Holiday Planner on Salon iQ Software

How to Use the Holiday Planner on Salon iQ Software

Holiday Planner on Salon Software

Good Bye paper…!

I love the holiday planner on Salon iQ. It is a great way to track every single one of your team members annual leave, sick leave, maternity, days off and working days all on one screen within your hair and beauty salon.

For Salon iQ users -> Click on Team Member -> Holiday View

You will see on the top right hand side how many holidays are booked for the year so far. You’ll also see a cog (settings) on the top right hand side. This gives you the option to view another team member. Or view every single team member at once.

By hovering over a particular date you will see a  small box appear showing you all other stylists/therapists that are off on a particular day as well.

To access the holiday settings for each team member and to adjust their holiday entitlement click on -> Team Member -> Edit Team Member -> Commissions Tab

How to view the holiday planner on Salon iQ software

How to access the settings area on Salon iQ software

Ryan Fox from Umbrella Consulting is available to assist with education on this topic. All Salon iQ client receive preferential rates.

Get NEW Salon Appointments Using Email Manager on Salon iQ Software

GAS is ‘the’ tool you need to be using to grow your business through recommendation.

our support team receives 10-15 calls per day on GAS on how it works and how it can benefit your salon business.

The great thing about GAS is you have full control of how it works, who receives the messages and which stylist/therapists benefit from it.

It’s the perfect salon marketing tool to grow a stylist/therapists column when they join your salon.

When developing GAS on Salon iQ we wanted to make sure it was easy for you to setup. We spent a lot of time simplifying the process for you.

You have the option to re-word the GAS templates that are pre-saved in Salon iQ or you are more than welcome to edit and use your own.

TOP TIP – When you are editing the GAS SMS, right click in the white space. You will see the ‘short cut’ merge field option pop up, this saves you searching for the correct coding. The merge fields are a really great way of personalising the message.

As a general rule the majority of hair and beauty salons set up the send a friend promotion at 50% off and cut and finish. However you can have this set at any percentage. Some salons have 5% or even 10%. It is completely up to you and what works for your salon business.

Terms and conditions are key for this promotion, most hair and beauty salons will not want to accept this on certain days such as Saturdays.

On Salon iQ software you can easily view the results and revenue of what GAS is creating for you by viewing the GAS dashboard. Menu -> Dashboard -> GAS

You can also view each individual client that has used the GAS promotion as well as this being recorded on the clients individual profile for future reference.

How to maximise on GAS
1. Ensure your whole team are behind it
2. It is key that every stylist and therapist in your salon understands how the promotion works
3. Everyone must talk about the promotion to their clients
4. Enable GAS on your Salon iQ system
5. Why not send an E-blast to your database reminding them of this great promotion

Questions From The  GAS Webinar Today

Q: Hi James, If you do the GAS on Tue-Thur only, do you put this on the inital SMS message?

A. Yes, I would put the details of the promotion on the SMS, It does have “T&C’s ” written on the SMS but I think it best to be clear with your clients.

A. It really depends, As mentioned on the video, there is no right or wrong set up for G.A.S. – It really depends on the salon. However, I do know some salons use the promotion in less busy times of the year such as January to drive up bookings and switch it off again in February. Another point is to use G.A.S for new stylists to help grow the column.

Remember if you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact our support team, we are hear to help you. 01892 280123

Salon Software,  GDPR and consent for Salon Marketing

Best practice for Data Protection, GDPR and Salon Software

25th May 2018 is the deadline for business’ to be GDPR Compliant. In reality the date is likely to come and go with little noticeable changes to the way the majority of salons conduct themselves. However over time “good practise” will prevail and businesses will need to understand and abide by the new rules and regulations.

At SalonIQ, we believe GDPR is a good thing and as a leading UK Salon Software supplier take our responsibilities seriously.

This blog is going to cover some of the modifications that we have made to SalonIQ to help salons with GDPR compliance. These GDPR changes will be in the March release of SalonIQ.  If you have not read our first Blog on GDPR in salons I suggest you read it here
https://saloniq.com/guide-to-gdpr-for-salons/

One of the main “Hot Topics” in GDPR is about consent.  Although one would think this is quite straightforward there are obviously different ways of interpreting the regulations. You can read the ico guidelines here:

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/lawful-basis-for-processing/consent/

So for the purpose of this blog we will outline the changes we have made and in particular how we will be implementing it in our own salons.

The first thing you will notice is there are more consent options on the record card:

IQ Desktop Salon App

iQ Tablet/ Mobile Salon App

Some things do not require you to get consent from your clients as it is deemed to be a “legitimate interest”. We believe appointment reminders fall into this category, as would surveys and reviews.

New Salon Clients

Getting consent from new clients or renewing consent from clients that have appointments is fairly straightforward although for “good practice” you will need to review your process.

New In-Salon Salon Systems and Processes

One of the important decisions you will need to make is how you ask for consent.

1. Verbally

This is not necessarily the best method as it is always best to have the client fill in a form or do it electronically, and that is what we recommend for new salon clients. For existing clients that are coming in for an appointment you may decide to take this soft approach. Plus within SalonIQ when you transact a bill if the consent forms have not been updated a new dialogue will appear asking whether consent has been given.

2. Manual Forms
Most salons still use manual forms and they update the opt-ins as a manual process. You can then take a picture and add it as an attachment to the clients record card.

3. Electronic Consent – Recommended
Probably the neatest and most professional way to get consent, has to be by handing the guest a tablet and getting them to add their client details and agree to the consent, then sign the digital consent form. SalonIQ has developed a special “Client Mode” which restricts what the client can do, and secures other client records from being viewed. Salon IQ then date and time stamp each change to keep an audit of changes.

