Is there a VirtualSalons & VirtualSpas Mobile App?

I don’t know how much time you spend reading about smartphone capabilities and technology developments, but getting full smartphone access for our subscribers has been stalled out over the last few months because of a technology war between Apple and Adobe. Adobe is finally recovering and getting Flash Player access on a wide variety of smartphones in the marketplace.

Our team was discussing this issue 12 months before their war went public and we can't wait for it to be resolved! The power-play between these two companies really only hurts consumers and small business. Thankfully, it is finally looking like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

The VirtualSalons and VirtualSpas online appointment booking, Emarketing and salon and spa management system is built in a program that requires the use of Adobe Flash Player. The newest Adroid 2.2 upgrade claims to be supporting Flash Player 10.1 and/or 10.2. So soon, most Android smart phones will be supporting Flash and provide full unlimited access to the VirtualSalons and VirtualSpas application.

Our iPhone subscribers are finding success using a 99cent App called CLOUD BROWSE. The 99cent download gives iPhone users the ability to use the browser in 3-5 minute sessions. However, unlimited access to Cloud Browse will require a subscription fee of $6.99 per month with the maker of Cloud Browse.

Blackberry operating systems continue to be way behind in adding the ability to access Flash Player in a mobile browser.

To complicate things more, we are seeing mobile service providers beginning to inflict more financial pain on smartphone consumers by moving away from unlimited data plans. Sprint has already cut off unlimited use and Verizon is also doing the same. All of the new smartphone and tablet devices that stream video and applications are killing service provider networks (even with the new 3G and 4G) and they are moving back to charging for data use.

Some of our competitors may be advertising specialized iPhone or Android apps, but they don't have comprehensive, intelligently designed real-time technology tools that build your business daily. So, although we don't have a date for separate "APP" tools to go live, I can assure you that it will be a much shorter time for us to create specialized mobile access tools as necessary than it take for our competitors to be able to try to add all of the business tools and functionality we already have in the VirtualSalons and VirtualSpas application.

We are evaluating every variable to be sure that we continue to put forward online salon and spa management and marketing tools that will exceed the expectations of our current and future subscribers.

To our subscribers...We hear you and we want you to keep the feedback coming on your experiences with Android 2.2 and Cloud Browse. We're taking it all in...

Flash Player 10.1 FINALLY getting to Smartphones!

For updates on which smartphones currently support Adobe Flash Player 10.1 please go to https://www.adobe.com/flashplatform/supported_devices/smartphones.html

We are very pleased to see Adobe FINALLY making headway in getting Flash Player active to support mobile use of the VirtualSalons & VirtualSpas application.

It is too early for us to provide any recommendations for which phones are managing the Flash Player best. We are collecting user feedback and will keep posting more information as it becomes available.

As Adobe joins forces with almost every smartphone producer other than Apple...If you are an iPhone owner who also subscribes to VirtualSalons / VirtualSpas we suggest that you contact Apple to let them know you want Flash Player on iPhone too!

In the meantime we are working on a browser-based access to our app for iPhone users, but ultimately the use of the application will be much richer in content, functions and features via Flash Player enabled devices.

We're hopeful that the outcry from iPhone users will put pressure on Steve Jobs as they see the Android and other smartphones using Flash Player well.

Back to Basics...and lessons learned

By datestamp, it will appear that I've been ignoring the need to blog, but in reality we found a "hot" new blogging technology we thought would be a great addition to our business. Sadly, the truth is that we had a very bad experience with this blogging company and are now back to basics with good old Google Blogger!

The lessons learned here are exactly the things we tell all of the professionals evaluating our online appointment booking and salon and spa management services. I believe they are worth sharing as we re-engage this blog:
1. When evaluating a technology you want to incorporate into your business, don't settle for reviewing demos and getting your questions answered. If you cannot be provided the ability to test a technology on your own computer to be sure it works well for you - DON'T move forward with it! We provide a 30-day free trial with full system available to potential subscribers. Every technology should!
2. Try every feature you or your clients will use FOR YOURSELF. You must know what your clients will be seeing and experiencing just like you must see the online tools you will be using in your daily business. Frankly, what your clients see and experience will ultimately be more important than what you see a service provider.

In the case of our bad "new" blog technology experience, all we lost were some blog posts. In the case of evaluating online appointment booking tools and Salon and Spa software, you can lose much more if you chose badly - like your entire client list and all of your historical client and sales information.

In addition to being able to touch the technology with your own hands and your own computers, you've got to know what a service providers policies are for when you leave their service. Will they provide you lists of all future appointments? Will your clients be contacted by this company or other professionals using their service? We hear horror stories from professionals all the time about what they didn't know when they signed up for some cool "new" service. I'll discuss these things and more here in our weekly discussion.

Our team is here to help you evaluate not only our system but we are also prepared to answer questions about our competitors. Our support team is available to our Free Trial users just like they are to our subscribers Toll Free at 1-888-474-8018.

Let us know how we can help you.

