What You Should Know About Spa Management Software
Appointment scheduling – Customers love being able to schedule their appointments online at their convenience. Salon software and spa software that provide this feature make it much easier for both clients and service providers to schedule appointments. Appointment reminders via email or text help prevent missed appointments and lost revenue. By booking online, clients can see a provider’s availability and choose a time that fits their schedule without playing phone tag. Business owners can use the scheduling software features to block off time for cleaning, administrative tasks, or times they need the facility for other engagements.
Inventory management – Many spas and salons sell beauty products in addition to providing services. Those services, of course, use some of that inventory on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, knowing how much inventory is available at any given time prevents the loss of a sale or an appointment. Spa management software will often contain inventory management features so employees know how much inventory is available and when more needs to be purchased. These features can also show sales trends and which products are most popular so the business can be sure to keep them in stock.
Point of sale – POS software is a requirement of any business providing goods or services to the public. For a salon or spa, spa management software that contains comprehensive POS features will make it easy to manage clients paying for their services or purchasing products in person. POS features make it easy to process credit card payments, apply gift cards, and bundle multiple services into set packages.
Loyalty management – Many businesses in the wellness industry thrive on repeat clients, so encouraging customer loyalty is a large priority. Spa management software often contains features to create and manage loyalty programs to both entice new clients and encourage current clients to book another appointment. These programs can take the form of point systems that add up each time a service is booked, discounts for frequent visitors, or gift cards for new clients. Each business can design a program that works best for them, but the software platform will help create, distribute, and track the program.
Back-office management – There’s a lot that goes into managing a spa or salon business, and spa management platforms provide tools to help keep the business up and running. Those tools can often take the shape of accounting features, employee scheduling or payroll features, business performance analytics, and marketing features. By having all these tools in one place, owners can efficiently run their business with everything they need at their fingertips and without purchasing multiple software solutions.
Marketing – Many salons and spas are small businesses with only a few locations, so getting the word out is a major priority. Some spa management tools will include marketing features that may help create email newsletters, post to social media, and create loyalty programs. These features can help create landing pages to collect emails, design newsletters, and distribute them. They may even help design and schedule social media posts on various social media platforms. As mentioned above, loyalty programs can integrate with both email and social media as well as POS features.
Mobile app – Some salon management software will provide a mobile app that allows business owners to manage their business on the go. This app may also be customer facing, allowing them to communicate directly with the salon or spa via text or live chat and book appointments using their phones. Because many POS systems are available on mobile devices, mobile apps for salon and spa management platforms makes it easy for both large establishments and single-person businesses to stay organized. Mobile apps also make it possible for stylists who travel for weddings or other events to stay on top of everything even while traveling.
