Cosmetology Technology You Need in 2023
With the vast amount of technological innovations the cosmetology school industry has seen in recent years, it could be easy to feel overwhelmed. So which solutions are most important to implement in your beauty school? Some trending beauty school tech features for 2023 include smart devices, booking software, and virtual imaging – just to name a few. There are certainly many new trends that are not essential to keep your cosmetology school up to date, such as virtual imaging. However, there are a number of features that are vital to implement in 2023 if you haven’t already. With these cosmetology technology innovations, you can enhance your beauty school’s efficiency, attract qualified employees, and keep your customers satisfied.
Discover how our software can help your cosmetology school stay compliant, productive, and streamlined.
Which Cosmetology Technology Features Are Most Important?
Cosmetology technology makes the appointment booking process more efficient so that students can get the hands-on training needed on the salon floor. Mobile technology like online booking, SMS appointment reminders, and self-service kiosks enable customers to complete the check-in and appointment-booking process themselves. This gives students the time and bandwidth to focus on appointments and clients. With all of these solutions in mind, which features do you really need to help your school stay up to date?
Online Booking – This allows clients to book their appointments anytime, anywhere.
SMS Reminders – No need for staff to make calls or manually confirm appointments. SMS reminders automate the process and make sure your books stay full.
Kiosks – Self-service kiosks allow customers to check themselves in as soon as they arrive, improving the guest experience at your cosmetology school. 66% of consumers prefer self-service over interacting with an employee, as it is faster and less stressful.
Digital Signage – This provides communication to customers, so they know their place in line, current promotions, and more. It also drives sales by providing a place to advertise your products in-store and creating a space for displaying sponsorships.
Payments – Cosmetology technology allows for a seamless payment process for clients, staff, and students.
Leverage Technology to Increase Efficiency
Each state has different requirements when it comes to how many training hours a student must complete before attaining their license. However, what most schools have in common is that they structure their cosmetology training in two phases. The first is classroom learning, in which students learn techniques and practice on mannequins. The second is hands-on experience on a salon floor, where students can continue training on mannequins but start working with real clients and learn how a salon operates. When choosing what cosmetology technology to implement in your school, you need to be sure it has features that optimize both phases of the training process. The right cosmetology POS software minimizes data and human error by integrating with a student information system (SIS). An SIS integration can ensure compliance while streamlining time clock functions and student attendance records so that all your data is in one convenient location. Additionally, kiosks allow students to complete the check-in process themselves once they are on the salon floor.
As you manage your school, reducing product waste and keeping frequently-used products in stock is vital. A salon inventory management system ensures that both back bar and retail products are accounted for at all times, reducing the risk of waste and theft. Also, here’s some good news for cosmetology school owners worried about maintaining compliance: time clock technology is continually improving. A biometric time clock makes student check-in quick, easy, and accurate by using biometric technology to track student attendance.
Attract Qualified Employees
Technology innovations such as self-check-in kiosks, mobile time clocks, and POS integrations eliminate tedious time spent managing appointment bookings and tracking students’ credit hours. This leaves more time for students and staff to focus on hands-on training, setting them up for success when they graduate from your school. And since more and more schools are implementing these solutions, qualified employees will expect your school to do the same. By eliminating time wasted on administrative tasks, your staff will get to invest more time with their students and prepare them for the real world. Cosmetology school owners, managers, and staff will have the peace of mind that they are maintaining compliance, eliminating errors, and creating a more efficient learning atmosphere for students. Keeping your cosmetology software ahead of the curve when it comes to modern technology will attract the best employees to your school.
Meet Customer Expectations
Gone are the days when customers would have to call their salon to make appointments. Online booking is not a hot new feature anymore; it has come to be expected by the consumer in 2023. In order to meet your customers’ expectations, even before they walk through your doors, it is essential that your cosmetology school adopts a software solution with online booking capabilities. In addition, the ability to communicate with your customers through SMS text messaging is vital in reducing no-shows. Text messages have a high open rate of 98%, a much higher open rate than the average B2C email, making it an essential tool to help cosmetology schools and salons save time and money by eliminating no-show appointments. These features, along with other cosmetology technology such as self-check-in kiosks and omnichannel payments, will keep your school future-proof.
GuestVision’s Cosmetology Technology
GuestVision’s POS integrates with our time clock and inventory management systems to automate tasks, so your staff can focus on providing an excellent education. Our cosmetology school software provides solutions to the pain points you face every day, such as maintaining compliance and keeping track of student credit hours. GuestVision’s time clock makes monitoring attendance easy and efficient, using biometric and mobile app clock-ins. Plus, If you manage multiple cosmetology schools, we make your job easier by keeping the data for your enterprise in one central location.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you leverage new technology at your cosmetology school!