Salon Management Software

[x_elise_x]

Hi,

Could anyone help please. I'm looking for a recommendation on salon management software. I did see a exhibiting at PB but not sure.

I need the software to be able to take bookings and display them on a calendar, also I'd like to be able to input daily takings and show the totals.

Any free software would be good but I don't mind paying as it is for work.

Been looking at 'Salon Iris' if anyone knows this also 'Salon Active'.

Really unsure what to do as I'm not that techy. Is it best just to use Access or Excel because I have this on my laptop or is it better to just buy a package.

I would be grateful for any help.

Thanx.

 

[Fitz]

Hi,

Could anyone help please. I'm looking for a recommendation on salon management software. I did see a exhibiting at PB but not sure.

I need the software to be able to take bookings and display them on a calendar, also I'd like to be able to input daily takings and show the totals.

Any free software would be good but I don't mind paying as it is for work.

Been looking at 'Salon Iris' if anyone knows this also 'Salon Active'.

Really unsure what to do as I'm not that techy. Is it best just to use Access or Excel because I have this on my laptop or is it better to just buy a package.

I would be grateful for any help.

Thanx.

I cannot recommend this enough you gorgeous thing: Easy-Salon Software an affordable salon management software solution.

At a great price it does the job that others cost £100's for. Seriously its great stuff!

 

[angelina221]

i open my salon on monday and i have invested in xtensions. i can't praise them enough. their phone support has been second to none. i was undecided between 2 and it was the phone support that did it for me. i had my computer delivered yesterday and i had problems with my computer. it was my connection not their product that was the problem and they sorted it all out for me. they are always at the other end of the phone. obviously when you have a new computer system you are going to need support (especially if you are a computer phobe like me!), and they really are very good. if you would like their details then just pm me.

 

[Blue Rose]

I cannot recommend this enough you gorgeous thing: Easy-Salon Software an affordable salon management software solution.

At a great price it does the job that others cost £100's for. Seriously its great stuff!

Same product but at a cheaper price is: KaterNico 2007 Salon Software Appointment Management with point of sale

 

[Fitz]

Same product but at a cheaper price is: KaterNico 2007 Salon Software Appointment Management with point of sale

Lol, I actually paid £24.99 for mine. It is great though!

 

[Blue Rose]

Lol, I actually paid £24.99 for mine. It is great though!

That's what I paid aswell but haven't used it yet.

After the disaster that was my last stab at databasing, the thoughts of inputting 000's of client details is a bit off putting.

By rights I should be all ready to go now, but that's a whole other story.

 

[x_elise_x]

Hi all,

Thank you very much. I thought I might have to spend a lot more!

I am just buying the one you recommend at £29.99.

Thanks again. :lol:

x_elise_x

 

[Blue Rose]

Why anyone would want to spend 0000's on software is beyond me.

I find technology is getting so complex these days and all singing & all dancing but how many of us actually use all these gadgets & gizmos? And how many know how to work the bloomin' gadget? :lol:

 

[crazysaz]

ok ive just been quoted nearly a grand for software but i had saw katernicos one but then i thought it was tooo cheap iykwim? is it good - no catch? iwant to be able to send txt remeinders, email newsletters, see top/low spenders, stock control etc

 

[Fitz]

ok ive just been quoted nearly a grand for software but i had saw katernicos one but then i thought it was tooo cheap iykwim? is it good - no catch? iwant to be able to send txt remeinders, email newsletters, see top/low spenders, stock control etc

Its a basic programme but it does the job and I believe does those tasks you are asking about, for the price of it buy it and see. What really have you got to lose?

 

[Edenic]

Hi,

Do you know if the Katernico/easy-salon systems are OK for both hair and beauty salons? The websites mention hair, nails and tanning but not beauty.
If not can anyone recommend a similar priced system that does? I know...I don't ask for much do I! :lol:

cheers
Edenic

 

[Fitz]

Hi,

Do you know if the Katernico/easy-salon systems are OK for both hair and beauty salons? The websites mention hair, nails and tanning but not beauty.
If not can anyone recommend a similar priced system that does? I know...I don't ask for much do I! :lol:

cheers
Edenic

It supports it from memory.

 

[PANTA1265]

Yep it does support and beauty.

 

[Claire Hibbert]

Hi there

I work for a company called icomplete that offers salon software, sms reminders and call answering. If you would like to have a look at it I can sent you the link so you can have a play with it and see if you like it.

Claire
www.icomplete.com

 

[Saya]

Been thinking about this for a while myself. As a start up, I'm sticking to pen and paper until I've saved up a bit.
I am aware that the software is available for less than £100.00, but what about the hardware? Isn' that where the thousands go? Don't you need a scanner, a hard drive and monitor?