On-line consent – When clients register for online booking they will be asked for their consent again, and will also have the option of updating their preferences on their profile on the online booking widget or consumer app (launching March 2018).

Old Clients in the Database
There is no need to ask for consent again from existing clients on your database provided you have already asked for their permission. Again common sense and good practise should prevail. So if a client has not been into the salon for 12-18-24 months, good practice would suggest you either archive them or stop marketing to them.

As we already offer unsubscribe features on our emails and assuming you allow existing clients to opt-out of any marketing then this should be adequate.

If you use 2-way texting you can also offer opt out by replying “STOP” in texts, but be aware this increases the length of the text so check to see how many credits it is using. The SalonIQ team will be able to talk you through setting this up.

Other Important Salon GDPR Requirements

As part of the new regulations there are two other requirements that we have simplified for Salon Owners. The requirement to be able to print a full record to give to your client of all the information you hold on them, and the requirement to allow a client to be “forgotten” if requested. To meet these requirements we have added two more buttons on the clients record card which are visible to users with the admin user role.

GDPR Print Mode

Will allow you to print a full copy of all the information you hold on the client that is stored on Salon-IQ

GDPR Forget ME

Will delete the client from your database. Please note to do this you will need to have “admin” user role activated, plus type in a unique security password.

In the unlikely/rare event that someone does actually ask you to remove them completely from your database, it may be good practise to print a hard copy of their file and store it securely for a few months. Just in case a month later you suddenly receive a letter from some no-win no fee lawyer accusing your salon of something, which you then find yourself unable to defend as you no longer have any of their data.

Dealing with Under 13’s –  GDPR is quite specific about this. If you plan to market to Children you must get parental consent and therefore should get their consent in the same manor.

This is the tip of the iceberg as far as GDPR is concerned, and as you can probably tell we believe compliance of this is essential. We will do our best to make compliance as simple as possible for you the salon owner.

Our Final Blog in March on Salon GDPR will give you the SalonIQ GDPR implementation checklist.

Salon iQ Software Dashboards

Dashboards

We have four dashboards on Salon iQ software, these are…

– Team
– Salon
– Gas
– Stock

You need to ensure that you have the correct security settings active on Salon iQ to view the dashboards.

I’m not sure about you but I honestly could not live without the dashboards on Salon iQ software. It gives me such an insight into what the salon is forecast to do and what revenue the salon has produced on any day, past, present or future.

Which dashboard do you use the most?
What part of the dashboards could you not live without?

For all Salon iQ users, go to Menu -> Dashboards -> Select the dashboard you wish to view

Top 5 Things I Love About Salon iQ Dashboards

1. Customisable dates – Viewing any day, week or month you wish
2. You are able to print any of the dashboards
3. Having the filter for services and retail allows me to easily view who is at the top
4. The stars and flags make it easy to see who is hitting their targets
5. Viewing clients on the GAS dashboard to see who has used the promotion

Each dashboard allows you to view specific information relating to certain areas of revenue that is produced by everyone.

Salon iQ Team Dashboard

This views each individual team member you have setup on the appointment book.

You are then able to breakdown their revenue by looking at certain areas such as services, retail, care factor, re-booking %, new client count and their wages % to name a few

The team dashboard also gives a summary of the period you are looking at showing you the individuals averages. Please see below…

As you can see it gives such a great overview of how a team member is performing.

Salon iQ Salon Dashboard

The salon dashboard is similar to the team dashboard only that it displays all the figures relating to the salon as a whole, this includes every team member plus any OTC (over the counter sales)

You are able to view any day you wish on the salon dashboard whether that be a day, a week, a month or even a year.

Promotions applied at checkout are summariesed and broken down so you can view the value of each promotion used for the period you have selected plus you can see the monetary value and % of the promotion for the salon.

The salon dashboard is great for group salons as you can view and compare all the figures on one page. Each dashboard is also printable from the salon dashboard for each salon you have in your group.

Salon iQ Gas Dashboard

Created and developed by Salon iQ this is just one of Salon iQ great USP’s.

A system built into Salon iQ software that allows you to send, track and increase the effectiveness of the classic ‘Send a Friend promotion’ The only difference is you can personalise the message and decide when your clients receive the message.

The best thing of all though…it is all on auto-pilot. You haven’t got to do a thing.

Salon iQ Stock Dashboard

The stock dashboard is a life saver. It really organises all your stock from ‘Goods In’, to doing an ‘In-depth Stock Take’ to seeing what retail products sell the most.

Are you a Salon iQ user? Have you download the Salon iQ stock app?

If you haven’t yet downloaded the Salon iQ stock app, do so now. It will save you even more time when you do your stock take. You can also say goodbye to mountains of paperwork everywhere.

Tips on How to Use Client Retention and Guest Journey on Salon iQ Software

We are in the day where creating a gorgeous colour and cut or pampering some one for hours just isn’t enough.

Salon iQ has an automated marketing system built in to keep contact with your clients in between visits.

Salon iQ software also enables you to view lapsed clients (clients that have not been in for some time)

Please watch the recorded live webinar of the steps you can take on Salon iQ you keep in touch with your salon clients.

There are other methods you can include into your marketing plan to reach out to lost salon clients such as courtesy calls. This could be a simple call from your receptionist asking your client if they would like to make a booking as you have not seen them in some time.

The results speak for themselves.

Why does this work in hair and beauty salons?

We all live such busy lifestyles that it’s hard to remember everything, 8 out of 10 0 of us have our personal needs at the very bottom of the list, which is why a gentle reminder via SMS or email works every time.

Remember – Keep an eye on the number of characters your SMS contains as 1 character too many will mean 2 credits (x2 SMS cost)

Sending out emails you obviously do not have this limitation so you can say a little more – I wouldn’t use this an excuse to write an essay though. People do not have time these days o read through pages and pages of text.

