Change is not easy. I’ve been in this industry for over two decades, and I’ve seen plenty of change. I’ve seen new styles, new products, new technologies, and I’ve seen many of those rejected outright by successful salons. “We’re doing just fine,” they’d say. Many of those salons aren’t around anymore. What is they say? Adapt or die?
The introduction of salon software to our industry was game changing. To put our whole system into the cloud and make it accessible from any device, any time is truly revolutionary.
And yet many resist. They like their old school appointment book and their client rolodex or index cards. The thought of digitizing EVERYTHING is scary to them. They make up excuses. Or worse, fabricate mistruths about this new technology. Here are some of the more frequent ones I hear:
1 | Staying offline keeps my information safe
Do you really think keeping only hardcopy versions of your appointment book, client contact info, and business transactions is a best practice? What happens if there’s a fire or a flood? Or a break-in? Are you really prepared to start over from square one?
Yes, we live in a time of hackers and data breaches. That’s why at SalonTarget we built in two-factor authentication for logging in and using the salon software. It’s one of the highest forms of security available.
Worried about a hard drive crash? SalonTarget stores your information in the cloud, so it’s always backed up. If your laptop goes down or the front desk computer gets fried it will have ZERO impact on all your salon information stored with SalonTarget.
Read: Top Salon Management Mistakes You Might Be Making
2 | I’m better organized with a “real” appointment book
There is something pleasant and tacticle about flipping through that big ole appointment book to book a client. I bet folks thought the same thing about the hand crank on their Model Ts.
You know what beats the single hardcopy appointment book stuck at the front desk? The digital appointment that EVERY stylist in your salon has access to on their phones or devices. No more shuffling pages and scanning for openings while one client waits (im)patiently to rebook and three more hover around waiting to check in.
In fact, your clients won’t even have to deal with the front desk to find an opening. With our “Book Online” feature your clients can log in and schedule an appointment on their own. There is NOTHING like popping open the SalonTarget Schedule in the morning and watching the days book up all on their own.
3 | I’ll lose money
I’ve had salon owners express concerns that a salon software management system won’t allow for dynamic pricing of various services, and therefor will cost the salon in lost revenue. This is the exact opposite of the truth. SalonTarget allows for fully customizable pricing, so in fact you can MAXIMIZE your earnings by keeping tabs on pricing and adjusting as needed.
Some salons claim they can’t afford to pay for a monthly subscription to a salon software. I understand the need to keep costs low, but I’ve only ever seen salons’ bottom lines go UP after using SalonTarget. How is that possible? There almost too many reasons to list, but let’s start with fewer no-shows, higher rebooking rates, increased client retention, and increased product sales. Those right there are serious $$$ makers.
So, no. You’re not going to lose money.
4 | I don’t need a digital presence – clients find me in the phone book
Are those the clients rolling up in their Model Ts? The world is going digital, and clients today are VERY comfortable interacting with businesses in online spaces. The ability to hit your salon’s website AND book right there online is huge for a new client.
Additionally, SalonTarget features a digital referral system that allows existing clients to refer friends and families and allows YOU to track and reward existing clients for making referrals.
5 | Too many systems to figure out and keep track of
This one smells like fear, but an understandable one. New technology can be intimidating. And yes, it requires some learning and some practice. But SalonTarget is not “too many systems.” It is ALL of your systems brought into ONE easy-to-manage location. Appointments, Clients, Sales, Reports, Payroll, Marketing – it’s all right there when you log in. Trust me – I’m a salon owner and not the most technologically literate person, so we made this intuitive and dead simple to use.
Launch our SalonTarget Simulator to explore.
Best of all, we are a phone call or an email away if you ever get stuck. We’ve heard too many horror stories of other salon software companies leaving their salon clients high and dry and we make it our mission to be available when we’re needed. We’ve also put together a helpful list of FAQs and a Best Practices for the “help themselves” types.
Want to schedule a SalonTarget demo to see for yourself? Get in touch today!
