Salon Software

[StudioTracker]

There have been a few posts on salon software; here is an article on what you should be looking for when purchasing a salon software system and the benefits it can bring to you.


In technology driven times any salon owners would be unwise to think they could compete effectively using a calendar and pen and paper to run their business. Everyone lives and works at a faster pace nowadays and customer service expectations are even higher, therefore a software system is essential to keep ahead of these fast moving times. The most valuable asset in your salon is your client database. To grow your salon and consolidate your position in the market it is essential you constantly market your salon; this would be difficult if all client information is on paper cards. It would be much more efficient and effective to have these stored on a computer. Here are a few useful points to consider when purchasing a salon management software system:

• When choosing a salon software system you need to think about what you would like it to do, this will give you some idea of how beneficial the software will be to you, there are many salons software providers on the market so knowing what you want from the software will make the selection easier. As the name suggests salon management software will help you manage your salon and the software should be able to more or less atomize every basic process including, managing appointments, client records, staff holidays, reports stock control and even marketing. Computerising your salon gives you more control over your business, from a click of a mouse you can know how much cash was taken in a day, what your stock level is at or what your client retention is. Even when you are not there you can feel in control as it logs everything that is going on in your salon.

• Many salon owners are worried about the prospect of the upheaval computerizing their salon will bring, will all staff be able to use it properly? Training? Inputting existing client data? Installation? Many software providers should be able to help you with these queries, there is no need to worry about being a computer expert as any good provider will assist with training and ongoing support free of charge. It is essential that your staff fully understand the new system in order for it to work properly; training is a very important factor when considering purchasing a software system as everyone needs to be able to use it. Furthermore a good firm should make installation as easy as possible by setting up your software with the essential information needed such as client data and the treatments and products you sell, enabling you to get started as soon as your software arrives with no hassle.

• It is important before purchasing a software package that you request a free trial, any reputable company should have no problem with this and will offer you a free trial with an enquiry as they will be confident in their software. A trial will enable you to see how easy it is to use and examine all the features and benefits to see if it does what you want it to before you commit to a purchase. A good provider should be able to add or change small features to suit your needs more effectively.

• When choosing a salon software provider it is also important for you to check that upgrades are available on a regular basis, as there are always new advances in technology and these should be made available to you. A good provider will release around two upgrades a year and offer these free of charge.

• As it is such a big investment that will control every area of your business it is essential to ensure that support is on hand should any problems arise. There are some software providers that charge for support, this needs to be checked as ideally support should be free, if the providers are confident in their software they shouldn’t see problems arising and therefore would have no need to charge for support. You should also check in which form support is given, companies may only give email support free; this may not be adequate especially if emails are not replied to immediately.

• Finally it is important that you purchase with a reputable company, how many years has it been trading? How many clients does it have? Ask to talk to one of their existing clients to see how they have found the software and the level of service. A reputable company will also disclose all it prices and charges upfront and wont surprise you with any hidden costs down the line, ensure you have all the information you need before committing to the purchase in order for you to experience the full benefits of having a salon software system.