How to Handle an Appointment Surge After Reopening Your Salon

When your state is given the green light to go back to work, you’re likely to see an increase in demand — meaning a steep surge in appointments. With new safety regulations affecting your salon capacity, it’s important to create a strategy to maximize your schedule while making your clients feel accommodated. From rebookings to waitlists, learn how to prepare your schedule for a smooth reopening.

 

Segment Your List

Chances are you won’t be able to quickly rebook everyone who missed an appointment during your salon shutdown while balancing clients who want to make up for lost time. Start by rebooking your clients who had to shift their appointments during shelter-in-place. If this list is too big, segment it. Reach out to your top clients and invite them to book with you first. Let them know you’re reopening your doors and how they can reschedule. This will help your high-paying clients feel loved and ensure your business starts out strong. 

 

Promote Your Waitlist

Next, encourage any new or rebooking clients to join your appointment waitlist with a personalized note. An appointment waitlist keeps your existing clients up to speed on openings and allows any new clients to keep tabs on future availability. Plus, it ensures all of your clients who are ready to book get notified as soon as you’re open for business. When a client visits your StyleSeat profile they’ll see a Notify Me! banner at the top of your Service Menu. Both new and long-time clients can opt-in to receive text notifications when your availability opens up.

Chances are your availability, service offerings, and salon processes will look a little different so it’s important to get ahead and keep your clients in the loop. Start by notifying your clients in advance — send a mass email to your client list to get them up to speed on your grand reopening.

 

Fill Last Minute Cancellations

We know that your services will be in high demand once shelter-in-place is lifted (if not now). In addition to joining your waitlist, clients can sign up to be notified of any last-minute cancellations — helping you fill drop-outs and no-shows.

 

Maximize Your Time

With limited capacity, every minute is valuable. Maximize your revenue and your schedule with Smart Pricing. Smart Pricing raises the prices on your most high-demand booking times to match their true market value.

Adjusting prices on your most popular time slots allows you to maximize your revenue without sacrificing bookings. Clients who need your prime booking can pay more to reserve the spot they want, while clients who are more flexible can book your regular times at your standard price. Best of all, it all happens automatically so you can make more money (while making clients happier) without lifting a finger.

 

Make More with Premium Appointments

When a client wants to book a time that isn’t available on your calendar, they can request a Premium Appointment from your booking page at a 20% price increase. You’ll be notified of the request and you can decide to accept or decline. If you accept the appointment, your client will confirm the booking by paying in advance. If clients don’t pay within 48 hours, the appointment will automatically be canceled.

 

Save Time with Touchless Payments

Once you have clients back through your doors, your space will be limited — literally. New social distancing procedures will require most salons to operate at half capacity or space clients throughout the salon. Creating a quick checkout experience will help you maximize your time and your appointments. Moving to online payments will allow you to provide a safer, faster, and seamless checkout for both you and your clients. Plus, with online payments, you can avoid the exchange of cash, credit cards, or checks altogether.

 

For more resources to ensure your reopening goes off without a hitch, explore 5 changes to make to your space before you open.

 

Ready to grow your business? Try StyleSeat. 

For more business tips, check out these articles:

• Grow Your Client List with StyleSeat’s Marketing Program
• Should I Charge for No-Shows and Late Cancellations?
• Maximize Your Revenue with Smart Pricing