It needs to be kept short and to the point to increase the results you get.

Please see below Q&A from the live webinar;

Q: Does this not pick up the no shows automatically when marked as a no show?
A. In order for the “No Show” message to send, you will need to click on the missed appointment and click the “No Show” tab manually.

Q: We send a birthday text message but to all guests in system I would like to send it to those visited in period say a year?
A. You can use client selections, however this would not necessarily send the SMS/Email on the client birthday, but rather within a date frame.

Q: Are archived guests not marketed to ie no birthday text?
A. Hi, Once a client is archived – this stops all SMS / Emails being sent

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our education manager James. James@saloniq.com or you can call 01892 280123

Making Sure your Salon is GDPR Compliant

There is no shortcut to making sure your salon is compliant with GDPR, it is a new regulation and in a number of areas it is ambiguous.

This blog however is a case study on the steps GREAT hairdressing & Beauty have taken in conjunction with the first 2 blogs https://saloniq.com/guide-to-gdpr-for-salons/ and https://saloniq.com/gdpr-data-protection-and-consent-using-salon-software/ and should give you a good understanding and practical steps to making sure you comply with the new law that comes into effect in May 2018. As a fairly typical small business/salon, the following, outlines the steps we have done in readiness for the new regulations.

Step 1: Team Meetings and Key personnel Awareness

The key people in GREAT hairdressing & Beauty are aware that the law is changing to the GDPR. They appreciate the impact this is likely to have and we identified areas that could cause compliance problems under the GDPR (predominately record keeping and consent). At team meetings the changes in the regulations were outlined, notices put up in the staff room and hand-outs given to all team members. In particular the rights of the individual, the changes to consent, and also stressing the importance of data protection. You can download an example of the hand out here
Team Handout GDPR

Step 2 Documenting the Information we hold

We documented what personal data we held, where it came from and who you share it with. A great resource for this is https://www.inforights.im/media/1271/gdpr_part-1_toolkit_mapping_may2016.pdf

Step 3 Updated Privacy Policy

We updated our current privacy notice. Under the GDPR there are some additional things you have to tell people. For example, you will need to explain your lawful basis for processing the data, your data retention periods and that individuals have a right to complain to the ICO if they think there is a problem with the way you are handling their data. The GDPR requires the information to be provided in concise, easy to understand and clear language. An example of GREAT hairdressing’s privacy policy can be downloaded here.
Privacy_Policy_Draft_vgdpr

Step 4 Checking we can deal with individual Rights and Subject Access Requests

We checked our procedures to ensure they cover all the rights that the individuals have, including how we would delete personal data or provide data electronically and in a commonly used format.
The GDPR includes the following rights for individuals
• the right to be informed
• the right of access
• the right to rectification
• the right to erasure
• the right to restrict processing
•the right to data portability
• the right to object
• the right not to be subject to automated decision-making including profiling.
At GREAT hairdressing & Beauty most of these responsibilities fall to our Salon Manager, who has been shown how to use “GDPR Forget” and “GDPR print” as well as managing consent.
Lawful Basis for Processing Data
We updated our privacy notice to explain how we process data.

Step 5 Consent

GREAT hairdressing & Beauty have adopted a “best practice” approach to consent. (NB; appointment reminders and quality surveys/reviews do not require consent as these are deemed as essential service communications and can certainly be considered as legitimate interests. With the GDPR flag enabled, by default new clients will NOT be opted into marketing but will still be opted in to reminders.

Initial 8 Weeks

All attending clients for a period of 8 weeks from 25th May will be asked to complete a new client registration form and there consent preferences updated and details checked on SalonIQ. Where possible the client will use the “Client Mode” on SalonIQ and compete this themselves. Where manual forms are used, these will be filed. This is good practice to do annually anyway as it keeps the quality of your data upto date. The team have been explained how SalonIQ prompts for consent and the importance of clicking “NO” if a consent form has not been completed. See example of Client registration form here.
Guest Details gdpr

After the initial 8 weeks

New Clients will be asked to complete the registration form.

Archiving non Active Clients.

Consent in GDPR should ideally be a positive opt-in, historically this was not the case at GREAT hairdressing & Beauty but importantly the fact they are existing customers means it is still ok to market to them as you have a basis of “legitimate interest” and soft-opt-in (this is not a license to SPAM), here we decided to adopt a common sense approach and have automatically set SalonIQ to archive clients after 24 months. Therefore within 2 years all our data will be refreshed and we will only be marketing to clients that have opted in with our new procedures.
In Global Settings we set automatically archive Non Active Clients to 24 months.

Withdrawing Consent

GREAT hairdressing & Beauty have simple ways for people to withdraw consent. All SalonIQ emails go out with options to unsubscribe and at any time a client can call or email to remove their consent.
We made the policy not to market to Children younger than 13 and therefore will not be opted in to any marketing.

Step 6 Data Breaches

In our industry, the most likely reason for a data breach will be theft by an existing team member. Often hard to prove unless they access data after they have left the salon.
We only have to notify the ICO of a breach where it is likely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals –if, for example, it could result in discrimination, damage to reputation, financial loss, loss of confidentiality or any other significant economic or social disadvantage. Where a breach is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals, you will also have to notify those concerned directly in most cases.
This not felt to be the case in GREAT Hairdressing, however it was agreed if ever a data breach occurred a full investigation would be carried out and documented.

Closing note:

Larger organisations will have greater obligations under GDPR and no doubt more clarity on obligations and how best to comply will become apparent in due course as everyone grapples with the new law. Hopefully this blog has given you a start and shown that it does not have to be as onerous as one first thinks.

