Why your beauty clinic should be using software instead of a book

In an age where technology is going to be your advantage, it is unclear why so many are still using this old fashioned system. Recently I visited the Sydney Spa & Beauty Expo, and was surprised to find clinics with as many as 10 staff were still using a book.

Good software to manage your bookings is going to have so many benefits, whether your business has one location or many; one staff member or five. Common reasons for why a beauty clinic owner doesn’t use software yet is the expense and the commitment to a contract for three years or more. It’s really necessary to point out that expensive software or lengthy contracts are a thing of the past. The software industry has changed a lot in the last 3-4 years, and with the emergence of cloud computing providers are able to offer their wares at a much lower cost.

Another common reason for not wanting to use software is because ‘I’m no good with a computer.’ My answer to that is that good software is made for everyone, not just the super savvy! If you can email, you can use booking software.

Those still using an appointment book are playing Russian roulette with their business in my opinion. Not only are you missing out on saving yourself so much time, you are also running a huge security risk. Imagine if you lost your book – and along with that, all of the client information. How would you know who was coming in for their IPL, six weeks down the track?

I am going to outline three reasons why you need appointment software:

1. Security

If the book gets lost, everything is gone. There is no way to simply recall what was on the pages of that book, unless you’ve got a photographic memory. You will need to start from scratch, and just wait around to see who turns up for their appointment – not ideal!

It is also very easy for your customers to glance at the book and see who else is booked in. As a beauty therapist, there is a certain amount of confidentiality that must be kept. So allowing your clients to see who else is booked in is not good practise. With software, only those with a login can access your appointment book and it’s also a great place to store your client notes.

With cloud- based appointment software, even if you lose your device or it stops working, you can easily log in somewhere else to get access to your information For example, if the tablet you use for your bookings falls on the ground and breaks, you can simply log in via your laptop. All the information is there for you to carry on without a hitch.

2. Practicality

Lugging a big book around is just not practical. It may be fine if it’s just left in the clinic everyday, but if your business has any mobile element it’s not practical especially if your business has more than one staff member. Also if a staff member has the book and is unable to get it back to the clinic in time, everyone else will need to keep ringing them to see what other bookings they have!

With cloud software, everyone can log in quickly and see what is on for the day. Even from home, so you can plan your day the night before if you’re super organised. You also don’t need to worry about ringing up your clients just to remind them of your appointment – all good software will offer SMS and email reminders which you can set and forget.

3. Time

There are so many ways that booking software can save you time. If you want to make the best use of your time, putting good systems in place is vital. A big argument for not investing in software is because the owner can’t justify the expense. But what you have to think about is the time it could save you or one of your staff members! If you are ringing each client before their appointment as a reminder, how much time is this taking up? Would it be better if this time could be used to see a client, therefore make some money? Software doesn’t have to be a huge expense anymore, so it’s not hard to see that the time saved can easily justify the small expense of software. You could make this money back in an hour, even half an hour!

If you’re one of those owners who spends their evenings texting clients back and forth trying to find a suitable time, you can also kiss that goodbye. Imagine having your evenings free to spend with your family, catching up with friends or getting fit! Life is all about balance after all, and you shouldn’t be focusing on your business around the clock.

There is little reason to resist using technology in your clinic. If you last looked at booking software 3 or 4 years ago, it may be time to have another look to see how the solutions have changed since then. Many offer cloud software, which means that you can access it on any device, as long as you’ve got a wifi connection. It is also super affordable too, with Timely offering plans from only $19/month. It’s not hard to see why it’s a no-brainer.

A version of this article first appeared from Timely in Beauty NZ magazine