Best Mobile Apps for Salon Owners

Wouldn’t it be great if your life didn’t flash before your eyes every time a server set an iced tea near your appointment book? If you’re tired of risking life and limb to protect your version of the Holy Grail, you may be ready to make a complete digital transition. Welcome to an age where technology is actually working with you and not against you. A time where you can access all the information you need from anywhere that has a Wi-Fi connection.

Streamlining your business processes is becoming easier than ever with a wave of new apps hitting the market each day. These apps allow you to pair your smart phone or other devices with your everyday business needs. They not only help you keep track of appointment times and color formulas, they even monitor your inventory, payroll, and can sync with your social media accounts. They are designed to make your business easier to manage so you can spend more time focusing on the fun stuff. Go ahead…throw away the post-it notes you’ve been hoarding in the bottomless pockets of your apron.

SolaGenius

Step up your game with SolaGenius: a cutting edge app designed to supercharge your Sola business. Let SolaGenius help you accept bookings 24/7, manage clients and track their history, streamline your personal calendar, build a following, accept payments, get analytics, run reports and more. SolaGenius offers a simple and beautiful booking experience that allows you to cut down on client calls, texts and voicemails, while giving your guests the customer service they desire. Uniquely made for Sola, by Sola.

$20/month for Sola Professionals (plus a 60-day free trial!)

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Colorista

A digital portfolio for hairstylists and colorists alike, Colorista enables the creation of visual “client cards” to store and organize client history. Keep a catalog of each client’s photos and formulas from multiple visits and use the library feature for quick reference to your favorite color combos and inspirational photos. There’s even a timer that allows you to set and manage multiple clients at once. Available on: Apple Cost: Free for Basic/$2.99 for Colorista

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SetMore

Have you ever stopped to think about how much time you spend reminding your clients of their upcoming appointments? Created for professionals in any service-oriented industry, this cloud-based app allows you to update and share calendars with your suite-mates on a multi-user platform. Clients have an online booking option that alerts you when there are new, cancelled, or rescheduled appointments and even sends out reminders on your behalf. If you’re still feeling a little old school, you have the option to export the digital version of your schedule and print out a hard copy. Available on: Apple and Android Cost: Free

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Salon Share

Designed by salon professionals as a method of streamlining communication with clients, Salon Share allows you to import your contact list and share product recommendations via text or email. Recommend one of the 4,000 products listed on the app and they’ll send you a check for up to a 20% commission. Your name and salon information will also be searchable via online search engines. Available on: Apple and Android Cost: Free

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Pic Stitch

Ever wonder how all your Facebook and Instagram friends create those awesome photo collages? Combine multiple photos into one beautifully framed picture with Pic Stitch. Share your masterpiece on your Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter page to get exposure for your salon. Create a before-and-after photos and showcase the personality of your salon with collages, photo sequences and more. Available on: Apple Cost: Free

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Create Your Own

Still not seeing what you want? A quick online search will turn up dozens of viable options to create a fully customizable app built for your specific business and client needs. Companies like DudaMobile, BiznessApps, and Salon Iris specialize in helping those with little to no programming skills, offering the gamut of DIY options or entire design teams with tech support at various price ranges.