Your primary goal as a salon owner is to fill more and more chairs and grow your profits. In this digital age, it will be hard for you to do that if you rely entirely on phone appointments and walk-ins. There is quite an extensive online marketplace that you can’t appeal to unless you have a reliable, easy-to-use hair salon online booking system.
Many salon owners argue that an online booking platform is only а necessity where millennial clients are the main target. It is actually not uncommon to hear old-fashioned marketers call millennial consumers “lazy” because of their unwillingness to make phone calls or make walk-in appointments. That argument hasn’t aged well since the pandemic started in early 2020. All consumers are now “lazy”- if we are to call it that way.
But what some people call laziness is actually what clients see as a convenience and a great customer experience. The pandemic has taught people the convenience of shopping, booking, and paying for services on their smartphones. Besides, about half of the global workforce is made up of millennials, making them heavily influential consumers. So, if you want to grow your salon business in 2022 and beyond, you must invest in a client-centric online booking system.
If you need more convincing, we have compiled a list of 7 reasons why using an online booking system in the salon is important:
Table of Contents
1. Added convenience for both clients and staff
Online booking systems make key information such as your office hours, location, and promotions easily accessible to online clients. They can even access your calendar to see who in your team is available to service them at any given time. Every little detail is laid out there for them, so it is up to them to make the most suitable decisions at their own convenience. They don’t have to call you with follow-up questions either because you can add a FAQ section in your site’s booking section.
Online booking also saves your employees from having to engage in drawn-out phone conversations with prospective clients. Most of your staff members are millennials too, remember. One less phone call a day is always a welcome gift!
Note: Having an online booking system doesn’t necessitate that you ditch the phone. You still can update your contact information on the booking platform for anyone who might still prefer calling.
2. Boosting revenue
Let’s face it: You can only talk with one client at a time. That’s unless you have several phone lines, which then would necessitate multiple receptionists- one for each phone line. Multiple receptionists will only inflate your wage bill because, apart from during rush hours, only one or two phones are active simultaneously. The rest are quiet most of the time, so your receptionists are mostly idle. Online booking allows multiple clients to book appointments at the same time, without needing any help from your staff. That means more revenue and a reduced wage bill.
There is more. Clients don’t have to wait in line or call multiple times just to speak to your receptionist. That is great for your customer experience. Improved customer experience boosts customer attraction and retention, which in turn raises your revenue. Furthermore, your online booking system will allow clients to book appointments anytime they want, across time zones, and from any device. In a nutshell, online booking unleashes your salon’s massive revenue potential instantly.
3. A powerful tool for selling add-ons
Calling clients to chat them up about promotions and offers can be quite intrusive and off-putting. You never know when a client is in a good mood or has the time to listen as you pitch add-on services over the phone. With online booking systems, you get a none-marketing, friendlier environment to recommend add-on services and explain to clients the amazing benefits of each add-on. You successfully make sales pitches without making clients feel pressured or railroaded to make purchase decisions.
4. It encourages group booking and referrals
One way of encouraging more bookings is to establish group packages. Your scheduling software will make it possible for clients to book multiple services under one appointment, claim discounts for group bookings, and even redeem referral points or gift cards with ease.
5. Better management of changes and cancellations
Clients don’t have to wait for one of your customer service representatives to help them reschedule or cancel appointments. They can do all that at their convenience. Most scheduling software will even cushion your salon against the losses that late rescheduling and cancellation precipitate. Your software will, for example, allow you to add a small fee for appointment changes made within, say, 6 hours of the appointment time. The software will also allow you to automate appointment reminders to minimize the odds of your clients not turning up.
6. Online booking systems can be quite insightful
Clients let on lots of information as they self-book appointments online. They will tell you which beauty products they like, the pain points that brought them your way, the best means and time to contact them, and tons of personal information. If there is anything you need to know in order to personalize and improve your customer experience, all you need to do is ask for it during the self-booking process.
The data you collect during online booking processes can be quite insightful. It will, among other things:
· Tell you who the most popular stylists are, the most selected add-ons, fastest-moving retail items, and which are your peak booking hours.
· Measure customer experience by providing clients with a safe platform to leave their honest reviews in real-time. This helps you manage your reputation a little more effectively.
· Help you learn more about your customers by tracking how clients spend their money in your salon and what compels them to pay for add-on services or purchase extra beauty products.
7. Can promote sales and marketing
When potential clients come across your marketing content on Google or social media, most of them will head over to your website to learn more about your services and pricing. They will read reviews from other customers, watch video testimonials, and finally decide to book their appointments. Your online scheduling platform helps you out here in two ways. First, as we mentioned, it encourages clients to leave reviews that you can then display on your website. Secondly, without online booking, clients who fall in love with your services can still be snatched away from your grip between the moment they decide to book an appointment and the moment they find the time or gather the courage to call you.
Final word
Integrate online booking systems with your conventional customer service today to gain an unbeatable competitive advantage. You will get more bookings, sales will hike, and you will be able to retain clients with relatively more ease. The benefits of using an online booking system in the salon are many and pertinent.
