The hair and beauty industry is a competitive space. For any brand to grow, it is important that they keep pace with changing trends. Amongst the many things, technology is the most crucial. It can help you run almost every aspect of your business. In today’s day and age, businesses are heavily relying on tech tools to transform their salon. For example, a lot of seasoned salon owners have been swearing at MioSalon Lite. It is a fully free salon management software that comprises a whole list of advanced features. Believe it or not, technology, online tools, and social media can affect your overall bottom line.
6 Tech Tools that can improve your Salon Bottom line
Let’s check out the other tech basics that can improve your salon business:
1. Online Appointment Scheduling Software
If you’ve still been following the age-old method of taking client appointments, it’s time to move on. Appointments taken over the phone is not just time-consuming but also annoying for the customers as well. Today, people crave a quick turnaround time and accessibility when it comes to availing of any service. They want the whole process to be seamless. Thus, your hair salon should turn to innovative online booking technology to offer this accessibility to clients.
Online booking gives customers the liberty to schedule an appointment anytime and from anywhere. Convenience is a major advantage of this. Plus, there is no room for error since the customer is doing it himself. It also gives him a chance to tweak/modify the appointment as per his schedule. Secondly, with salon appointment scheduling software, appointment reminders become more personal. The system will send out automated reminders to the clients via SMS and emails. This further reduces no-shows, missed appointments, and cancellations.
If you’re a salon owner who has no clue about how this feature works, check out MioSalon Lite. It is an advanced salon software that is absolutely free.
2. Virtual Imaging
In the beauty industry, the ultimate goal is to maximize client satisfaction. Also, when you satisfy clients, you also end up retaining them. By leveraging virtual imaging (VI) tools, you can do that. It gives clients the chance to see the “after” style even before they start working. For example, if a client is getting a particular haircut, hairstyle, or makeup application, they’d get a fair idea of how they would look post the service.
Virtual imaging in the beauty business makes a lot of things possible. And, if you want to thrive, this is one tech tool you should incorporate. Most VI tools come with their own databases of different looks, hairstyles, and so on. However, you can even customize them as per your products. Certain imaging programs even have three-dimensional capabilities to improve imaging accuracy.
Also Read: Best Hair Salon Marketing Ideas to Get More Clients
3. Webcam Consultation
In the post-COVID world, we cannot emphasize enough on the importance of webcam consultation. Though things are nearing normalcy, a lot of clients are still not comfortable going to a salon for consultations. In such a case, video conferencing is a technology you should be leveraging on to offer online consultations. By making online consultations a part of your menu, your stylists get to earn extra income for your salon. It avoids overcrowding in the salon premises.
4. Salon Management Software
In order to simplify salon operations, you should consider getting salon management software like MioSalon Lite. It will help you with appointment scheduling, inventory monitoring, managing client data, employee payroll, retail, marketing and every other mundane salon task. Salon software will inject efficiency into how your salon is run. It also reduces human error and makes tasks less time-consuming. No matter what the size of your salon or spa is, salon software makes it easier for you to attract new clients and grow your revenue.
5. Artificial Intelligence
Following up with a customer post the appointment can be tedious and time-consuming. What if you can allow bots to do the job for you? That’s where artificial intelligence comes in. AI technology helps you with customer care by enabling bots to answer routine questions. The technology uses the knowledge you feed it over time and other information available on the internet regarding your business on your social media pages, Google My Business, and website. It will use this to generate the most appropriate answers to the FAQs. Only when a question requires a human or employee to reply, the technology will redirect the client to you. Using AI ensures the clients are satisfied without eating into your busy schedule.
6. Online Learning Resources
Though this isn’t a technology that will simplify your day-to-day operations, it will help you stay on top of your game in the beauty business. As a salon owner, you should invest in courses and online learning resources for your staff. Keep an eye on beauty events and forums to abreast of the changing industry trends. When you invest in such learning material for your staff, they too will be more enthusiastic about their jobs. You can look on the internet for free courses as well as paid certification courses.
Thus, technology has a very important role to play in the beauty industry. It changes the way services are delivered and availed. If you want your salon and spa to stay ahead of the game, it’s time to get these tech upgrades as soon as possible.
