If you’re looking to make a change to a new salon software vendor, it’s important to do your homework. Compare costs, features and benefits, with the understanding that it will not be an apples-to-apples comparison. Most importantly, you need to feel confident that whichever solution you choose will adequately accommodate your business model.
First, look at the deployment time, especially the conversion timetable and training lead time. This is the time of year when you need to be ramping up your team for the busy season, so it actually may NOT be the best time to throw brand new software into the mix. Additionally, many salon owners decide to switch software providers at the trade show, so the queue to be converted can be longer than normal immediately after such an event. It’s important to consider these factors from the outset and go into the discussion understanding that you may not actually get up and running until halfway through the busy season. Alternatively, if you are not in a hurry, you can pre-plan a set-up and conversion to occur at the end of the season.
Second, look at all the related costs, not just the sign-up cost. Up-front costs, conversion fees and required hardware expenses can quickly turn a good deal sour. Make sure you ask lots of questions to get the full scope of required, optional and deferred expenses. These factors are also a selling point for waiting until the end of the season, allowing you time to budget for the costs that conversion will incur.
Third, consider the importance of ongoing support and training. If you’re not already comfortable with the solution you choose, then there is no knowing how costly a comprehensive training program and continued product support will be. If the solution you choose does not include training and support as part of the conversion package, it is highly advisable to negotiate that into the total in order to avoid costly per-incident fees later.
Finally, consider this: even an upgrade of your current product is often as involved as a conversion because of the tremendous advances every software provider has made. This is especially relevant considering the monumental increase in regulation and accounting in the industry these days. There have also been considerable advancements in technology to accommodate salon chains and franchises due to the consolidation trend gaining momentum in the industry. The complexity of the software necessary to operate a chain of salons can be difficult to adjust to, but is designed to make management easier overall.
P.S. Here’s a little secret: there are not that many software solutions left in the tanning industry, and the few that are left understand that most of our gains are at the expense of our competitors. We call it “swapping sheep” and it’s the reality in which we operate. So don’t feel like you have to defend one solution over another. In the end, we want you to be satisfied with the software and service you receive, and not every solution suits every salon’s needs.
