)
){kind=small}
Introduction
The beauty industry is a trendy niche. Statistics show that the number of beauty salons, hair studios, and barbershop businesses increases every single day. So, naturally, many competitors appear. So, there is a question – how to stand out? The answer is relatively simple – just offer the best quality beauty services and manage the business efficiently.
Okay, then how to deal with a beauty business most effectively? There is no one way. However, current practice shows that digitalization is the key. Many different beauty salons connect CRM systems.
Salon booking software is one of the best solutions as it automates all the daily beauty salon processes, optimizing all the beauty industry routines.
More and more beauty salons use CRM as a way to stand out among the nearest competitors. And, why not? Connecting CRM is a relatively simple process that often does not require any special skills, increasing income.
Since the early 2000s, many software developers have started to produce affordable solutions for beauty businesses, and online appointments have been in demand. The first CRM system appeared in the 1980s, but the service had to survive a few decades to look like modern innovative software because of that day technology.
So, okay, CRM systems are in trend, and they are pretty popular, but why do I need them? First, let's find out why beauty salons with an online appointment feature are better than those that do not offer the ability to make an appointment in a few clicks.
)
Why beauty salons with an online booking feature are better than those that don't offer this function
The more competitors appear, the more time, nerves, and investments you need to stay popular and profitable. There are several tasks to cope with when starting and maintaining any beauty industry business:
Improve service quality.
Stand out among the nearest competitors.
Implement effective ways of customer attraction and retention.
Digitalization optimized all the beauty salon routines starting from online appointments and finishing with business analytics. However, it means that to succeed, any beauty salon or hair studio has to cope with a challenge – presenting themselves online.
It's no longer the big beating the small, but the fast beating the slow.
Eric Pearson — Chief Commercial and Technology Officer of Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC
There are 7 benefits of online appointment implementation for a beauty salon:
A client feels trusted. It is very important as people tend to love their feelings when making an appointment, getting a service, etc. The result is significant, but the process is the heart of any successful beauty procedure. Please do not make your clients feel tired of calling you to make an appointment. Appreciate their time and, of course, your own.
24/7 online booking. Have you ever felt sad that there is no open beauty salon to make an appointment and you have to wait till they open to book anything? Not the best feeling. Make sure your clients never feel unwanted. Offer them the ability of online booking even out of your work hours. There is nothing complicated, just connect a CRM system and enjoy client flow.
There are no papers and misunderstandings. Once a client made an appointment, it automatically goes to the electronic log, so the owner, administrators, and staff see it. There is no chance to forget or miss an appointment.
Notifications. You won't forget about an appointment because CRM will remind you of different types of notifications. You can send them to staff and clients before or after the visit. Just choose the time, aim, and create the desired text.
Widget for online booking. A stylish, customizable widget is an excellent solution for many businesses that deal with customer services. Just customize the widget as you like, then start getting a booking via it. You can place the widget on Instagram, Facebook, or any other social network your beauty salon has.
An appointment can be canceled or rescheduled. If you respect your staff and clients, allow customers to cancel or reschedule appointments. Trust is the only way to get fewer no-shows, and you know how hard they hurt any business.
Online appointment scheduling software helps an administrator or salon manager. It allows him to do the main task – create an ideal relaxing atmosphere of a beauty salon, by effective communication, working with staff and clients, and just having enough time to do his daily routine.
)
Online appointment scheduling software for hair and beauty salons
CRM systems or online appointment scheduling software are the best solutions for any beauty business. But, first, let's find out what CRM means. So, CRM or Customer Relationship Management is the software made to optimize beauty salon routines, using many ways of their automation.
There are many offers in the current market. Developers tend to produce more and more services to cover the demand. So, be sure you will be able to find the best solution for your company. But, another issue arises – how to select the best software if there are so many options?
There are 2 basic types of CRM systems – cloud-based and on-premises. You can access cloud-based software from any place, just use the Internet and sign up even from the phone. And on-premises solutions, logically, work on local equipment. It means that to get access to the data, you'll have to get servers. There are benefits to using both variants. First, you have to understand what exactly you need right now. If you want to be fully responsible for all the information you store – use on-premises software. Then be ready to purchase all the required equipment. The advantage is that you won't need to pay for the service monthly.
