Salon Management in a Post-COVID World: Streamlining Your Back-of-House

Around the country, salons and spas are trying to handle the new normal of COVID-19. Most businesses are operating under full capacity in an effort to prioritize safety, but that also means doing more with less — less staff, less time, and less flexibility. It may feel like too much, but don’t worry! We’ve got your back.

The good news is effective management tools can help you keep things running behind the scenes, so you can put your attention where it belongs: on growing your business. By optimizing your appointments and leveraging data, you can stay productive and safe, while giving clients everything they need. Here’s how to make it happen.

1. Say no to schedule gaps and split-shifts

The most effective workflow for staff is consistent and steady. No one likes to slow down for a few hours before becoming busy all at once. At worst, shoddy scheduling can also lead to the dreaded split-shift, requiring staff members to essentially work two shifts at opposite ends of the day.

But scheduling optimization is about more than staff comfort — it also reduces on-the-clock hours for hourly staff members, while ensuring that you book the maximum number of appointments each day. As a result, your salon can maximize its productivity while decreasing business costs. Try to fill up open spaces in your schedule before shifting clients to your traditional “busy hours.”

Boulevard’s intelligent booking technology makes this easy by recommending appointment times to clients dynamically. For example, your client-facing booking interface can highlight the best time slots based on what’s already on the books, rather than sharing the full calendar view.

2. Get it all in with service-order logic

As nervous clients slowly trickle back in, they’ll likely have created lists of beauty and wellness requests for you to fulfill. Time management is essential to get through each appointment promptly. For example, if a client books a haircut and color appointment, what service order is the most efficient?

These days, intelligent booking platforms are smart enough to arrange services automatically. With minimal setup, platforms like Boulevard will allow you to focus on your clients instead of micromanaging the schedule.

3. Account for longer transition times

Any beauty or wellness pro will tell you appointments involve more than the time the client spends on the table or in the chair. Thanks to COVID-19, you also need to account for extra transition tasks. These will vary by booking, but typically include:

• Cleaning and sanitizing your workstation

• Replacing personal protective equipment

• Preparing new towels and salon capes

• Taking care of any client-specific preparations

Each task is simple, but they do add up — you can’t afford to forget about them when scheduling appointments. The right booking platform will automatically account for transition time during appointment booking, so your upcoming clients won’t be left waiting. Boulevard allows you to program a default turnover time to pad your appointments.

4. Put data in the driver’s seat

Finally, as a business, your salon or spa will produce a constant stream of reports. These include financial statements, client counts, number of services rendered, and more. And these will become all the more important after reopening as your services increase. Be sure to choose a business management system with data analytics support. That way, you’ll keep track of all your data from one platform, making it easier to apply optimizations as needed. 

Data is great, but actionable data is even better. Boulevard’s customizable reports offer intuitive, outcome-focused insights to help you decide where to invest your energy.

We are here to help

You already have a lot to handle, and COVID-19 isn’t making the job any easier. With less staff and fewer resources, it can feel like the cards are stacked against you. But we’re here to help make your life a little bit easier. Boulevard can help your team optimize every task described above, from intelligent booking to data analytics. We also have dedicated support to help you make it happen.

These are tough times, but we are in it to help you win it. If you have any questions about how to make our platform work for your needs, we’re happy to set up a complimentary consultation with a product expert. Book yours today.