Dig Deep into Web-Apps so a pretty FACE doesn't fool you!

We've all been fooled by a pretty face at one time or another...Maybe it was a package that looked beautiful on the outside, but in true white elephant fashion, it really had a brick inside. Maybe it was a person who seemed decent or trustworthy and then as know them for a longer period of time they aren't what they appeared. In some cases, people can shatter our illusions as soon as they open their mouth...

Selecting a Web application to help you manage and market your business can be a similar experience. An attractive web site with an impressive list of features and functions can make you believe that you've found just what you need. I evaluate our competitors regularly and I have even been fooled once or twice. Unfortunately, just like in life, sometimes you've married it before you find the brick.

Your true test is always going to be in working with the web-application itself. You must be able to try out all features and functions that your business will require. A sales person demo or watching a "pretty" video does not constitute trying out an application.

Technology can be a tricky business. In our 6 years of providing online appointment booking and Salon & Spa Management services to beauty professionals we've seen a lot of pretty faces that do not have the technology to back up their claims.

We've seen some of our competitors post images of features that are not really available in their system. We've seen several remodel their "pretty"web site 3-5 times without ever making changes to dinosaur technologies their clients are struggling with on a daily basis. Applications with old technology or patched together pieces of multiple old can be very bad for business.

Key things to watch out for as you build a list of Salon and Spa Management solutions you want to evaluate are:

1. Disk-installed applications that have some "web-based" features can be complicated to maintain and may not be able to keep up with browser and handheld device technology.
2. If you can't use a system as a self-serve demo online or if there are start-up or set-up fees, chances are the system is not user-friendly.
3. If the screens in the system look like an old design - the system is probably old technology which can cause you problems going forward in this web-centric world. This is especially important if you are considering purchasing a product rather than signing up for a monthly service.

Key things to look for inside an application are:

1. Is there flexibility in the main functions? Here are a couple of examples...Can you quickly add a client record while booking a new client or do you have to go to a "create client record" screen and do a full separate step before being able to accomplish this task. Can you assign custom service times and prices by professional or do you have to edit this information every time you book a service or check out a client? These small conveniences make a HUGE difference in daily ease of use for you and your staff. They also help prevent mistakes and help provide better customer service. Basic processes like appointment booking and checkout should not be painful.
2. Overall system navigation: Can you quickly get to where you want to go in calendar views? We've seen systems that claim to be for Salon/Spa professionals where a user must navigate the views one calendar day at a time. Our system boasts a minimum 2 month individual date view-access with up to 12 months in view in one click. Most Salon/Spa professionals work on a 2-8 week repeat appointment basis, so daily navigation is extremely cumbersome trying to manage appointment schedules.
3. Is there really Real-time Online Appointment Booking? Real-time online appointment booking means your client logs-in selects an appointment and it is immediately placed directly into your schedule. Any system that requires you as the professional or administrator to confirm the appointment to the client before it is considered "booked" is nothing more than an email request. Many companies claim to have online booking that really do not.

There are too many "ugly" problems to list them all in this post, but hopefully you get the idea. You must look beyond a pretty facade or fast talking sales person and you must use an application before you commit because you will be spending a lot of time together!

The Case for SPECIALIZED Salon & Spa Managment Software

One of the best things about being in the online Salon & Spa software business is that every day is different. Just when I think I've seen and heard it all, one of our subscribers will come up with a feature suggestion or some unique circumstance in their business that gives us great ideas for new features and conveniences that can truly make a difference in the business and daily life of every Salon & Spa professional using our service.

As a former service provider and Salon/Spa owner myself, I am very sensitive to the needs of the hard-working service professionals that are now my clientele. I'm also very sensitive to the fact that most people have no idea about all of the work that goes into being a service provider - both physical and emotional.

So what does all this have to do with why "Specialty Salon & Spa Software" is important? I think my personal experience in the Salon and Spa industry has everything to do with what makes our online software become an invaluable part of daily life for our clients - you know... the kind of technology tools you can't live without - like your cell phone or email. It is a beautiful thing when I hear from our clients that they would "die" without our service.

This "until death do us part" commitment from our clients comes from specialty features we've developed like the ability for owners to hide client contact information from employees but still give them log-in access to review their schedules, or formula and procedural notes that are automatically placed into each day's print view and a million other intuitive things our software does.

Our specialty features and little things add up to a lot of difference making life easier and business more profitable. I refuse to accept that the exact same software features and functions that work for a Yoga, Dance or Photography studio are going to serve beauty professionals well. Our commitment to our subscribers is to be the very best tool for Salon & Spa professionals and doing that doesn't mean creating generic software features that cover many industries.