Talking about cloud-based solutions, we have to mention that they are among the best options in the current market. The software is pretty affordable, doesn't require any special equipment or skills to start working, and the best, you can access it all around the globe. However, remember that you have to pay a monthly fee to store the data. Not a big deal, actually, for the level of service and quality you get.
)
Online appointment scheduling software as the key to success
Are you going to open a beauty salon? Maybe, you are already planning it? What a great idea! Don't forget to think about all the routine processes – you don't have to do them manually. Why would you want to waste money, time, and human resources if a CRM can cope even better? Any CRM system minimizes human error as the software works automatically without any human help. Just enter the data, and get all the features to simplify the work-life of your staff.
We have prepared a TOP – 10 features that will simplify the work-life of any beauty salon:
A client base with all the needed data to manage your customers most efficiently. The client base includes contacts, social media profiles, date of birth, number of visits, personal preferences, etc. Using this handy source of information, you will be able to create a loyalty program to retain and attract clients.
Visual representations of staff work schedule.
Finance module to calculate salaries, reward, or collect fines. You can also create a motivation system to make a beauty salon business even more effective.
Integration with social networks for effective targeted ads.
A set of marketing tools, including mailings, notifications about special offers, holiday greetings, etc.
Consumable stock management.
Detailed business analytics + dozen of reports.
IP telephony, analysis of calls through the system.
Aims determining + formulation of various complex business tasks.
And last but not least, online appointments!
And, it is not even the complete list of all the benefits you get when just getting a handy salon booking software. So what are you waiting for then? EasyWeek will be glad to help with selecting the best software for your company!
)
How to choose the best CRM for a beauty salon
Selecting good CRM software is a responsible task. We have prepared an ultimate checklist on choosing the best salon booking software for your beauty salon. When selecting CRM, pay attention to:
The number of functions the software offers: ensure that you don't overpay for the features you'll never use. Sometimes less is more, and a large number of features are often just marketing to attract clients.
Price: pay attention to the hidden payments and additional fees. Analyze the price, thinking whether it fits your current/future budget.
Reputation: take a look at the customers' reviews. It is that point that has to make you sure that the software is what you need. Many websites check what real users think about the solution and whether it is what you expect. The best sources to check reviews are Facebook and Google My Business, etc.
Why is EasyWeek the best solution for a beauty industry
EasyWeek is one of the best solutions in the current market, concerning its quality and price. Moreover, the software offers many tariff plans to suit any business: starting from a tiny brow bar and finishing with a multifunctional beauty salon.
The team is young and ambitious. We are already trusted all around the world. EasyWeek family includes more than a thousand happy clients that are satisfied with the service and its functions. If other services want to eat your money, our main aim is to grow together.
The range of the EasyWeek tariffs is pretty wide, an individual one starts from one person, and the biggest possible is up to 50 users. If you need more slots, it is possible to get them by request.
Let's take a look at the main benefits of EasyWeek:
a stylish, customizable widget;
a personal page that works like a mini-website;
marketing tools: QR codes, client base, etc.;
integration with social networks and online maps;
handy scheduling and real-time calendar;
finance module;
24/7 professional tech support;
dozen of different reports;
flexible tariffs and no hidden payments;
free 14-days trial.
)
Conclusions
The 21st century taught us to live online. We work, rest, communicate, advertise and even date online. So, of course, this tendency couldn't omit the beauty salon industry. It doesn't mean that now everything has to be done via the Internet, no. But to stay trendy, you have to present your business online.
One of the best solutions for beauty salon owners is CRM software. Such services are relatively young, but it is a modern must-have. No one wants to waste time calling, arranging meetings, or even arguing with administrators who can't cope with customer flow. You want it or no, but salon booking software is an essential detail that an entrepreneur must implement to succeed.
Sure, this tendency isn't just about the beauty world. All the other niches also connect this type of software. However, the beauty market is pretty flexible to this kind of stuff. So, to stand out and provide quality service, you need an excellent salon booking system.
EasyWeek will be glad to welcome you to our friendly family by offering an opportunity to try the booking software for free. We give you a free 2-weeks trial to set everything up, test it and decide whether it works as you need. From our side, we guarantee 24/7 professional tech support, so you'll never be alone!
Don't hesitate – trust us! If you have any questions concerning the software, contact our support team. They will be glad to help you!
)
)
)
