MIKAL Salon & Spa Software

2022 has had some challenges -  But we are starting the New Year!

Don't think New Year's Resolutions, think about your 2023 EVOLUTION

Resolutions don't work. The average person keeps them for less than 2 weeks (remember the gym membership, fruit diet, juicer machine etc…;). So the wheels will fall off the Resolution train.............

Why don't resolutions work? Because it is our human behavior. It is our habit. It is easy. It might even be satisfying. So instead of trying to change behavior why not change the environment, the process, or the system and the behavior will change.

So instead let's EVOLVE!

Let's look at every system and process in our business and figure out how we can make it simpler, faster, better for staff and clients, and of course more profitable.

A few examples:

The front desk is an area of on-going frustration. Turn over of staff, poor client service, down time is not used to clean, organize, do confirmations, and retail and rebooking is not a priority.

So do we resolve to put as much time into the front desk as needed to change these things? Do we clean house and hire new receptionists? Is that our Resolution, to have a Revolution?

Ready to go all Tabitha on the desk?

Or the idea from MIKAL....

How about activating EMBA so the future appointment is booked before the client even comes up to the front desk to check out? The Employee Mobil Booking App lets your staff book the client's next appointment on their smart phone with the client at the end of the service!

How about embedding the Surveymonkey surveys into the automatic new client and reminder emails and texts MIKAL sends out for you for immediate feedback and ideas on what needs to change to improve the client experience?

How about putting in message on hold and call queue option on the phone to auto hold calls if not answered in 2 rings so the front desk can finish sales, rebook, and close retail without interruptions on putting people on hold?

- Support system involves giving the upsell offers in your message on hold.

- Education needs to happen so staff knows how to handle the call queue option.

How about giving a bonus when the receptionist rebooks a client, upsells a service, converts a price call to a booking, and sells NEW retail items to a client? The desk would be rewarded to do the things you want them to do. Sales would increase, retention would go up, and the bonus would increase wages so they would not leave over a fifty cent pay increase from a company down the street.

- Support system involves setting spiffs for rebooks, upsells, add on sales in MIKAL.

- Education needs to have scripting in place to deliver the offers.

- Support system needs to give clients loyalty points for rebooking automatically.

How about setting up the receptionist goals so every week they get a report on how they are doing compared to your expectations?

If the present desk staff can't embrace these positive steps how about hiring people that are going to embrace your systems?

So we Evolve with changes to the systems and the process allowing the people to change their behavior. You can manage the process instead of the people.

Why not do this for other areas?

Retailing - what can be changed to make retail easy?

Professional inventory- what can be put in place to track and fine tune inventory?

Stylist behaviors - what can be put in place to reward positive behaviors?

Social marketing - what can be put in place to make it automatic and effective?

Let's think through these areas and enhance the process and systems.

MIKAL Salon Software             

Automatic Appointment Confirmations with MIKAL 7.1 are amazing

35 to 65 percent of clients are confirming back their appointments within an hour of receiving an appointment reminder!

 MIKAL 7.1 includes a link that clients can confirm back their appointment reminder automatically by clicking a simple link and it is updated on the Mikal confirmation list and on the client’s appointment details.

 Get 7.1 and activate this powerful feature.

Clients are loving it. Confirmation phone calls are greatly reduced. No shows are reduced.

Call Mikal today 513-528-5100 ext 1

and order the upgrade.

Need your text numbers cleaned up and corrected? Mikal can do your entire client base in a day. Call us for costs and schedule this great service.

Automatic Appointment confirmations are included in your On-Line Booking and EMBA service at no extra cost. If you do not use OLB or EMBA the Confirmation system maintenance service fee is $20 per month. This includes Mikal Cloud set up, trouble shooting, maintenance, delivery verification assistance, and support and updates. Credit card on file is required for automatic billing the first of each month.

Compensation systems

 Your compensation system needs to match performance to income, especially at the high end. We should not lose our top performers to a higher "percentage".

 It costs over $ 6000.00 in time, expenses, and training to bring new employees on board and get them productive. This does not allow for lost sales!

 We need to set up a compensation system that helps us to keep our top operators.

 Most salon/spa compensation systems do not reward the top achievers in the salon while making the employees that are at break even (or less) works harder to receive the same benefits that the top performers receive.