Top 10 Things to look for in Online Salon & Spa Tools

Here's our "Hot" list for what Salon & Spa Professionals should be looking for in Online Salon & Spa Management Tools...Of course, VirtualSalons & VirtualSpas is proud to boast ALL of these features:

1. Real-Time Appointment Booking - The appointment goes directly into the online books when the client selects their appointment time. Anything that requires an "approval" or "confirmation" to the client before the appointment is scheduled is simply an email request- not really online booking.
2. All auto email should allow you to display your logo, not your online service providers. If the email sent out by your online books does not include your branding, whose business are you building? Certainly not yours!
3. Connect an unlimited number of computers without additional fees.
4. Make sure you get a totally web-based solution to be completely Mac & PC compatible. Products that have a combination of disk and web components will usually require you to buy and install costly upgrades for the disk-installed features.
   
5. No Per-Transaction Fees. The only type of transaction you should pay a percentage for is credit card processing - not appointment booking or services you provide for your existing clientele. Don't agree to share a percentage of your income with an Online Service Provider!
   
6. No Updates to purchase, No Contracts and No Required Equipment to Buy.
   
7. Self-serve FREE Trial. If a system isn't easy enough for you to get in to demo it online for yourself, is it going to be easy for you to use in your business?
   
8. FREE Set-Up, Training and Support Fees.
9. Make sure your online service provider's Privacy Policy protects you and your clients. ALWAYS read the "Terms and Conditions of Use" before signing up for any online service. Many online services are not protecting your client list and may even market your competition to your existing clients. The worst part is... you will be paying them to do it! A reputable online service provider will state very clearly that your client information belongs to YOU (the professional) and that they will never share, rent, or use your client contact information in any way.
10. A search feature or ads that promote your competition should not be available for your clients to browse while they are online to book an appointment with you. You want your clients going directly to your online books without seeing any mention of another Salon or Spa professional or "special offers".
    

Have I missed anything? What do you think are the most important features in Online Appointment Books and Salon & Spa Management?

Dangerous New Online Services for Salons & Spas

Keeping with the theme of yesterday's blog, let's look a little closer at additional dangers Salon & Spa professionals need to avoid in Online Services.

Here's our Top 5 Dangers we educate and warn professionals about daily:
1. Client Stealing. YOUR CLIENT contact information should remain your client contact information. Online Service providers should not be promoting their own site, their own reward points or your competitors services to your client list. You will allow them to cannibalize your client list and your business revenue from the inside out if you participate in these online services.
2. Don't get into a coupon battle. While the idea of participating in a Salon or Spa search site can seem like a good idea for your business, be careful not to be devaluing your services or getting into "coupon or discount wars" with other businesses listed on these sites. Know your value and find creative ways to reward and incentivize your existing clients rather than always trying to make a low-cost offer to new clients.
3. Posting service offers on "discount" sites for days and weeks ahead will devalue your services. Our features are moving toward making real-time offers an easy way for Salon and Spa professionals to fill open time in their books. We also have many built in features to help you pre-book clients and build the book without discounting.
4. Don't get sucked into online pay-per-click campaigns where you cannot impose daily cost limits. AND if you are really going to see value from a pay-per-click placement online, you will start to see activity and results (meaning clients in the door) from it fairly immediatley. If you aren't getting calls or clients within a couple of weeks you should be shutting down this expense.
5. Shopping Carts can get you into trouble. Although the idea of true e-commerce and selling online can be appealing, many Professional Product lines have strict rules about NOT selling online or you will be in conflict with the manufacturer's distribution policies. If you choose to ignore these rules, you may lose the opportunity to represent the product line.

Is your Online Appointment Service stealing your clients?

Yes, I said STEALING YOUR CLIENTS!

Salon and Spa appointment booking is rapidly moving online for individual booth renters, single location and multi-location Salon and Spa businesses. Since my business is an Online Appointment Booking and Emarketing tool for Salons and Spas, I am all for this; but not all services are created equally and licensed professionals must BEWARE.

Online Services vary not only in features and functions, but also in Terms & Conditions of Use. Maybe you've heard of these "Terms"- it is the page on most websites that nobody reads and quickly clicks to "Accept". If you sign up for online services that will share ownership of your client list, you may be personally destroying your own business.
Online appointment booking services can be VERY valuable to build your business, but NOT when the online service you select will legally consider YOUR clients THEIR clients.

This dangerous new trend in "Terms of Service" that we are seeing in some our competitors is a new breed of online tools that is promising licensed professionals free search listings and new client promotions in addition to online appointment booking services.

VirtualSalons & VirtualSpas does NOT have a Salon/Spa Search available to consumers on purpose. If every time your clients go online to book an appointment they see all of your LOCAL competition's service menus and current promotions, there will be a percentage of your clients who will choose to schedule services with another Salon/Spa professional even though they originally logged on to schedule an appointment with you!

Every business wants and needs new clients, but you should not be gambling the loyalty of all of your existing clients in pursuit of new clients or online appointment booking tools.

If the online service you integrate into your business legally considers YOUR clients THEIR clients, MAKE NO MISTAKE, they will be marketing competing products and services to your clients and this will undermine your business success.

Bottom Line: No matter what cool features it looks like an online system has to help you find new clients, be sure you KNOW WHO OWNS THE CLIENT CONTACT INFORMATION and KNOW if your clients will have the potential to be contacted by your online service provider.