SalonIQ Salon Booking APP

The first Version of the SalonIQ salon bookig app has arrived. What makes our app different? – INTEGRATION.

I have asked literall hundreds of App developers, and salon owners over the years; “why would I want a salon app?” The truth is you don’t. There is no point in having a Salon App if it is not truly integrated. The SalonIQ app offers the following:

• Simplifies Bookings – Quick and Easy
• Gift Card Sales
• Points
• Contact/Maps/Social
• Deposits and Payments
• Customised colours, logo and splash screen
• Apple Store/Android Store

That is the first version. Available NOW.

Version 2 – Nov 2018

• Enhancements from user Feedback
• My Gallery
• Share
• More Booking Flexibility  – Standby’s – Late Deals -Treats
• Salon Loyalty Scheme
• Product Recommendations
• App Promotions

Version 3 – Chat/Leave a message, intelligent notifications, Salon inspirations –  2019

You need to be getting your clients onto your app now.

And here is the best bit; you can get the SalonIQ booking app for a

Special introductury price of £199+vat setup and £27+vat per month for the first salon

£10+vat/month for additional sites (Normally £299 setup and £37+vat per month for first salon then £12/month for additional salons). The most cost effective Salon App  created. You will not find a custom salon app for less. Continuing our commitment to you the Salon Owner.

SalonIQ is more than just salon software, it is a business strategy. The platform of the future, SalonIQ

Have a play and download the demo copy at

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/saloniq-online-booking/id1364924873?mt=8

Watch the GDPR Webinar from Salon iQ Software

GDPR stands for General Data Protection which is replacing the Data Protection act from 1998 (DPA)

You may have already seen a few of our posts on GDPR outlining the changes Salon iQ have made to ensure your salon software helps your Salon business as much as possible to comply with GDPR.

 Salon iQ Webinar on GDPR

If you were not able to tune into a webinar we have it recorded for you so you can watch it at any time. 

We went through some key points that you will need to ensure you have implemented before 25th May 2018.

GDPR for most Salon Owners seems like a big mine field but it really is something you can not ignore.

There are a few points we have noted below that are included in the webinar.

Firstly you need to  ensure you have registered with the ICO which is the Information Commissioners Office and costs £35 per year. You can register with the ICO online and receive your registration certificate via email.

If you do not comply with GDPR your salon business may face financial penalties, so make sure your salon stays within the law.

When Did You Last Cleanse Your Data on Salon iQ Software?

It will really benefit your salon by cleansing the data you currently have on your salon software. This is for a number of reasons.

1. Currently you may hold data from clients that have not been to your salon for a number of years. Are they likely to return if you have not seen them for some time? Probably not, it is likely that they have moved away or have another regular hair or beauty salon that they now go to.

2. Reduce your marketing costs. This is a great time to remove any clients you have on your database that you have not seen for 18 to 24 months. Why? Think of the costs…ask your self, are they likely to return to you after this length of time? 

3. Keep your data tidy. If you make it best practice to keep your data up to date and remove any clients you have not seen for some time, you know that any clients you are sending SMS or E-mails to are more likely to respond. Therefore you will get a better return. 

What is Personal Data?

Personal data is anything from the clients Name, Address, Date of Birth, Photos, Phone Numbers, Email Address to any medical records (such as skin testing)

The above lists just a few of the details you may hold for your clients.

Can You Still Market to Your Clients with GDPR?

Yes. You certainly can, you just have to alter slightly on how you get your clients data. Before you may have had a system where you automatically opt-in your clients to receive emails and SMS and then give them the option to opt-out of marketing if they choose not to receive any.

However now you are not aloud to do this. You must give the client clear instructions to opt-in. If they have not chosen to opt-in then you can not market to them or add them to your mailing list automatically even if you give them the options to opt-out afterwards.

In a nutshell you must have your clients consent and give them the option to opt-in and receive marketing information from you to send any marketing material to them.

Salon iQ Software and GDPR

Salon iQ have made some changes to how the client profile looks and works for your salon business. 

Some salons will ask their clients to complete a form (on paper) for them to enter all their personal details onto, to which the salon receptionist will then fill everything out on the Salon iQ which is saved to the clients personal profile. Now however, you can give an iPad or tablet to your client with their profile in ‘Client Mode’ and let them complete there details directly on the salon software.

Part of the profile that they complete is the consent section allowing you to market to them, this also requires a signature, showing the changes that have been made and authorised by the client themselves. 

Opt-out – Make it Clear and Easy to Do

When you send an email out to your clients you MUST make sure you have an option for them to unsubscribe, many salons have this already in place, however moving forward with GDPR you will need to have this clearly displayed within every single email you sound out.

It is also an option but not a necessity for you to add a keyword at the end of any texts you send out, allowing your client to opt-out if they wish. A simple word like ‘STOP’ could be replied to from a client which will advise you to take action and opt-out that particular client from receiving any more SMS from you. 

Keep Records

Any details you get from your clients must be kept for 5 years under lock and key.

Paper based forms – must now be kept for 5 years, this shows that you have asked for consent and have followed the new GDPR guidelines correctly when collecting client data with a date and time shown.

If you are using Salon iQ to store your client data, the software will now automatically create a time stamp when any of the details have been changed within their profile. The time stamp is key as it keeps a record of when the changes were made to their marketing and is proof that you have asked for consent.

View the GDPR changes on Salon iQ software here

Remember To Ask For Consent

I don’t know about you but remembering to ask every client for consent can be very difficult when you are at reception in your salon and doing 10 things at once. To make life easy for you Salon iQ have created a pop up window which is displayed when you click checkout on a client.

When this window pops up you will have 3 options to choose from Yes, No and Edit. 

