A random conversation with salon managers will make you hear that they constantly have their hands full. From supervising the daily operations and making sure that the salon has all the required resources for smooth operations to think about marketing strategy and ensuring profitability, a salon manager has to do it all. In an industry, which sees cut throat competition the slightest mistake can result in loss of face, loss of clients and staff, and closure of the business. Therefore, when it comes to managing a beauty salon, it is not only important to understand the nitty gritty of the process. In this blog, let us take explain what is salon management and what can you do to ace the game.
Adopt Technology
Technology is your best friend. The backend processes required to run a salon are time consuming and will leave you with barely enough time to do anything else. From appointment booking and work allocation to processing invoices and collecting payments, a salon business management software can do it all. Further, by streamlining all the processes a salon management software greatly enhances your productivity and provides your clients with a modern and seamless experience. More importantly it leaves you and your team with enough time to focus on strategy and increasing sales.
Have a vision
The first and foremost requirement is to have a vision for your salon. In your capacity as the captain of the ship, it is important that you set both the short and long term goals such that you can steer the business in the right direction. Whether your vision is to expand your business or win awards, put it across and communicate it effectively such that you and your tem can work towards it.
Have clear and effective communication
An essential requirement of smooth operations is to have clear and effective communication with all your stake holders, and particularly your staff. Always, keep in mind a good manager is the one, who not only lends an ear. While this doesn’t mean that you have to believe all what is told, it certainly means that your demeanour must be that of an approachable person. From your staff to your clients, everyone should be able to reach you if they have a problem.
Get Familiar with Expense & Revenue
Expenses and revenue are an integral part of the operations, and as a salon manager it is very crucial that you are familiar with these numbers, and ensure profitability. Thus, it is important you create a budget for all type of expense and record each and every expenditure. As a salon manager it is also your duty to ensure that all the staff and suppliers are paid on time. Additionally, it is also important that you ensure that the utility bills are cleared on time. One of the great ways to do it is by leveraging technology. Most modern salon business management software come with a host of features, which allow you to set up budgets, schedule automated payments, while ensuring that you do not overshoot the budget.
Be Innovative
The salon industry is a fast paced one. Styles relevant today get rescinded to the bins of history tomorrow. Therefore, it is important that you and your team stay innovative. While it is important to stay updated on the styles and techniques, it is equally important to extend the innovation in other aspects of the operations such as motivating staff, marketing and client interaction. It is perhaps this zeal, which explains why more and more salons are adopting salon management software to provide a seamless and highly personalized client experience.
Collecting Client Feedback
Your clients are your brand ambassadors. Thus, as a salon manager it is important to actively collect their feedback and seek genuine suggestions. One of the easy ways to collect feedback is to have a pre-set template, which can be shared with the client as soon as the payment process is over. A salon management software is equipped to not only collect feedback but also help you track and respond to them, particularly the negative ones.
Study the Reports
Last but not the least, study your business. From appointment book to daily sales. From weekly account receivables to account payables. From client retention ratios to employee performance. Managing a beauty salon demands you to read and comprehend these reports with a hawk’s eye. Here also, you can leverage technology. Most salon management software come with a robust reporting and analytics module. Some of the renowned names are Zenoti, MindBody, BePos, Salonist and Rosy. We particularly love Zenoti for its interactive and state of art graphic interface, which makes report comprehension very easy. Moreover, as Zenoti is a cloud based salon software, it means that you can access your business data from anywhere. In other words, it is business on the go.
The above cited tips are known to help in running a successful salon. Aside the above, there are multiple indirect factors such as inventory management, and loyalty programs, which can also help you in salon management. However, it must be borne in mind that the best salons are often the ones that are happy places and where all stake holders have healthy equations. Thus, as a salon manager it is important that your leadership reflects those values.