 Who are your TOP performers?Running the Ranking Report for the Year will show who is leading the pack. The Management Summary helps you see performance using specific benchmarks.

Do you have this challenge?

 Some of your operators may have begun to realize that they can make a comfortable living by showing up 25 hours a week and being booked solid during that time. The problem with this is that, while they are good revenue producers, they:

 1.) take up "prime time" (Red) hours with their regular customers so that new customers cannot get in and new operators cannot build.

 2.) are in the salon/spa doing customers with a full book and they cannot help with any salon/spa operations like folding towels, cleaning, helping at the desk.......

 3.) become more independent because they are not in the salon culture often enough (they stop being part of the team)

 We recommend you grandfather your present staff (continue to pay them in the agreed on way). You need to develop a compensation system for new employees that is more motivating and is based on contribution to the salon/spa's overall goals.

 Suggestions:

 Hours:Any employee working less than 36 hours per week is not considered full time. Non full time staff does NOT get paid vacations, may be required to share the station, and cannot have all "prime time" hours (ex: they only get to work every other Saturday).

 Any employee working less than 30 hours per week is considered part time and does NOT receive paid vacations, sick days, free business cards, exclusion from service charges, must share a station and must book all work during Green and Yellow booking times (see Booking ideas earlier in this report).

 Track all employees hours on the time clock.

Here is one small tactic you can add to your customer relations program that will endear you to your clients.

We know clients like to feel important… who doesn’t like to be greeted by name when they walk through the door of our salons or spas? When we ask Mrs. Smith how her home remodel is coming along, or when we ask Mrs. Skinner how her daughter did in her last soccer game… they wonder how we can remember the details of their lives. Good salon and spa software (like MIKAL) can help us remember those small details easily.

But what if you could add a bit of brightness to your clients’ days with one small change in how you greet them as they enter your establishment? Something that doesn’t cost a lot, is easy to do and makes them feel so very special… something they can only get in your salon or spa?

One of our salon owners at one time worked at Starbucks part time while she was getting her new salon up and running. Using the knowledge she gained from making Starbucks coffee drinks, she decided to bring that into her salon for her clients. She taught her stylists and assistants how to build a macchiato (strong coffee, frothed milk). She added a little cinnamon and a swirl or crosshatch of local honey on top, and her clients were served a cinnamon-honey macchiato for free! They loved the macchiato (a step up from regular coffee or tea at other salons) and they loved the extra attention.

You do not need to invest in a $5,000 espresso machine. A regular coffee pot and regular coffee (or dark roast or espresso roast will do) and frothed milk is all you need (along with some Saigon cinnamon and local honey, of course). A vast array of reasonably priced milk frothers is available online. Her favorite brands were Capresso and Secura. Served in china mugs, not Styrofoam cups, these fancy macchiatos made her clients feel extra special… which, of course, was her goal.

It takes a little extra effort to keep the frother clean in betweenuses, but the smiles on her clients’ faces were worth it. And the Thank You’s.

Cinnamon-honey macchiatos: an easy way to help ensure client loyalty.

Tough clients?  We have the answers!

You can MAXIMIZE the Resistant and Stalwart Experience by Marketing with MIKAL

Today’s consumer is more and more inclined to spend money on experiences than on items. Experience purchases now win out for up to 40% of all consumers. It is over 60% of millennials would rather spend on experiences than items!

How do we take advantage of this trend?

We offer mini experiences. We set up the system and salon/spa to support the client WOW.

Packages with RICH descriptions. Services on our web site with details benefit laden descriptions. Scripts for our staff with the same…………..

What we don’t do: discount our packages and make them a commodity (think ITEM).

Sell gift cards for a cheaper rate – where is the experience part of the sale?

- Come up with a first time offer for the price check prospects for each area of the salon/spa. Tie to your Google offer, your Social media, and your referral program – is this working for you?

- Set up a pdf you can instantly e-mail for the client screen for the price inquiries – do you have?

- Set descriptions of all services for pop up that are packed with benefits – do you have this?

- Train the staff especially the desk to use the benefits – script and role play!

- Use the Up-$ells to add on the experience services that WOW – does your system do this?

- 4 Corner your front area to create the perfect client experience – call for our diagram

- Time line to maximize every WOW opportunity during the client visit – ask for our timeline info

- Review your Unique Selling Points – do you work on these items every week?