Yes – By clicking ‘Yes’ you are saying that you have asked the client for consent and any changes that need to be made have been done.

No – Clicking ‘No’ will allow you to continue to take your clients bill. However the consent remedies window will continue to pop every time you checkout this particular client until you actually asked the client for consent and pick Yes on the computer

Edit – Allows you to make changes to the client profile and consent to the market to them. 

Ask To Be Deleted 

Currently if a client asks to be removed from your database you would archive them and think no more of it.

Now however if a client requests to be deleted you must actually delete them completely from your system. You will now not be able to keep any details on them at all. Salon IQ  has created a new function which allows you to completely delete their details from your salon database. 

You do have the option to still archive them if you wish also. 

How To Video on How to Use the NEW GDPR functions on the Salon iQ Hub 

Employee Data

Employee data is obviously needed for various reasons such as pay, emergencies and contracts etc. It’s important to get organised. You should only be keeping employee details that you need and will use. Any details you do hold must be kept securely and remember to keep it for only a long as you need it. 

Job Applicants 

Any CV’s that you are given whether it be by email, handed in or by a third party cannot be kept without consent. You may in the past have kept CV’s for a later date if the applicant was not successful, you can still do this but you must ask for the persons permission to do this and most importantly keep their details in a safe place. 

Special Categories

The hair and beauty salon falls under a special category due to skin testing and is classed as medical record.

Within the clients profile we have created a completely separate tick box which gives you consent to keep medical records, keeping it nice and clear for you the salon owner and the client.

Your Team 

Here you will see a case study that we did on GDPR with our own salons – we highly recommend you hold regular team meetings with each of your team members explaning how GDPR works and what this means for them and the salon. 

Privacy Policy

It is best practice to have your privacy policy displayed in your salon and on your website and outline the following;

– Why you are holding the data

– How you will use the data

– Where it will be stored

– Who it will be shared with (if anyone)

– When it will be deleted

– Why it will be deleted

Template of New Guest Details Form

Guide to Data Protection on Salon iQ

Salon iQ Case Study on GDPR

How to use GDPR on the Salon iQ Hub

Example of Salon iQ’s Privacy Policy

Template for Team Handout 

Salon and Team Dashboards + KPI’s on Salon iQ

In today’s webinar we touched on Team and Salon dashboards as well as KPI’s – these are all key areas of your business and give you vital information. So looking at them often is a must!

Knowing and understanding the direction your business is going in is key to a successful salon and continuous growth.

Salon iQ have the best tool to ensure you keep track revenue, stylist targets, salon forecast and much more.

Dashboards

Salon iQ software have 2 dashboards, Team Dashboard and Salon Dashboard

Both dashboards are great for independent salon or group salons that like to compare certain areas of their business all on one page.

Let’s start with the Salon Dashboard on Salon iQ software

As always with a lot of areas on salon IQ you can personalise and apply specific filters which allows you to view only the information you are interested in, by clicking the cog on the top right hand side of the dashboard screen. 

 Below you can see a snap shot of the averages for the week for 1 particular salon; 

You can view these figures for any date range, whether that be for the day, week, month, year or a customised date.

This chart is also viewable on the team dashboard. So no more calculating figures to find your averages. 

I don’t know about you but I am always limited on time but still like to keep a close eye on the business including the number of promotions that the salon is doing, along with retail that is sold and what services are most popular for the dates I have selected. 

You can see looking at the image above we have 3 boxes ‘Services’, ‘Brands’, and ‘Promotions Used’ each category I really could not live without. 

It shows the Description, Units, Value and % across each category. Again all this information can be viewed for the day, week, month or a customised date.

The image below shows 6 symbols which you will see on the top right hand corner of the dashboards screen. 

Team dashboard displays very similar information to the Salon dashboard, however you can see each individual employee. 

The stats are great on the dashboard to make comparisons with other employees. By clicking on the category at the top you can see a hierarchy, I love this feature as you can clearly see who is performing in your salon for services and retail. Again you can view all this information with any date you select. 

Anther key feature is enabling your employees to view their own dashboards without seeing anyone else’s. As James explained in the webinar, deeding on what user roles you have set, you can make sure that the team members can only see their dashboards and no-one else’s. 

We have found in the salons that the employee actually become quite addicted to see how they are doing and heck them everyday.

View GDPR Webinar here

Reports for your Salon Business using Salon iQ Software

Salon iQ Software is known for its in-depth reports. Without looking at reports for certain areas of your salon business it can be difficult to know where you are heading and notice where you have room for improvement. 

To view the reports for your salon on Salon iQ software go to…(Each of the below categories are broken down again for ease of navigation)

Main Menu -> Reports ->    

– Till

– Clients

– Appointments

– Team

– Salon

– System

This post will go through the following reports on Salon iQ: (Please remember there are many more reports available at your finger tips on Salon iQ software, we will go through these in another webinar)

1. Year on Year

2. ROI

3. Business Summary

4. Till Audit

5. Client Data

6. Booking Performance

7. Promotions Used

8. No-show

9. Cancelled deleted bills

Year on Year – relevant with ideally 2 years worth of data within Salon IQ software. This report shows over/under weekly or monthly previous corresponding dates.

Menu -> Reports -> Salon -> Year on year 

There is quote a a lot to digest in this report however when you become familiar with the layout, it is definitely a report not to miss.

ROI – The all important ROI (Return on Investment)  this report shows 4 key elected to your business for the month selected. These 4 areas are Bookings, GAS (Guest Attraction System), GRS (Guest Retention System) and No Shows.

Menu -> Reports -> System -> Monthly Return on Investment 

Business Summary Report – shows you all of your key business information, accountants love this report. 

