For many, nothing beats an in-salon health or beauty treatment. Do-it-yourself manicures and facials are fun to do at home, but they don't channel connection and luxury like the real thing.
As customers return to their offices and classrooms, they're returning to salons as well to look and feel their best. But with the extra efforts needed to maintain salon cleanliness and hygiene, it's time to lean on salon software to do other tasks quicker and easier. This way, you can keep your clients' safe and still give them an all-around feel-good experience.
Get synced and organized.
Once upon a time, client bookings were managed with pen and paper, but today's booking technology has changed that. It's now common for salon staff and even clients to make appointments online, allowing appointments to sync up with the salon calendar.
Using an online salon appointment scheduler can have game-changing benefits:
- Reassuring anxious customers. As AlixPartners reports, almost 30% of U.S. consumers remain very worried about physical health. Disinfecting tools, surfaces, and treatment rooms regularly is necessary to make clients feel comfortable. An online appointment-making tool can be configured to ensure you allow enough time to clean and disinfect between each appointment.
- Promoting safety. Online booking facilitates social distancing by reducing wait times in your lobby. You can also retrieve appointment details, such as names and phone numbers, more quickly for contact tracing.
- Boosting sales. Making it easy for clients to book their visits encourages more business. Clients can see what services are available and book with their favorite hairstylist or manicurist. Text and email reminders reduce no-shows, as well.
- Reducing pressure on staff. Accenture's recent study reveals that clients expect and value personalized services and care. With fewer phone calls to answer, staff are not rushed off their feet and can pay closer attention to in-salon clients.
- Managing resources better. Having visibility of upcoming bookings can guide resource planning, so enough staff is scheduled and the right treatment room, tools, and equipment are available for every appointment.
Accept payments faster.
A recent Mastercard poll found that half of American consumers prefer contactless payments. Therefore, adding payment options such as tap-and-go cards and mobile wallets, with the help of smart point-of-sale technology, adds convenience for your clients—and it'll save staff time, too. The best appointment-scheduling software products also have built-in credit card processing to support a seamless experience.
Faster payments also prevent queues at the checkout, which further promotes safety and eliminates unnecessary physical contact.
Enhance the customer experience outside the salon.
According to Gallup, engagement is a key driver for repeat business. Yet, with clients spending less time inside the salon, deepening your relationship requires meeting them outside the salon environment—in the digital world.
Sound like too much work? Don't worry. With the right salon software, reaching out digitally is not only doable but fun. Here are some tools to connect with new and existing customers:
- Website. Your salon website allows people to find you and get to know you better. Say "hello" with a pre-recorded video and let curious visitors know why your salon is amazing. Blog about salon news. Configure well-timed pop-ups to advertise special offers. Explain your products and services. You can even integrate online booking—the choice is yours. Just make sure your website reflects your brand and the impression you want to give.
- Social media. Often used to showcase salon expertise, social media platforms are ideal hangouts for virtual conversations with your followers. Consider starting or joining a local Facebook group to be part of an online community, or launch a social media campaign by running an Instagram or TikTok contest. Whichever platform you prefer, get your brand out there, get to know your clients, and have fun.
- Email. Apart from promoting new services, seasonal offers, and back-to-school deals, emails are also wonderful for staying in touch. Let clients know you're thinking of them with a "We Miss You" email. Wish them a happy birthday with a special discount. The latest salon software comes with marketing tools like email templates, so you can send out branded emails and deals quickly.
In the post-pandemic world, salons that succeed in delivering safety, expert services, and personal connections will win more business. With the latest salon software products, everything you need to both save time and make customers feel good in and out of your salon is integrated into one neat package. Intuitive and simple to use, they can take a huge weight off your shoulders by streamlining your salon processes. Salon software blends the digital with the physical, so you can offer clients all-around excellence that keeps them coming back.
