Why you need a beauty salon manager

In the beauty industry, managers are oftentimes associated with narrow-eyed employees, who tend to keep to themselves, are the business owner’s right-hand and occasionally deal with unruly clients. But most importantly, a beauty salon manager can be found ONLY in upscale salons - after all, it’s a prestigious position that doesn’t come cheap. Now I want you to take all of this information and toss it into the bin, as these assumptions are false. The truth is, even one-person beauty businesses can and definitely should hire a salon manager.

Fact vs fiction

It’s true - beauty salon managers are essential for a business to prosper. They’re usually tasked with keeping an eye on beauticians, making sure stock levels are adequate, speaking to (for the most part) dissatisfied clients and of course reporting to the salon owner. Now here’s a common misconception - salon owners that distribute managerial tasks among staff, instead of hiring a beauty salon manager not only save money, but also have those tasks fulfilled effectively. In reality, your staff already have their plates full with other assignments and by giving them more work, they might have trouble staying organised.

Another common misconception is that beauty salon managers are all the same and that they’re pretty much lackeys for salon owners. The enterprise owner tells them what to do and they obey (for the most part). The truth is, a beauty salon manager can be coercive, authoritative, affiliative and even democratic - all of which can affect your salon team and how your business is run. If your staff are underworking or unmotivated, an authoritative or coercive manager would be ideal for getting the team back on track, dealing with problematic employees and resolving a crisis.

Managers and small beauty businesses

The beauty industry’s most burning question without a doubt is “why should I get a manager if I’m just a solo practitioner”? Most solo practitioners, home-based beauty salons and mobile beauticians are their own managers and have to organise their bookings, stock levels and other daily tasks on their own. In fact, they’re more than just managers - they’re usually the receptionist, beauty specialist, salon owner AND manager all in one! This obviously creates organisational problems which lead to tasks being rushed or forgotten altogether. Now hiring a beauty salon manager might not seem like a bad idea, but then again, how would that be possible if you’re a mobile beautician or are home-based?

Going digital

Beauty business owners not only take on the additional role of a salon manager, but also that of a hardworking receptionist, which leads to the predicament most solo beauticians, MUAs and home-based practitioners constantly face - they need a beauty salon manager but without hiring one. To help with this, specialists turn to digital salon managers. Booksy is one of these solutions that does everything one could ever hope for - from actively tracking stock levels, product usage and business statistics, to sending automatic appointment reminders, managing bookings and all of your marketing campaigns. What’s more, Booksy allows you to keep track of customer information, such as addresses, favourite treatments and products.

Beauty salon managers and salon software

Another misconception regarding salon managers is that a beauty business doesn’t need a salon system if they have a salon manager, or the other way around. In reality, a beauty salon manager is empowered by salon software - they have a more in-depth look into how the business is doing, the work output of each staff member and can predict future income and if there is a crisis on the horizon. On the flip side, salon software can’t replace a human manager who motivates a team of specialists and keeps everything in order. But together, they can take your beauty business to the next level! Whether you’re a solo beautician or run a multi-station salon, having a manager is a must! Grab your free Booksy trial and streamline your managerial tasks in a heartbeat.