 

[PANTA1265]

All the cost is relevant.
Regardless the software you are choosing, you will have to buy scanner ,monitor, etc....
I have not seen any salon software so far that gives you the above for FREE.
I am using a year now the KaterNico Easy-Salon , i got it for less than £50 and i am more than happy.However as i said before whatever your system you will need and hardware especially if you want POS.(Scanners,Receipt Printer,Cash Draw and laptop or PC.

Cheers

 

[RedAdmiral]

I've trialled Platinum and its brilliant really happy with it. I do believe there is a difference with software as I've used Momento 6 and Salon genius and they are fab when you're the manager of 17 staff I only have 3 now so this one is perfect.

 

[milkshakerrr]

Been thinking about this for a while myself. As a start up, I'm sticking to pen and paper until I've saved up a bit.
I am aware that the software is available for less than £100.00, but what about the hardware? Isn' that where the thousands go? Don't you need a scanner, a hard drive and monitor?

That is definitely a considerable expense, but it doesn't have to be thousands. We just got a new Fax/Scanner/Copier/Printer for $75 and it works amazingly. Awesome quality and the ink cartridges aren't super expensive. From my experience, a standard desktop PC is more than enough to handle salon operations, and if you know what you're looking for, a name brand model, including monitor, shouldn't be too expensive. :green:

As for Salon Iris, it's a very powerful and lovely software; it does a LOT and can save you a lot of money in the way of outsourcing accountants and payroll and decluttering your life in general. I do, however, sometimes worry about all the information that could be lost in some freak accident or other, which is why I do prefer outsourcing and having paper backups of data, etc. I am NOT a fan of Salon Iris's support. They are timely, but it's expensive as hell after the initial two year warranty. AND they take an awful long time to help with issues that aren't already in their Help Menu.

Keep us posted with your software choices!

 

[Ruth Mills]

All the cost is relevant.
Regardless the software you are choosing, you will have to buy scanner ,monitor, etc....
I have not seen any salon software so far that gives you the above for FREE.
I am using a year now the KaterNico Easy-Salon , i got it for less than £50 and i am more than happy.However as i said before whatever your system you will need and hardware especially if you want POS.(Scanners,Receipt Printer,Cash Draw and laptop or PC.

Cheers

I'd find it highly unlikely that any company would give you a load of hardware "for free", especially in the current economic climate! Given that salon software is a fairly niche product, then it will be one most likely supported by relatively small businesses; for a small-ish business to provide free hardware as an incentive to buy a long-term subscription to their particular salon management software would be a significant risk, requiring a large initial capital outlay - the software company would only re-coup their money in the long term, perhaps after over 2 or 3 years or so - and then there would be the risk that the salon they had given the hardware to might go bust or default on their payments!

So whilst that business model might work for mobile phones (e.g. get a flashy new phone when you sign up to a mobile phone contract for 18 months), the market for mobile phones is huge, and the cost of the phone would be re-couped only a few months or so into the contract - and any defaults or missed payments should be manageable for a huge mobile phone company!

In the case of salon software, there's also likely to be a fairly large research & development cost in order to have created a viable product in the first place - plus ongoing payments to finance staff salaries - so this would then explain why a lot of salon software systems do sound expensive, particularly as they won't be getting anywhere near the same volume of sales as Microsoft etc...

 

[PANTA1265]

I totally agree.
However the point I made is why we should pay ridicules prices for salon software. While there are packages out there do the same job at the fraction of the cost.
Take a look at www.easy-salon.com only £50 and does the job.
What more you want from salon software??????. Yes, if I wanted gadgets and gismos and software to make my coffee in the morning and give me a good massage before I start work, I may choose another.
I am talking for myself that I was one man band and now we are five of us and still going well with our software.
Maybe if I have 30 people working for me I may change software. But that means I can afford to do that.
When I first started I did not had the budget to buy anything and I didn’t want to lock a few thousands on salon software. Then my partner join and we research the option for booking software. We got trials, demos, you name it and eventually we got the above software.
Does the job brilliantly even now that we are 5 of us in two salons.
My question is, are you going to buy a FERRARI to go to work or a car that gives you safety comfort and does the job. At the end of the day, here is business and we trying to cut down the cost and be competitive without minimize the customer experience. I have nothing against the expensive systems and I do believe they do excellent job as well.
However I am strangling to get the mentality that only expensive software is good.

I will love to drive a FERRARI, is my dream , however a. I cannot afford b. You want a big wallet to run it. C. My mini cooper does the job
Cheers:hug::hug: