subject: Why Do You Need Salon Management Software? [print this page] Dozens of proprietors are right now thinking about upgrading to salon management software. Some proprietors would even say that today's market makes it necessary to upgrade into computer-operated businesses. But this upgrade could also mean a hefty investment for you so you should think carefully about your options before you make a final decision.
First, look at your business and think about whether or not salon software is something you really need. Some people do like the old-fashioned yet personal touch of manually running your business, but for larger operations, this may not be an option. Making appointments for more than a handful of stylists while receiving customers and passing them through may be more work than one person can handle. This eventually leads to costly mistakes that could be off-putting to your customers. Small-scale businesses, on the other hand, may not even need salon software except for maybe keeping track of inventory and recordkeeping.
Secondly, evaluate and come up with a list of features you really need. Ending up with a hair salon software system that has more tools than you can really use could just hinder your current process and prove to be detrimental to your business instead. For example, all you need could be an inventory and appointment manager instead of whole package. It's also possible that you simply need a customer database program that you can update with your client's preferences and favorite products. Different businesses and owners will have different needs so it's important that the upgrade itself be able to increase your profits so you can justify the cost of the upgrade in the first place.
Once you have come to a decision to upgrade to hairdressing software, and you have also determined what features you really need to improve your business, then it's time to shop around. Don't be fooled by fancy websites and claims that are too good to be true. Schedule a demo with the suppliers you're considering and measure the pros and cons for each, paying attention to features and usability. You should always make sure you can compare different suppliers in terms of cost and quality of work. Flexible, forgiving, and exactly what you need is what you should get when purchase the software.
It's also a good idea to keep a back-up plan in place with your staff in case of emergencies. Having a good contingency plan in place can help you stay open even in the face of power outages, computer malfunctions, glitches, and system downtime. You should at least have a hard copy of your appointments for the next few days on hand. You should also back-up your data regularly on an external disk. Your staff should still be trained on how to tally a bill and make change. This means that you and your staff can handle almost anything.