Menu -> Dashboards -> Salon -> Click o the Cog (top right hand side) -> Select the dates you wish to view -> Click on the report icon (top right hand side of screen) 

Here you can view a business summary which includes courses sold, promotion used, services total and retail total to name a few. This report is definitely one to become familiar with. You can also view each team members figures individually.

Till Audit  Both these reports allow you to see a breakdown of transactions that have gone through the checkout screen on Salon iQ. 

Menu -> Reports -> Till -> Till Audit by Cash up or Till Audit by date

SMS Report A fab report view if you are sending SMS via Salon IQ software. This report lists all SMS that you are sending, it will view an errors that have appeared while trying to send as well as a description of what the SMS said from your automated appointment menders to your marketing journey for client via SMS.

Main Menu -> Reports -> Systems -> SMS Details

Email report  report to be viewed when you are sending emails from Salon IQ to your clients, again this can be emails for appointment reminders a swell as emails that are sending through your marketing system on guest journey. 

Client Data Check – as salon owners and managers we all understand the struggle of ensuring we have contact details for clients both old and new. With GDPR you are still able to collect this data, you just need the clients consent to do this and store it o to your software.

This report allows you to check that new clients details have been collected and entered onto Salon iQ. It also displays any data that is missing as well as the team member that looked after them, so you can pin point exactly who it is that may not be getting all the information required. 

The hub can be a great way of cutting out pen and paper, putting the hub into ‘Client mode’ on the tablet and letting the client enter their information directly into the hub. 

Menu -> Reports -> Appointments -> Client Missing Details 

Booking Performance – In this report we can view who is making the bookings on Salon iQ, this is a good report to view when you are wanting to check on any favouritism that is going on. Or If one person is booking in lots of appointments for particular team members.

Main Menu -> Reports -> Appointments -> Booking Performance

Price Over Ride – This is a really good report and one that I look at nearly every day, or at least every other day. On this report you are able to select a particular date or a date range if you wish. 

This report views any price that has been edited at checkout, as well as displaying The team member that edited the bill, the reason the for edit, the price that the service or product should have been as well as the price that was actually charged. 

Definitely a report to keep your eyes on. 

Menu -> Reports -> Till -> Price Over rides 

Promotions Used – This report lists all promotions that have been applied to a bill at checkout. I love how this report categorises each team amber with the promotion that was then used with the service. 

It also tells you the discount total along with the total bill value. 

Menu -> Reports – Till -> Promotions Used

No Show – This is another really good report that will give you more than likely surprising information on how many no shows you are getting.

This can be a report that shows you uprising results. The mount of no shows re often over looked but really do cost your salon business. Not only does this report give detailed information of the client that did not show for their appointment but it also gives a summary at the bottom of the report of how many no shows the salon had. Whether they were from new or existing clients and if they were online bookings or regular bookings.

This information allows you to make a business decision on whether a particular booking method is not working. 

For example if you can see from this report that you are getting a lot of clients not turn up from online bookings, then make if you haven’t already you can apply a deposit to be taken for all internet bookings. 

Menu -> Reports -> Appointments ->  No Show Appointments 

Cancelled Deleted Bills – This is a report that allows you to keep an eye on transactions that may have been deleted once they have gone through at checkout. 

Menu -> 

Remember apart form the reports w have outlined today, there are many other reports available eon Salon iQ that you can use for your business.

How to use the Message Centre on Salon iQ Software

The message centre on Salon iQ will display in the top right hand corner if you have 2 way texting enabled. 

This is the Message Centre symbol 

Having 2 way texting enabled is another opportunity to communicate with your clients and with mobile devices and tablets being the go to for communication these days, it really is a no brainer.

So lets look into a little more detail how this works by looking at the screenshot below:

You can see you have the option to select ‘Today’ or ‘Last 7 days’ – so you can view SMS in the message sent just for ‘Today’ or a list of SMS’s that have come through the message centre within the last 7 days.

The top section of the message centre displays text messages that have not yet been sent. They are 3 possible outcomes and status updates that will be displayed, these are:

1. Failed – This SMS has failed to send. Please check the telephone number is correct. 

2. Rejected – This SMS has failed to send. Please check the telephone number is correct. 

3. Accepted-Delivery Pending – This SMS may take longer than normal to send. You may wish to contact the client and check their telephone number. 

This information has always been there, just in the back ground. We have chosen to display this so you can act on the incorrect data you hold for your clients. 

We advise for any SMS that are listed in the message centre as ‘Failed or ‘Rejected’ for you to contact the client and check their telephone number is correct in Salon iQ. 

Once you have dealt with the SMS you can select ‘Reply’, ‘Archive’ or ‘Confirm’

Online salon reviews for your salon business 

Special Promotion below…

As you know we run salons ourselves so we know and understand the importance of reviews and having satisfied clients shout about how much they love their new hair do. 

Why should I have online salon reviews?

1. Get more business with more clients

2. Increase Google ranking

3. Get online reviews through automated SMS

4. Enjoy a fully personalised business page

5. Have your online reviews directly on your own website

6. Stand out and be different from other salons

________________________

salonspy SPECIAL PROMOTION – LIMITED TIME ONLY

To get you started new integrations will receive 1 month FREE

Contact support@salonspy.co.uk quoting ‘Salon iQ’ to receive the pro plan with salonspy for 1 whole month completely FREE (Offers ends 31st July)

_______________________

What is in the salonspy Pro Plan?

Take a look at the salonspy YouTube video on how it works and how easy it is for you to manage yourself in your own time. 

GREAT hairdressing partnered with salonspy January 2018 and have seen our online reviews snow ball.

salonspy online reviews links directly with Salon iQ software and works through an SMS being sent to your client once they have left the salon asking them to leave a review.The best thing about it all, it runs on auto-pilot.

