Salon Software

[Tia 203]

I'm interested in introducing some specialised software into my business (one salon, 3 - 5 therapists, 2 private treatment rooms and separate manicure/pedicure areas). There are so many companies doing this that it is difficult to decide whos is best.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
Would particularly like online bookings, proactive marketing and quick multiple bookins (i.e. when a group of 10 ladies want a day of pampering)
Any advice/ recommendations appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[Ruth Mills]

I'm in the process of developing an online salon software system at the moment, which will include features like online booking, SMS messaging, marketing campaigns, etc, and will also support bookings with multiple clients. Please let me know if you would like more information. I will also need people to "beta test" the application before it goes live, so if you are interested in being one of the beta testers, please let me know. That way you would also get to influence the design of the system, ie. if there was anything specific you really wanted it to do. The deal would be that you could use the system for free during beta testing and would then get a significant discount on it once it goes live.
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[Tia 203]

Hi Ruth,

Thanks for that. I'm not really clued up on computer things and would need a fair bit of training. Would prefer something that is well established and has a support package which is used to dealing with technophobes like me.
Did see a couple of companies at the beauty exhibition so will probably check them out first, but thanks for your offer. Maybe when it goes live I'll be kicking myself!

 

[Ruth Mills]

Hi Ruth,

Thanks for that. I'm not really clued up on computer things and would need a fair bit of training. Would prefer something that is well established and has a support package which is used to dealing with technophobes like me.
Did see a couple of companies at the beauty exhibition so will probably check them out first, but thanks for your offer. Maybe when it goes live I'll be kicking myself!

OK, no worries

Although I would of course be offering lots of support, especially during the beta test phase as well - as if it's hard for people to use then I haven't done my job properly!

 

[Aquarius Beauty]

Ruth, how easy is it to add a link for online bookings to a web site? EASY!!! I hear you cry, ok maybe I worded that wrong....is this something I could set up or do I need a company to do this for me? Are you nearly there with yours? Thanks in advance Lorraine x

 

[angelina221]

I use xtensions. I'm a technophobe too but it's really easy to use. Their customer support is absolutely fab.
You can download it for free for about a month to have a play about to see whether you like it. They call you and go through everything on the phone with you.
I very rarely call them now as it's so easy to use but when i do need them they are always at the end of the phone and sort me out straight away.

 

[Ruth Mills]

Lorraine, it would depend on how you want the online bookings to work. Some web sites just have a form on the page where you enter details of what treatments you want and on what day, and then when the client submits the form, it just sends an email to you behind the scenes, and then you have to phone the client back to either confirm the slot, or offer them a different time if you are unavailable then. That would be the easier option to set up as it would just need a cgi script or PHP on the web server.

A more sophisticated solution would connect to a database containing your appointment book, and would be able to check if you already had a booking at the time the client wanted - it would then automatically offer the client an alternative time as close to their chosen time as possible, or perhaps suggest another therapist at the salon who offers the same treatment (for salons with more than one therapist). It is this latter solution that I am intending my system to do.

What I would be offering with my system is a secure log in (using SSL) for online bookings, so all client details are securely encrypted over the Internet. You could then link to this secure online booking page from your existing web site.

I still have a fair bit of work to do before that would be working though.
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[Claire Hibbert]

Hi Tia

We offer online software and online bookings (proper calendar rather than a form) if you want to have a trial of our software for free go onto our link icomplete.com

 

[Aquarius Beauty]

Lorraine, it would depend on how you want the online bookings to work. Some web sites just have a form on the page where you enter details of what treatments you want and on what day, and then when the client submits the form, it just sends an email to you behind the scenes, and then you have to phone the client back to either confirm the slot, or offer them a different time if you are unavailable then. That would be the easier option to set up as it would just need a cgi script or PHP on the web server.

A more sophisticated solution would connect to a database containing your appointment book, and would be able to check if you already had a booking at the time the client wanted - it would then automatically offer the client an alternative time as close to their chosen time as possible, or perhaps suggest another therapist at the salon who offers the same treatment (for salons with more than one therapist). It is this latter solution that I am intending my system to do.

What I would be offering with my system is a secure log in (using SSL) for online bookings, so all client details are securely encrypted over the Internet. You could then link to this secure online booking page from your existing web site.

I still have a fair bit of work to do before that would be working though.
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Thanks for the info - easy option for me I think lol xx

 

[Ruth Mills]

Thanks for the info - easy option for me I think lol xx

Cool, what were you thinking of? The simpler solution that sends you an email or the more complicated one with the database?
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