minimum recommendations that we recommend, as well as some brands which are not fully compatible.

Do you integrate with Tmax and Sigma?

Yes, we fully integrate with both Tmax and Sigma. Once your timer manager is connected up to the PC, you will be able to set off the sunbeds directly from Salon Tracker. You are able to set your own dress down and cooldown times which will then also send through to the beds.

Different staff members are able to do different treatments, can this be shown on the system?

We can help you setup groups so that each individual technician/beautician has their own set treatments and no other treatments will show up. This is so that when customers are booking online, they can’t book a treatment with a technician who can’t actually do it.

How does it work if I have multiple salons?

If you have multiple salons, you are able to decide if you want to share your customers and products across all sites or if you want to keep them completely separate. We offer the ability to view all your sites from home using a HQ, so you are able to check how each site is doing on a daily basis. We also offer discounts depending on how many sites you have with us.

What makes Salon Tracker unique?

At Salon Tracker, we are always striving to be the best, and in order to meet this, we are constantly updating our software and introducing new features to meet your needs. Our team are always on hand to help with any questions you and your salon may have.

I use another system, can I transfer my data over to Salon Tracker?

Yes you can! We can usually import customers, services (including existing minutes) and products. Give us a call on 0113 350 8230 and speak to a member of our team who will be able to advise you further on what can be brought across.

Why should I start using Salon Tracker over my trusted pen & paper?

Salon Tracker allows you to have everything in one place, increasing the salon’s efficiency. Track customers’ history and bookings electronically to ensure that you have the most accurate and secure calendar.

If you have any further questions at all, please feel free to e-mail us at info@salontracker.co.uk, check out our Chat system on our website or give us a call on 0113 350 8230.

Salon Tracker x