Software for salons and spas: Is it necessary?
Business management software can help your salon or spa business thrive. Read how good software increases efficiency, elevates your guest experience, and more.
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From finances to marketing and employee management, beauty and wellness business owners have their plates full. Technology can automate and simplify many of your daily tasks, so you can get back to the fun parts of running a business.
Choosing software can be daunting. Choosing the WRONG on can be a disaster. Here's a guide to help you get started.
Spa software, implemented correctly, can have these benefits:
- Increased booking efficiency: Spa software with online booking capabilities can increase appointment volume by up to 30%, especially when integrated with platforms like Google and Instagram. (Source: Zenoti customer data)
- Improved revenue per guest: Automated upsell prompts and targeted promotions can lead to a 15–25% increase in average ticket size through personalized service recommendations. (Source: McKinsey, personalization report)
- Higher guest retention: Software with built-in CRM and loyalty tools helps improve client retention rates by up to 25%, thanks to regular follow-ups and tailored rebooking reminders. (Source: Zenoti benchmark studies)
- Operational cost reduction Automation of manual tasks like inventory, payroll, and scheduling can reduce admin workload by 40%, freeing up staff to focus on guest experience. (Source: Spa Executive)
- More 5-Star reviews and reputation growth Automated review requests after visits result in 40% higher response rates, boosting a spa’s visibility and credibility online. (Source: BrightLocal, Reputation Management Survey)
There are hundreds of business management tools, and selecting the wrong one can be as problematic as not having one at all. For example, you might end up battling with appointment scheduling that doesn't fit your business model, paying for features you don't need, or lacking the marketing tools to reach your guests on the right platforms.
In this guide, we’ll look at the various technologies available for the beauty and wellness industry, while helping you identify which features are crucial for your business.
What is salon business management software?
Business management software helps you manage tasks like appointment scheduling, marketing, payment processing, reporting, and much more. It can help you reach your guests in new ways and make all the difference when it comes to beating your competition.
Research indicates that the global business software and services market, which was valued at $389.86 billion in 2020, is expected to grow at a rate of 11.3% from 2021 to 2028.
This growth shows that more and more businesses are noticing the benefits of business management software, and you should too.
How to select business management software that fits your spa and salon needs
That brings us to the question – what goes into choosing the right business management software for wellness brands?
Let’s explore!
Consider the unique requirements of your beauty and wellness brand when selecting your business management software. Remember: you are specifically looking for a system with task management and tools that work for you, rather than a system that is touted as “the best.” What’s best for one business might not always work for another.
Why is this distinction important? Business management software is available for every industry, but each industry has different needs. You want to be sure you invest in a system that is specifically designed with beauty and wellness brands in mind.
Tip: keep an eye out for business management software that is built as an all-in-one cloud solution for your type of business. All-in-one solutions make your life easier by ensuring that you have operations, financials, and marketing in one place – saving you the hassle of swapping between multiple systems to get a full overview of your business.
Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, take note of these features to consider:
Intelligent appointment booking
70% of salon and spa customers prefer online booking over calling in. We already order our coffee, book an Uber, and select our lunch delivery through apps. The beauty and wellness industry is no different and therefore essential to meet your guests where they are. Self-service bookings aren’t just a convenience for your guests – your front desk will thank you, too.
An integrated POS System
How many hours have you spent tallying up commissions and reconciling your sales? Thanks to technology, we no longer need to spend countless hours on bookkeeping. Your business management software should come with a solid point of sale system that integrates your payment processing and billing in one place. Look for management software that offers touchless payments for safety and convenience and simplifies dispute resolution and amending bills.
Comprehensive business insights
49% of business leaders say analytics is key to making better decisions, with 96% anticipating it will become even more important in the next three years. All your appointment bookings, guest details, sales, and operational data can tell a story about how your business is performing. You’re collecting this data every day, so use it! There is no reason why you should be making key business decisions based on assumptions. The best business management software will turn your data into clear reports and actionable insights. It can answer questions about who your best-performing providers and services are, and whether there are any areas of wastage or opportunities for improvement.
Marketing tools for business growth
Nothing gets an email deleted quicker than a completely irrelevant marketing campaign, such as a keratin discount to a guest with a buzzcut. Invest in a business management software that lets you segment and personalize your marketing campaigns based on things like age, gender, services, regular providers or visit frequency. Look for automation features that allow you to set up campaigns once and have them trigger at a set point (for example, a birthday offer that sends the week before any guests’ birthday) and watch your appointment book fill up while you focus on guests in the salon – hello efficiency!
Just make sure you don’t send out marketing campaigns when you’re already fully booked. Otherwise, you risk frustrating guests as they click your ‘Book now’ button just to find there are no appointments in the next four weeks. If your business management software keeps track of availability and only sends marketing campaigns when you have spaces to fill, that’s a big plus.
