It’s a fantastic idea to take advantage of the technological advancements dedicated to spas that are available on the market. Truth be told, it’s no longer even profitable to run your business without one. However, not every app you see circling around the Internet is worth your time and hard-earned money. When choosing your digital helper, you need to be conscious, careful and very picky - untrustworthy software can make your everyday tasks even more challenging (at best) or actually put you in hot water (at worst). This is why instead of going for an unreliable spa scheduling app, it’s much better to look for a solid, well-developed spa management software. What are the elements you should look for in such a solution? And what are the red flags you should look out for? Without any further ado, let’s jump right into it!
What’s the big difference, you may ask? Isn’t it only about the number of functionalities? Well, yes and no. The range of features is the first thing you notice, but there’s more to it than just that.
First of all, spa management systems require more effort on the provider’s part, and therefore tend to be better developed, maintained, have actual customer service and superior data protection. Creating multitasking management software requires commitment, a budget and a big team of specialists. Small scheduling apps are at the other end of the spectrum - it's fairly easy to have one developed, with many elements of the process outsourced, and some providers perceive it as a quick and inexpensive way to start making a profit. Unfortunately, products that come out of such projects usually leave a lot to wish for. If you want a trustworthy digital tool, aim for more comprehensive solutions.
Have you ever wondered how all those “free” apps make a profit? There are a few different ways, actually. The first one is to simply include some ads in the app. It doesn’t seem like a big deal at first, but it gets really annoying after a while, as you have to stop doing some important spa management-related things every now and then to watch a 20-second video on washing powder or an e-sport event.
The second way to profit from a seemingly free app is to introduce paid features - meaning that although the app is free to download and use, some of the functionalities will require reaching for your credit card. An undoubtedly shameful but unfortunately very common practice is to also let the app be free for some time and then make some of the most useful features paid. Furthermore, the unclear fees on these features may sum up to pretty big amounts and you have no way to really track them until the invoice arrives!
The last way is a straight-on criminal offence that is also scaringly common - namely selling your (and your clients’!) data to third parties. Data is very valuable and such a crime is hard to prove, so this procedure happens far more often than you may think. The worst part? If the app’s providers sell the data of your clients, in the eyes of the law, you take responsibility for it. You lose clients, reputation, and risk paying fees for failing to secure the information you have gathered!
With software that sets clear pricing right off the bat, you know what to expect. You are paying not only for the system, but also for its customer service and maintenance, which ensures smooth operation and full data security. Providers of such systems do not have to resort to shameful or straight-on illegal practices. You get what you pay for!
Do you know what the main problem with spa scheduling apps is? The simple fact that digital scheduling alone isn’t too effective. You basically have an electronic calendar with the appointments noted and that’s all. Using digital tools makes sense if they truly automate your daily processes. This is where better-developed systems really shine - an advanced salon management software pairs its scheduling features with other essentials, such as online booking, automatic reminders and customer records.
In Booksy, you schedule and edit the appointments instantly, with convenient drag and drop. All employees and managers have remote access to the calendar and you control the access levels for each of them (e.g. whether they can only access the calendar or client records too). The visits booked online by your clients appear in your appointment book immediately - it’s like having a virtual receptionist! All customers who have booked with you will receive an automatic appointment reminder, and you’ll easily create and manage their profiles in the customer records.
The best part is that thanks to the countless settings, you can truly customise the system. Do you want to exclude particular services from the online booking option? Do you want to add a special note, for example, regarding a client’s allergy, to their customer record? Do you want to enable a security warning when staff members view too many client records in a short time? Perhaps you would like to add some custom breaks in-between certain services? Or maybe you would like to make some services bookable by 2 or more clients at the same time? With Booksy, all of that (and more) is possible.
Finally, remember that even if you don’t pay for an app, you still have to spend a while filling it with your data, so jumping between a few different digital solutions wastes a lot of your precious time. It’s way easier (and safer!) to use one tool that can help you with all different elements of managing a spa - from scheduling appointments to running marketing campaigns.
And much, much more!
Instead of wasting your time and resources on cookie-cutter solutions that may actually make your life harder instead of easier, invest in the best spa software on the market. You can start a free trial and test it for fourteen days without any obligations - no credit card nor contract necessary!
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