Each review is individually verified by salonspy, ensuring no salon reviews slip through the net.

Let’s take a look at some salons that are already using Salon iQ and salonspy.

Touche hairdressing salons Greater London.

– The layout for salonspy reviews is fun, easy and clear for clients to read through. 

– Get reviews for specific team members

– View team members performance on reviews

– Respond to comments with salonspy notifications

Andrew Jose using Salon IQ software have almost 500 reviews through salonspy (at time of writing)

Yan Hair in Leicester are now at 600 online reviews via on salonspy (at time of writing)

Increase your Google rankings using online salon reviews, see examples below of how highly ranked some salons are with the help of online reviews. (There are other factors that play a part in high Google ranking such as SEO for your website.)

Do you have a couple more questions? View salonspy FAQ now or email support@salonspy.co.uk

_________________________

salonspy SPECIAL PROMOTION – LIMITED TIME ONLY

To get you started new integrations will receive 1 month FREE

Contact support@salonspy.co.uk quoting ‘Salon iQ’ to receive the pro plan with salonspy for 1 whole month completely FREE (Offers ends 31st July)

_________________________

We hope you enjoyed the webinar this morning on deposits and online bookings.

As always we record all video’s so you can watch it in your own time just below.

Online bookings really are a must ave for you hair and beauty salon. Many industry’s such as restaurants, hotels theatre all allow you to book online.

In this webinar we show you how to set-up online bookings via the hub. (The hub is great to use on mobile and tablet devices as well as a desktop if you wish.)

Have online bookings activated with Salon iW always means you have marketing information that is gold dust…watch the video above now to find out why.

To access the settings on the iQ hub ensure you have the correct security level first.

As mentioned in the video we are in the process of creating 3 unique hub webinars, designed to kick start your journey on the Salon iQ hub. Stay tuned!

Salon Touchpoint Communications – how to manage your client journey in the digital age

“The next level in salon client service will come from the ability of a salon to fully digitise in order to deliver a seamless client experience” Ryan Fox, Salon Consultant

I provide you with proven methods on how to integrate the Hub within your salon business to see a return on investment quickly using my half day course – Salon Touchpoint Communications

Seen in: Hairdressers Journal:

– How To Create An Effective Salon Training Plan

– Three Client Conversations You Can Easily Turn into Extra Revenue

Technology has moved so quickly in the last few years and the pace of technological development available for salons has been no exception. Nowhere is this more prevalent than with Salon IQ which has been the fasted developing software in the UK market. Because I work with clients who use Salon IQ, I’ve seen this pace of change happen very rapidly and there are now some great new ways to use the system to streamline your client experience and take yourselves to the next level. So how do you do it?

The Hub

The Hub has probably been the biggest recent advance for the Salon IQ system. It is essentially a mobile version of the system that is designed to be used on Tablets and Phones and give you the ability to take the technology to the client. It includes many new useful features that can be used to take you fully digital and give you the information you need to serve the client better, so you don’t have to print stylist columns and notes and can minimise the use of paper.

Key Features of the Hub to start using are:

* Client information digitally added by the client

* Digital Client Consent for GDPR

* Digital Client Consultations

* Ability to add client notes on the go

* Ability to add client alerts

* Digital Allergy/Skin Test Forms

* Client Images

Client information digitally added by the client

Because the HUB can be used in a mobile way on a tablet this now means that a new client can be handed the tablet in client mode and they can add all their details themselves whilst they are sitting the waiting area or in the chair.

Digital Client Consent for GDPR

Both New and Existing Clients are also able to give their Consent for you contacting them by for Appointment Reminders, SMS, Email and Post including any Medical info for GDPR digitally using the same method and can even digitally sign to say they have given Consent.

Digital Client Consultations

With the Hub Stylists/Therapists now have all the information they need to hand to have a better quality consultation with the client. As they are able to see what services the client has had before, how often they come in and what products they have bought they can suggest the right additional services and upgrades, recommend the right retail products and explain the right frequency of visit for rebooking.

This results in higher service income, higher product sales, higher average bills, better rebooking percentage rates and better client frequency and retention which guess what are the holly grail targets that everyone is trying to work on in the Dashboard!

It also means that Stylist/Therapists don’t have to crowd round reception anymore to get their column information and gives them the ability to take ownership of growing their column!

Ability to add client notes on the go

Client notes such as Technical Colour Histories, Preferences, Other Suggested Services, Product Recommendations etc. can be added as you go when you are doing the consultation, during and after the service again minimising disruption to reception and meaning they don’t have to catch up with their notes at the end of the day or reception doesn’t have to add them all in which can be a massive job.

Ability to add client alerts

Urgent or important information can also be added by Stylists/Therapists as they go so we don’t miss those crucial details that can make all the difference.

Digital Allergy/Skin Test Forms

Skin testing is an essential area to get right in the salon in order to safeguard your client’s health and protect you from being sued. The new forms along with the skin test date feature in Salon IQ provide the perfect methods to carry out and record your skin tests and again saves you having to keep paper records.

Client Images

A very underused resource that can offer a pictorial history with before and after looks of a client’s hair or skin. Having this available as a mobile option makes this now a usable facility that can also translate into social media if done well.

This is something any Salon IQ client can use but there are a few things to set up first to get going and you will need to make an investment into the tablets. However, the benefits could be huge as this method really helps to focus your Stylists/Therapists on their KPIs so should generate lots more income and get them busier.

For example if you increased your client visits per year by 10% and whilst also increasing your average bill by 10% this would give you over a 20% increase in annual turnover.

So you can see it could be money well invested.