Advanced inventory management
A careless mistake when it comes to inventory can be costly, especially for a new beauty and wellness business. But with the wrong business management software, you could end up spending hours on stock takes and reporting. The best business management software centralizes your inventory data on one platform. This leads to more accurate stock counts, identifies areas of shrinkage and pilferage, and contributes to quick and accurate restocking of bestselling items.
Employee management tools
With 41% of employees currently considering leaving their jobs, there’s never been a better time to make your business a great place to work. Scheduling errors and inefficiencies are common complaints for employees, so utilize your business management software to make their lives easier. Your software should have employee management features which enable you to schedule, communicate with, and manage your employees, all from one place. Meanwhile, it should also give your employees the tools to manage their own day and understand their performance with ease. This streamlines task management and ensures that everyone is working together to keep things running smoothly.
Benefits of cloud-based solutions
When used correctly, business management software enhances productivity, increases revenue, and elevates guest experience. With a cloud-based business management system, you can streamline task management, access business data anywhere, anytime and unify operations across multiple locations. Reporting and analytics tools generate extensive reports to drive insightful business decisions, targeted marketing, and sales automation. The list goes on!
A great example of making the most of business management software is single-center Luxe Salon. They are utilizing automated marketing to segment guests based on number of days since their appointment and send them highly targeted email and SMS promotions. The messages are designed to encourage a booking, while recognizing that a higher discount is needed to motivate those who have been away from the salon longer. As a result, the salon has generated $20,909 in revenue.
Whether you run a spa, fitness center, medspa, or salon, there are features and tools made just for your business. Let’s dive into exactly how this software can benefit you.
Spa Management
Did you know that an estimated 1 in 4 spas (24%) in the US are on the lookout for a spa management software?
- Offers multiple membership programs and increase predictable revenue.
- Automates renewals and flexible membership plans, such as annual or month-to-month, making membership management a breeze.
- Enables guests to enjoy rewards like instant recognition at every center, perk sharing with family and friends, and much more.
- Creates a highly personalized guest experience through digital forms that capture insights on preferences, appointment history and more. The best spa management software will give you the freedom to create a form for every purpose, such as intake, consent, consultation, or treatment.
- Makes appointment scheduling and task management easy with interactive list views and booking wizards – freeing up front desk staff to focus on your guests.
- Empowers guests to quickly find, book, check in, and even pay for appointments on their personal device.
Salon and barbershop management
With salon management software, salons and barbershops can elevate their brand experience and simplify appointment scheduling.
Benefits include:
- Supports walk-in businesses through kiosks and waitlist management features. Make life easier for guests by letting them add themselves to the appointment line from an app on their smartphone or a kiosk in-store.
- Reduces no-shows without the time commitment, with automated appointment reminders and confirmations.
- Maximizes your appointment book by eliminating double-bookings and booking services in the right order to keep your schedule full while optimizing service duration.
- Saves time on marketing through automated email and SMS campaigns that send personalized messages to your guests.
- Grows your revenue with powerful reporting and analytics tools.
Discover why leading salons partner with Zenoti:
Medspa management
The global medical spa market is booming and projected to reach US$27.6 billion by 2025.
As the medspa industry grows, so does the demand for innovative medspa management software. Management software designed specifically for medspas should include:
- HIPAA-compliant digital forms including consultation, intake, and SOAP notes. Digital forms allow medspas to securely store patient data and provide a consistent experience at every appointment with accurate insights into treatment history.
- Flexible appointment scheduling which allows adding multiple treatments with ease.
- Messaging solutions that make it quicker and easier to connect with patients and provide the necessary care and support following a treatment.
- Features such as mobile POS, digital record management, and end-to-end scheduling to offer no-fuss appointments and maximize revenue spend per hour.
The final takeaway
When choosing a business management software provider, look for one that offers all the functionality your business needs, packaged in a user-friendly interface. The right software will integrate seamlessly, so you can spend less time stressing about business management and more time focusing on your spa or salon.
To help you find the perfect solution, we’ve outlined some important final questions to ask:
- Is the solution flexible enough for your business needs?
- Is the software provider innovative and up to speed with the latest technology? Do they provide on-going support and updates, with guaranteed uptime?
- Will the software be able to support your long- and short-term business objectives?
- Does the software provider offer 24/7 customer support and prioritize guest experience?
Your business management software should go beyond aesthetics, iron out the blemishes, and offer valuable and enriching guest experiences.
Our all-in-one, cloud-based software is built for ambitious beauty and wellness brands. From online booking features and integrated payments to convenient mobile checkout, Zenoti gives your guests a touchless experience for 2025 and beyond.
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