Being a salon owner is daunting. Not to frighten you or something, but 80% of the Salons fail in the first 18 months of their launch (Source). And with ever increasing competition, you’ll find a rival set up at every street corner.
But that’s not the only reason. You might also fall victim to low customer retention, high no-show ratio, untargeted marketing, and blah blah blah. We know that’s not how we end up the enlightening session, but we want it that way, just to let you know that we are here to discuss the solutions, rather than the problem.
This solution comes in the form of salon app development. In other words, taking your business online with a great salon app that speaks for your brand. And why mobile apps, because millions of your customers are there. And most importantly because it offers a one-stop solution to all the above-mentioned problems. All you have to do is get your hands on specific outstanding features and get started. Yes, that easy it.
Let’s help you identify some of these features.
What are the Must-have Salon App Features?
1. Personal User Accounts- Because everyone Loves their personal space
The first one on our list of must-have salon app features is personal accounts. As a business owner, anyone would love the idea of the app being used frequently. But this usage does not have to be bothersome. Enrich the salon app with a feature of personal accounts. Let the users manage these profiles so that they do not have to fiddle around every time they log in to the app to book an appoint.
2. List of Services You Offer- Each one of them
Gone are the days when haircut services or men’s grooming were only services that defined Salons. We have come far away from it. Salons are now capable of delivering an extraordinary range of services that caters to everything from hairdressing to scalp treatments, epilation, depilation to laser hair removals, head massages to manicure/ pedicure, and whatnot.
You can have your services speak for themselves. Combine them with gallery options to showcase the mainstays or probably some clients speaking for their experiences while taking corresponding services.
3. Price Listing- Because, if you are good at something, never do it for free
Be transparent and make sure that your users are aware of your pricing matrix. And having a price bar associated with each service is an amazing add-on to it. You can also think of combining it with discounts or can provide provision for combo offers.
4. Appointment Booking and Scheduling
Of course, no customer would love the hassle of checking out your contact number or address only to contact you for appointment scheduling. Would you? A big no.
And so give them the feature in the salon app itself making the process hassle-free. You can think of integrating calendars in the mobile app to help them plan better.
A booking form in your salon app can ask the following details:
- Services to avail. You can have them all listed along with the checkboxes for them to choose.
- Preferred expert (if any)
- Time and date options. In case they have a beauty specialist of their choice, the time should not clash with another appointment that he might have with another client. Thus, maintaining synch is essential.
- Instructions to be given (if any)
A well-structured checkout process will follow the above-mentioned process.
5. In-app Payments
Payments should always be easy, and in case they are not, you are risking your business. Thus, in-app payment feature really adds significant value to the salon app development. Allow the clients to pay via integrated eWallets like PayPal, Stripe, Braintree, etc. This can also include options like payment via cards or other popular wallets like Google Pay or Apple Pay.
6. Offers and Discounts- Rewards of loyalty are a great add-on
Reward your customers for their loyalty. You can think of offering them some compelling discounts by investing time in finding a tailor-made suit of services, a treatment that best suits their hair type probably. Or anything that comes out of your expert mind.
This will make sure that you build a great relationship with your clients so that they keep coming back to you.
7. GPS Technology
Integration with GPS technology will do wonders for your business.
One, clients will be able to reach your salon very easily. Like, they can simply launch the mobile app and get all they need to know about the route at the fingertips.
Two, powered with Google’s latest AI technology, clients can book an appointment on the go. Amazing. Isn’t it?
8. Push Notifications
Push notifications are the heart of your mobile app strategy. Their ability to boost the engagement rate can never be negotiated. Motivate your clients to keep up with you by sending keeping them updated with all the stuff that makes a part of customer delight. You have something great to offer, inform via notification. They have an upcoming appointment, what could be a better way than push notification? They just had a successful appointment, use push notification to encourage them to rate the services.
Possibilities are endless, you just need to brainstorm what works best for you.
9. Style Libraries
Not every time they can come knocking at your door for simple hairstyles. Imagine receiving a message from your special one who is coming to pick you up in the next 30 minutes. For every such moment, style libraries are the golden book. You can also think of boosting the feature with time-out displays like haircut of the week, updo of the week, and a lot more. Users will be able to simply reach up there are get started.
10. Appointment Cancellation
Many times, some unexpected things pop up and we need to swap the priorities. So can happen with your customers. Just because they’ve booked an appointment, you need not force them to show up or change their schedule. We all demand flexibility, anyway.
An appointment cancellation feature is something just for this. Make sure you make cancellation as hassle-free as booking the appointments. And so should be the refund policies.
How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Salon App?
Various features largely determine the cost of salon app development:
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Type of mobile app development (Native/ Hybrid/ Cross-Platform)
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Type of platform (iOS/ Android/ Both)
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Features
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Market
And a lot more. While it can cost anywhere between $18,000 to $35,000, the cost can shift slightly to both the ends depending on additional requirements. The same concept applies to the time for salon app development. While it can anywhere between 6-10 weeks, the additions are more likely with extra features.
Kick-off Salon Appointment App Development with Matellio
Taking your salon business online has a great set of benefits to offer. If you are considering getting an app developed for your business, now is the time to reap the benefits and Matellio can be your perfect partner.
In an ever-growing Mobile market, Matellio is a leading Mobile App development studio that caters to client’s diverse business needs with a keen focus on quality. Our decade-long experience in developing applications across different platforms enables us to offer our clients with distinguishing benefits in terms of standard-focused methodology and process that brings significant results. With a global presence and proven track record in delivering high-end top notch solutions, Matellio ensures timely and on-budget delivery to clients across geographies to give you an extra edge.
