If you are planning on opening a new barbershop, or perhaps you have been running a barbershop for several years, there are a few things you can do to improve operations.
The ongoing pandemic has hit most barbershops hard, especially last year. Several hair salons have gone out of business during these unprecedented times, and those that have survived the pandemic might be looking for ways to streamline their barbershop.
Whether your business is struggling or not, you should consider streamlining it. It will help you get rid of excess costs and help you turn a good barbershop into a great one.
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Pay Small Bills Immediately
A lot of businesses like to avoid paying bills until they have to. Although this might seem like you are saving the company money, you are going to have to cough up the cash at some stage, so why not pay it as soon as you get it?
Consider introducing an auto-pay service that will automatically pay bills for you. Allowing an auto-pay service to handle your bills will be one less task for you to do.
If you pay your suppliers early, then they might be willing to offer you discounts on your next order. Chasing unpaid bills can prove frustrating for suppliers, which is why they are known for giving customers lower rates if they pay immediately. They won’t have to spend time chasing after customers who haven’t paid.
On top of that, paying small bills early might help your barbershop’s credit score. If you need a loan from the bank, you can show them that you pay your bills on time.
Invest in a Software Package that Manages Bookings and Your Employees
Don’t be afraid to take advantage of modern technology. Just because barbershops have been around a long time, doesn’t mean you have to manage it using traditional booking methods.
Gone are the days where you have to take all your bookings over the phone or have to rely on customers walking in the door.
Consider investing in barbershop software that is specifically designed to manage all of your shop’s bookings, staff members, and payments. These programs allow your customers to book an appointment online, and the software will automatically send each client a reminder about their upcoming haircut. It will also notify the barber about the scheduled appointment.
Losing out on business because of no-shows can prove highly problematic in the beauty industry. It’s a common issue that most barbershops face on a regular basis. Employing a software system that reminds the customers about their appointment will help reduce the number of no-shows. They will be able to cancel the booking through the online booking system, so the barber can make the slot available.
The software will also help you keep track of your employees. It will provide you with information about the different barber’s work hours, days off, which clients they dealt with, etc. If you own or manage a change of barbershops, this tool can prove highly beneficial.
Accounting Sofware
According to business experts, many small businesses fail because they can’t manage their finances properly. If you want to manage your barbershop’s finances effectively, consider investing in a reliable accounting software package.
Human errors can prove costly, which is why small, medium and large-sized businesses invest in robust accounting software. These programs offer useful features such as:
- Budgeting
- Inventory management
- Tax calculations
- Expense Tracking
Before spending your barbershop’s hard-earned money on the first accounting software package you come across, try out a few different programs first. Avoid buying software that makes the process difficult. A lot of accounting software developers provide potential customers with trial versions of their software. Consider downloading multiple demos, and find out what system suits you. Try to find easy-to-use accounting software with an intuitive interface.
Know what your Competitors are Doing
If you are looking for tools to help you streamline your barbershop, try to find out what your competition is currently using. If you have built a healthy relationship with any of your competitors, don’t hesitate to ask them what they use to run their business. Although they might be reluctant to tell you, there is no harm in asking.
If you are thinking about introducing a new tool to help you run your company, and you are aware one of your competitors are using the same tool, consider asking them for feedback. Salespeople are known to hype up the products they are selling, so honest feedback from someone who uses the same tool on a day-to-day basis will give you an insight into how it really operates.
Ask Your Employees and Customers for Feedback
If you implement a new booking system or accounting software into your business, don’t forget to ask the people who are using it regularly for feedback.
For example, if your customers don’t like the online booking tool, they might not want to go to your barbershop. Ask them what it is they didn’t like about the service, and how you could improve it. The customer is important to your business, so it is vital that you listen to what they have to say. They can provide you with valuable information that might help your business grow.
Asking clients for suggestions will not only help your business improve, but it will also show that you care about them. Speak to your employees to find out how well they are adjusting to the changes you have made to the barbershop. They too might have suggestions on certain areas that can help improve the shop.
Train Staff Members
Don’t just assume that your employees will automatically know how to use new tools and processes. Create an effective training program, and offer your team support, especially during the early stages.
Before implementing a new tool or process, make sure that the managers of the barbershop are on board. The manager should be the first person in the business that does the training program, and you should provide them with clear instructions on how to teach others.
Once the new systems are up and running, you should monitor them at all times. You might have to adjust new processes slightly, but this shouldn’t be a major issue.
Conclusion
Streamlining your barbershop will help your business save time, money, and it will help increase productivity.
Automated tools readily available will help reduce human error. However, not all automated tools are the same. Consider reading reviews posted on social media accounts and online forums to get a clear insight into the different automated tools out there.
Avoid introducing too many changes to the business at once. This might overcomplicate things, and it could damage the way the business operates. Gradually implement changes, and be in constant communication with staff members and clients to see how things develop.
Employees who have been working for your barbershop for a long time might be afraid of change, and they might not like the idea of streamlining the business. Expect mistakes to be made during the early stages. Making mistakes is normal, but it is important that people learn from these errors. Keep in mind that not everyone likes working with modern technology, so it is important that you remain patient with your workers.
About Carson Derrow