It can be a big step for a salon to make however which is why I have created a half day course specifically designed to help Salon IQ clients with the transition from paper to digital.

I provide you with proven methods on how to integrate the Hub within your salon business to see a return on investment quickly using my half day course – Salon Touchpoint Communications

Ryan Fox is a Hair & Beauty Salon Consultant who works with Salon IQ clients to improve salon performance through training and innovation. His Touchpoint Communications Training is specifically designed for Salon IQ users and focuses on getting your team to identify opportunities to WOW the client and generate more income through better use of the technology.

This half day course is available at an introductory price of just £595 + vat & travel instead of £795 + vat & travel, bookings are limited to the first 5 salons at this price.

For more information or to book call Ryan on 07702 208 311 or visit www.umbrellaconsulting.co.uk

The hub is a natural evolution of Salon iQ that works on all devices. Such as tablets and mobiles, making it cleaner, crisper and more intuitive. 

Ryan Fox has created a Salon Touchpoint communications course based around the Hub, this course enables you to deliver the hub into your salon effectively.  

Salon Touchpoint Communications Course

“I provide you with proven methods on how to integrate the Hub within your salon business to see a return on investment quickly using my half day course”

Ryan is often seen in the Hairdressers Journal discussing various topics in the hair and beauty industry.

– How to Create a Successful Salon Training Plan

– Three Client Conversations You Can Easily Turn into Extra Revenue

Our next webinar will continue with The Hub Series 2 on Monday 24th September at 9:30am.

Registration is now open for LIVE webinar Hub Series 2 – Click Here to Register 

Manage Your Salon Stock With The Salon iQ Stock App

STOP what you are doing right now!

Stock…ughhh – such a pain staking exercise that takes forever to do when working at front of house.

BUT it is SOOO important to do and get right, you need to ensure your stock count is up to date at all times. Not just to catch any sneaky ones that may be sliding off products from the shelf but to also monitor your stock performance. 

You try to keep it all nice and tidy while you’re counting each product, but you have a whole shelf of products to hide some where whilst you do a stock count, the phone is ringing, clients are wanting to pay their bills and you have an apprentice attempting to help you but they are staring into space dreaming about what they are doing at the weekend.

The pain is real on stock, we know…it can be a long, long process – UNTIL NOW

Salon iQ Stock App – Are You Using It?

DOWNLOAD Stock App from the App Store

DOWNLOAD Stock App from the Play Store

Key Features

– Automatically updates onto your Salon iQ Desktop / Hub

– Can be used on tablets and mobile devices

– Available on iOS and Android

– Barcode scanner pre-installed 

– Product List available for manual search

If you are not using the Stock App yet you need to download it right now, available on both iOS and Android. 

iOS – available from the app store

Android – available form the play store

Prepare Your Salon iQ Software for Christmas

This post will cover 4 common questions we are asked at this time of year.

1. Retail reports 
2. Changing the opening times for your salon and team
3. Processing a gift card 
4. Sending newsletters to your database by sending an e-blast

1. Retail Reports

What did you do last year in retail? A key question you should be asking yourself to ensure you beat last years figures.

Go to Main menu -> Dashboard -> Stock -> Retail Sales -> Select the date range you wish to view. If you only want to see one supplier and not all of your suppliers click on the dropdown menu and select the supplier you wish to view and click refresh. 

You have the option to print and save this report if you need to. 

2. Changing the Opening Times For Your Salon and Team 

So many salons will be extending their opening hours or even opening on days they usually close.

Go to the date you want to change on the calendar, then click on the spanner/screw driver symbol on the top right hand side of the appointment page -> click on ‘Salon schedule today’ change the times that you will be opening and click save. 

Do this for each day you are changing.

Top tip: Make sure you do not click on ‘Salon opening times’ as this will change every day, not just one particular day. 

3. Processing a Gift Card

Gift cards will be in full swing flying out the door for gifts. If you use a plastic card for your gift cards are sure you have plenty in stock, if you don’t have enough then make sure to make it a priority to order them this week. 

To process a gift card go to the ‘Checkout’ screen. Click on OTC then click on the ‘Gift card’ tab at the top of the screen.

Scan or enter the gift card number and add in the value that you would like on the gift card. The expiry date on the gift card is set in your global settings on Salon iQ and will automatically come up with this expire date. Most salons choose an expiry date of 6 or 12 months, but it is entirely up to you and what ever works for your salon business. 

To redeem a gift card go to the ‘Checkout’ screen, add the products or services that you are processing. Instead of clicking on Cash, Card etc, click on ‘Other’ and then select ‘Gift card’ ->Scan the gift card, and enter the value into the available box of how much you would like to use and take off from the gift card. 

When you have done this click complete. The total will then be updated on the gift card ready to use next time.

4. Sending Newsletters to Your Database by Sending an E-blast

It is a great time to send out an oblast informing all your clients of what is happening in your salon over the next couple of months. 

Maybe you are holding a Christmas shopping event in the salon or perhaps extending your opening hours? Why not shout about it with an e-blast to everyone?

How to create an e-blast?

On Salon IQ go to Main menu -> Communications -> Email manager -> select Create a new campaign 

Name your campaign and write a subject line and then click next (Make sure the subject line is catchy and exciting, something that will make your clients want to open your email and find out more)

Select your template and then get creative. It is very straight forward to add images, text, sub headings.

Make sure you have your salon contact details at the bottom of the email.

Tips to make your email stand out:

1. Have a catchy subject line
2. Add images that stand out
3. Alter the swing of your text throughout 
4. Try not to write too much
5. Add a short video 

Once you are happy with your email you can then add the clients that you want it to go to by clicking on define recipients. Tip: I would advise you to first send yourself a test email to make sure it views correctly.