Simply put, the best beauty salon booking software will give guests a VIP experience even before they step inside your store. Look for a single platform that unifies employee and guest databases, automates inventory management, makes easy work of payroll and tips, and lets you scale your growth. If you’re a single center, choose a solution that streamlines operations so staff can spend more time with guests.

You’ll want a robust POS and booking solution no matter what platform you choose. Check to see if your preferred vendor offers both a mobile app for guests and one for your providers. Are digital gift cards redeemable at any location? If not, that’s a deal breaker for most enterprises. Look for a solution that integrates growth opportunities into every part of your workflow, whether that’s an upsell at the chair, managing memberships, or sending automated marketing promotions to specific guests.

Think about your biggest challenges and ask your stylists for their input. Should you move beyond basic beauty salon point of sale software and focus on a more intuitive employee scheduling solution that learns from past bookings? See if you can automate at least some of the heavy lifting with a mobile employee app that lets your team manage their workload directly from the chair. If same-day tips payout keeps your team happy, choose an all-in-one platform that makes that happen.

Cost depends on what features you require beyond the basic booking capability. Typically, software companies base their pricing on the number of licenses needed at a salon or franchise—as well as the breadth of desired features. But keep in mind that not every vendor understands the beauty and wellness industry inside and out. To get your money’s worth, pick a vendor who has insider knowledge of the problems you’re trying to solve. Additionally, ask if they charge base and implementation fees on top of recurring costs.

The right salon booking software will enable both online booking and booking through the front desk. Look for an all-in-one platform that can help you create a great webstore and mobile app experience. This can help guests book online wherever they are, either at home or on the go. They should also be able to view past appointments, see their balance, manage memberships, and check in and out online.