SOFTWARE SIMPLIFIED

SELECTING THE BEST SOFTWARE TO SUIT YOUR UNIQUE BUSINESS NEEDS CAN BE OVERWHELMING, SO HERE’S YOUR GUIDE TO THE SOFTWARE BRANDS TO KNOW IN 2023

FRESHA

Fresha offers online appointment bookings, processing card payments and managing customer records, as well as automations for marketing, staffing, product inventory and accounting. The online calendar feature has a visual presentation of appointments, locations and team members, whilst new clients can find you and book using external apps. Meanwhile, you can find clients using marketing tools within the mobile app.

iSALON

iSalon has appointment management, multicurrency till, reporting suites, stock control, SMS and email marketing systems. Its fully integrated payment feature is partnered with SaaS (Software as a Service) company Stripe, allowing secure transactions and users can access The Hub which contains ‘How-To’ training videos. iSalon also boasts a Software for Life Maintenance Policy for upgrades without an extra charge.

PHOREST

Phorest provides online shop booking, reporting, custom branded booking apps, POS, marketing and integrated payment processing. The brand proudly connects businesses with their own dedicated business advisor, and its app, PhorestGo, helps staff manage their shop onthe-go, with tasks like stock taking and booking appointments.

PREMIER SOFTWARE

Premier Software’s SalonLite can be used on the go with data saved to members’ accounts. Premium tools include online booking with five diary columns, linked payments for multiple appointments and stock control. Its other shop software system, Salon Hair, can help independent or chain shops. Its dashboard highlights elements such as profit and areas of growth.

SHORTCUTS

Shortcuts is “software created by your industry, for your industry”. To prioritise a work-life balance, and enjoy the creativity of running a barbershop, it offers functions for motivating staff members, stock-taking, client management and automating admin tasks. Plus, there is around-theclock support for any questions via phone calls or messages.

SLICK

An industry first, the SlickPay card machine’s Split Payments means clients can have services with different barbers but only pay once. So, owners avoid paying payment processing fees on behalf of any self-employed staff, don’t have to manually allocate money daily, and don’t need multiple card machines for each selfemployed staff member.

SQUIRE

With Squire, barbers have access to custom-branded apps and websites, marketing tools, automatic booth rent collection, commission pay-out reports and no-show booking protection. Other features include real-time earning dashboards and building customer relationships. Barbers of all experience levels can attract and retain more customers, efficiently manage their operations, and increase their revenue.

SWAY MONEY

Sway Money has a QR code system for transactions. It offers low monthly fees of £10, for unlimited bank payments and 1.5% per transaction, keeping things affordable. Sway offers client preference insights so you can tailor your offerings, and champions bank payments, reducing fraud risks and making it 99% safer than typical card payments.

TIMELY

Timely’s customisable calendar lets clients book their appointments online. All features are customisable, including communicating with clients and loyalty programmes. Analysing business performance is crucial, so reporting and staff management tools highlight areas of growth and loss. For tasks like daily cashing-up, there is TimelyPay; a payment solution for in-shop and online payments.

TREATWELL

Treatwell Pro includes calendars, marketing features, streamlined admin tasks and a digital diary - within the diary, you’ll find resources, tips and a chat box. Shop owners can monitor business growth and how to improve using real time reports. Your business can be spotted on external apps and bookings are made in a centralised location.

VAGARO

Vagaro offers custom-built forms that automatically send reminders to clients, linking to their individual records, for seamless rebooking. Vagaro’s live stream feature offers digital consultations to save clients coming into the salon and allows barbers to run educational training courses online. Vagaro Marketplace allows clients to search for and book appointments via map listings.

VISH

Vish is mindful about reducing inventory costs and colour waste, focusing on intelligent colour management, tracking colour usage, inventory and client formulas. Vish communicates data to the shop’s POS and reflects it in one system. Furthermore, it informs your front desk of all colour charges built during appointments.

ZENOTI

Zenoti provides booking of parallel services, variable service pricing, targeted marketing campaigns and client retail recommendations. It also implements membership models and sells gift cards online. Zenoti’s mobile app means staff can view client information and schedules, and stylists can track their earnings.