How having a salon software system can help with staff management

With staff recruitment and retention being hugely important for salons, having a software system with staff management features can be beneficial.

When it comes to running a business, your staff are your greatest asset, and this is particularly true in the hair and beauty industry. A good team can make all the difference to your appointment book, retail sales and client loyalty. 

Having a salon software system can help with this area of your business, ensuring your employees are properly supported. Many platforms offer a comprehensive suite of tools that can significantly improve staff management, leading to increased efficiency, productivity, and a better overall salon experience for both staff and clients. 

“One of the biggest challenges salons face in 2025 is holding onto great people,” says Luke Doolin, country manager UKI at Phorest Salon Software. “What we’ve seen is that having the right tools, such as clear goal tracking, performance insights and scheduling, helps team members feel more supported, more in control and, ultimately, more loyal to the business.” 

“When a salon has a software system installed, staff are reassured that the business is being properly managed, tasks are automated, and targets are clear and unambiguous – all of which makes for a much more rewarding work environment,” says John Donnelly, director of Digital Salon Group, which is the exclusive distributor of SalonIQ in Ireland. 

Software can also incentivise staff. “Being able to set personal goals, receive push notifications and monitor their progress in real-time is really powerful for team members,” says Doolin. “That kind of visibility not only keeps them motivated, but also helps them take ownership of their success.” 

The benefits are felt by both the business and its employees, he adds. “Salon software can manage rosters across multiple locations, and calculate annual leave, sick days and payroll. From a business perspective, that means a lot less admin and more consistency across the team. And for staff, it gives clarity as they know exactly when they’re working, how much they’ve earned and what their leave entitlements are. That transparency is instrumental in building trust and efficiency on both sides.” 

“The majority of salon software systems will do rosters, and most of these are accessible via the cloud, which is important when a staff member requests annual leave or a sick day, and the PC in the salon is not readily available,” notes Donnelly. 

“They will also have KPI dashboards, which allow owners and staff track sales, rebookings and customer feedback. Commissions can easily be calculated, and owners can put staff incentives in place to reward top performers.” 

Client relationships 
Of course staff performance is closely aligned with client loyalty, and having the right software is a great way to build those all-important client relationships. “You can build client profiles to keep track of everything you need to know about your client, allowing for a personalised experience,” says Annabel Wood, product marketing manager at Fresha. “You can even send automated texts on your clients’ birthdays with a discount, or share offers and news by emailing everyone on your list. There are so many ways to target different clients, so you can always maintain and nurture those relationships.” 

“Software makes it easy to keep in touch with clients through automated messages, reminders and even rebooking prompts,” says Doolin. “It helps staff build more meaningful relationships with their clients. This strengthens client loyalty and boosts retention. When a client trusts and feels connected to a stylist, it has a direct impact on their column and overall performance.” 

“Automated messages can be used to not only inform clients of their appointments, but provide them with aftercare advice, while loyalty schemes can be offered to encourage client retention,” says Sally Conchie, marketing specialist at Timely. “Clients can even be marked as VIPs and rewarded with exclusive discounts and special promotions, allowing your business to stand out.”

“Salon software systems allow the accurate updating of client notes and consultation forms, giving staff accurate information on their client before their appointment,” adds Donnelly. “This allows the opportunity to upsell treatments or recommend products, thereby boosting earnings and job satisfaction.” 

Tipping made easy 
With tips often making up a significant portion of a team member’s income, salon software can help to facilitate these payments also. 

“Tipping is a crucial part of many professionals’ income across hair and beauty salons, and spas, especially as the cost of living continues to rise,” says Doolin. “With fewer clients carrying cash, a digital, seamless tipping solution is more important than ever. Our PhorestTips feature allows clients to leave a tip directly through the PhorestPay Card Terminal, ensuring it goes straight into the bank account of the chosen staff member. It’s quick, discreet and removes the awkwardness for clients who want to show appreciation without cash.

Designed to support both salon teams and business owners, it is is also fully compliant with the changes to tipping legislation. It ensures 100% of tips go to employees, with no deductions, and staff have a clear digital record of their earnings to stay tax compliant. 

“For salon owners, it’s a no-fuss solution that improves morale and staff retention, and takes the complexity out of managing tips. Many of our customers have signed up for it – it’s helping businesses modernise and protect this important part of employees’ income.” 

“Tips are very important to team members, but with less and less cash in circulation, salons need to be careful about accepting tips on their behalf as these are liable to tax,” says Donnelly. “Many of the more modern software systems allow tips at the payment terminal, which are diverted directly to the staff member.” 

Tipping can also be facilitated by specific software. Irish fintech company Strikepay launched its digital tipping offering striketip in 2020 after the first Covid-19 lockdown. CEO Oli Cavanagh came up with the idea for the business when he noticed that most people had stopped carrying cash, and salons had stopped taking tips through their payment terminals. 

“With striketip, the salon just buys a contactless tipping stand and they set it up themselves,” he says. “It only takes a couple of minutes, after which all of their staff can be tipped directly. This is important because of the new tipping legislation, and means that it saves the salons money and liability by not going through their pay terminal or booking system.” 

Flying solo 
Of course not all salon businesses have a team, and if you are a freelance or mobile stylist, or running a rent-a-chair operation, you are usually the sole staff member. Some software platforms have features that are tailored to such enterprises. 

“Booksy offers mobile-friendly scheduling, integrated Google Maps and secure payment processing features, making it easy for freelancers to manage their business from anywhere,” says the company’s senior sales manager Hannah Hulley. 

“So if a mobile stylist charges per mile, the system will work this out for them. Alternatively, they can choose to charge a set fee for travel. The system will also allow the stylist to set the maximum distance they are willing to travel for an appointment.” 

Irish start-up Chuzeday is an all-in-one calendar, booking and appointments solution that is aimed at small service operators such as salon owners, and freelance hair and beauty therapists. Based in Wexford, its founder Deborah Jordan is a former salon owner. 

“When I was running my own small solo business, I was losing between eight and 10 hours a week, both during and after work, managing appointments by returning DMs, texts and calls,” she explains. 

“The hair and beauty industry is a creative one, and not everyone wants to use a software system that requires a lot of technical training. We just don’t have the time, especially when you are on your own. With Chuzeday, you have your own landing page, integrated payments and booking schedules, allowing you to be visible, make more money and get your time back to do what you love to do. It’s about building sustainable growth in your business.”