Three ways a smart POS system will streamline your salon operations.

Running a salon that focuses on personal care requires you to juggle numerous high-priority tasks. Ordering the right products in a timely manner, managing employee and client schedules, and providing stellar service to your clients are just a few of the essential duties that face you each and every day. Believe it or not, finding a solution that provides the best credit card processing for hair salons will give you a wide array of tools that you can use to become more efficient and customer-focused than ever.

Integrating a smart POS system into your salon.

You already know that accepting non-cash payments is vital if you want to meet the demands of today’s customers. However, if you have not yet upgraded your legacy terminal to a smart point of sale (POS) solution, you are depriving yourself of numerous opportunities for enhanced efficiency and client services.

A smart POS consists of the following three components:

• Hardware. This includes a stationary or portable card reader, a terminal or tablet, and peripherals like receipt printers, barcode scanners, and cash drawers.

• Software. This is the payments program that is the “brains” behind the hardware.

• A payment processing company that helps you to securely accept and authorize customer payments.

While these three elements work together to enable your customers to purchase goods and services from your salon, they can help you with numerous back-office functions as well.

1. Employee management.

Growing your shop means bringing on talented stylists to serve a diverse and evolving customer base. However, expansion also means that you must keep track of everyone’s vacation and appointment schedules. Fortunately, your smart POS solution can come equipped with software that allows you to automate time card emails and send out staff schedules at a set time each week. You can also generate reports that give you a clear idea of every worker’s productivity, including the times of day when they are the busiest. Armed with this information, you will be in a much better position to manage your shop’s workday.

2. Inventory management.

In addition to personal services such as haircuts and coloring, your salon business may make a large share of its profits through product purchases. However, this cash flow can be drastically depleted if you run out of popular items and cannot meet customers’ requests.

Your POS system will work in sync with your barcode scanner to keep track of every bottle of mousse or shampoo from the time it arrives from the supplier until it is purchased. It then becomes a simple matter to customize your inventory ordering to meet customer demands before quantities run critically low. By the same token, you can track what is not selling so that you don’t take up valuable shelf space with items that are not needed.

3. Customer relationships.

From the time your customer walks in your front door until well after they leave your shop, your goal should be to make them feel special and unique. One of the best ways to do this is by showering them with rewards and offers targeted specifically to their buying history and preferences.

Smart POS systems can integrate with your existing customer database to provide clients with the curated buying experience they are increasingly demanding. Because each visit and purchase can be recorded and connected to the customer’s unique record, you can reward your valued clients with discounts after a set number of visits. Another popular marketing technique involves sending targeted discounts based on the products or services a customer has purchased in the past. Whatever strategy you follow, the key is that people recognize that you are paying special attention to their preferences and want to go the extra mile to entice them back to your shop.

It is your demonstrated commitment to your loyal customers that can elevate your shop above your competitors. The great news is that taking your business to the next level will not require a huge outlay of time or financial resources. Incorporating an efficient, affordable, and smart POS solution into your salon will help you provide a customer experience that is a cut above.