- Use the EMBA to prebook at the chair/station – know why this is powerful?

- Video the finish or make up touchup on the client phone – do you do this now?

- Reward the client with instant rebates of the loyalty points on each visit – set this up?

- Use the Thank you and New Client Thank you to follow up

- Use the Xris-Xross marketing to suggest NEW client experiences – automatic with Mikal

- Publish the positive client experience comments – make sure it is available on Google!

- Promote the client experience options in your business – are these part of your USPs?

- Make sure you have a mini client experience option – know why this is critical?

- Put together packages, series and Events to keep the client experience fresh – important!

Now is the time to get on these programs and strategies. This trend for experiences in going to grow and if your salon/spa is not positioned for this big change in consumer buying you will miss out!

Here are the 5 Steps and strategies Mikal Software salons are using to resume business and grow their businesses.

First let’s make sure we are rewarding our Super Stalwart clients – the one who would risk life and limb to get those services done by you. Fire up your client Loyalty and Rewards program for these clients.

Here is how one of our salon/spas restarted the points program when reopening:

The Spa Owner says… We instituted our program in June on reopening and the clients LOVE it!

We give 10 points for every service dollar and have our flyer posted all over the Spa. We also have emailed 7000 people on our Mikal email list about the new Points program. (Note the support that the spa gives the program with flyers, posted info, and direct email marketing to customers.)

We have a program called “Pamper Points”. The first reward is a haircut. This is the department we are building.

We printed a Mikal Customer Ranking report for the 6 months before lockdown, and worked out the average dollar amount spent by our clients per year. The rewards are to encourage clients to spend more in addition to rewarding our “big spenders”.

Redemptions include:

- 10 facials generate enough points for a complementary shampoo, conditioner, style and waxing.

- 10 massages generate enough points for a complementary hot oil scalp treatment and paraffin hand

and foot treatment. (Pedicure and Manicures are extra)

We pay our staff for the services rendered.

We also introduced a Couples Night Out. It is a great way to get clients to bring in a second potential client to the Spa. We have this deal on our website and in Mikal software have put in a client type for “Couples Night” so we can mail Text or email them with future specials and events – i.e. makeup events. We are building our makeup division. We emailed this info to clients, too. The Couples Nights are held on our slow nights to control numbers in the salon/spa and also build our slow evenings. We also are now open on Sundays for Couples Afternoon Affairs (lol) and were never open before on Sundays.

We are working on teen workshops for the Winter/Spring. They are a great untapped market with disposable income for cosmetics and makeup!

Would you like the free PDF with these and other great ideas? Give us a call or send and email.

Here are the 5 Steps and strategies Mikal Software salons are using to resume business and grow their businesses.

First let’s make sure we are rewarding our Super Stalwart clients – the one who would risk life and limb to get those services done by you. Fire up your client Loyalty and Rewards program for these clients.

Here is how one of our salon/spas restarted the points program when reopening:

The Spa Owner says… We instituted our program in June on reopening and the clients LOVE it!

We give 10 points for every service dollar and have our flyer posted all over the Spa. We also have emailed 7000 people on our Mikal email list about the new Points program. (Note the support that the spa gives the program with flyers, posted info, and direct email marketing to customers.)

We have a program called “Pamper Points”. The first reward is a haircut. This is the department we are building.

We printed a Mikal Customer Ranking report for the 6 months before lockdown, and worked out the average dollar amount spent by our clients per year. The rewards are to encourage clients to spend more in addition to rewarding our “big spenders”.

Redemptions include:

- 10 facials generate enough points for a complementary shampoo, conditioner, style and waxing.

- 10 massages generate enough points for a complementary hot oil scalp treatment and paraffin hand

and foot treatment. (Pedicure and Manicures are extra)

We pay our staff for the services rendered.

Call Mikal for a free PDF chocked full of great info 513-528-5100 ext 1 for support, or email us!

We also introduced a Couples Night Out. It is a great way to get clients to bring in a second potential client to the Spa. We have this deal on our website and in Mikal software have put in a client type for “Couples Night” so we can mail Text or email them with future specials and events – i.e. makeup events. We are building our makeup division. We emailed this info to clients, too. The Couples Nights are held on our slow nights to control numbers in the salon/spa and also build our slow evenings. We also are now open on Sundays for Couples Afternoon Affairs (lol) and were never open before on Sundays.

We are working on teen workshops for the Fall/Winter. They are a great untapped market with disposable income for cosmetics and makeup!

Here is a 5 Step Plan

Turn your Reluctant and Skeptical Clients into

Super Stalwart clients!

Do you have the tools in place to not just manage your business but to grow your business in this challenging new business environment? Inflation – markets crashing – gas prices – labor shortages – cost increases!

Okay – so we are up and running. The rush of clients was amazing but now the client flow has slowed. Salons seem to have a clientele divided into three segments. The Stalwarts are the clients that are getting services just like always – the ones that could not wait to get back to the (new) normal. The Skepticals are the clients who are coming in with concerns, money worries, and are reluctant to reschedule when leaving.

The Resistants are slowing visits and looking for deals.

It is rough enough that our hours and staffing are limited. So we have split shifts, expanded hours, done price increases or service charges and other strategies to keep the doors open. These strategies have helped but more has to be done to really resume your business and start to grow your business again. We need to engage the Skeptical and Resistant clients to create visits and increase sales.

Call us for a FREE pdf emailed to you of the entire plan.  513-528-5100 and ext 1 for support.  Or email us!

ALL NEW OPTIONS AND FEATURES WITH MIKAL

Take a look at the new features and programs we have been perfecting. Call us if any of these items fit in your 2022 strategy!

513-528-5100

Text messages are 5x more effective than emails. Text messages are read within 5 minutes of receipt and emails are read within 2 days of receipt. Automatically update ALL of your client text numbers with the proper service providers. Mikal can take your customer file and overnight match the cell numbers to the correct providers for accurate texting.

This service is $150 and 3 cents per clients. We can limit the number based on last visit date and new or update of client files. Call us for details and maximize your marketing!

On-line booking has many new features. New clients can register with you and get their own PIN, Non-clients can “shop” for appointments and check availability before entering client information, and you can charge an appointment reservation fee or the service cost at the time of booking. The appointment is prepaid on the client’s credit card. Call us for set up details and requirements.

EMBA the employee mobile phone booking application has the ability to enter new clients, see client buying history, update client tech cards and see sales goals daily, weekly, and more. Use EMBA to eliminate the holiday bottleneck at the front desk.

SEVEN update: version 7.1 is ready to install. 7.1 includes the ability to store client credit card information and recall at point of sale in a secure mode, giving clients the ability to confirm Mikal appointment reminders automatically and updating a code on the confirmation list, activation of the new Opt-out option for clients for easy opt out of emarketing in your system. This update is $169 for Mikal software users and is included at no charge in all Seven rental client systems. Call for details and availability around 2021 year end.

Call us for current prices on HP Computers, Laser printers, and Barcode Scanners. If you have an older computer upgrading to an HP with an SSD drive gives you FIVE TIMES the speed. Call for details and prices. 513-528-5100

We know from research that salons and spas generally keep three out of every ten new clients who visit their business. After that second visit, the number who return for a third visit is even lower. We need to find ways to ensure those NEW clients WANT to return to our salon/spa!

The easiest way is something our mothers and grandmothers taught us from a very early age: say Thank You. Make sure every single new client receives a hand-written Thank You note within one week after their first visit. (Long-time clients should receive at least one Thank You note a year!) One of our salon owners wrote them herself and signed both her name and the name of the stylist who delivered the client’s service. Many of her clients would bring the notes back to the salon to thank her. Sending Thank You notes will make your business stand out… the majority of businesses simply don’t have time or don’t care. Show your clients you care.

By printing the Mikal Daily Customer Action Report, you will know each day which of your clients are first-time visitors. Providing copies of this report to each employee will help them ensure their new client is made comfortable and is pleased with their first visit. The Daily Customer Action Report will be your guide to writing and mailing quick Thank You notes. You can complete this task at the end of every week… but if you write your notes at the end of every day, the task won’t seem as daunting. And your clients will be impressed that you cared enough to say thanks.

Here is a sample of what you might want to write:

Dear Client name, Thank you so much for choosing Salon/Spa Name ! We enjoyed getting to know you. Employee Name loved working with your Hair,Nail,Skin! Call us if you have any questions. We look forward to your next visit. Owner Name and Provider Name.

Small inexpensive Thank You cards are available in many stores, including Tuesday Morning. A Thank You note is a small thing… that can bring great rewards.