SalesVu Feb-2021 Release Overview

In this post, we want to share an update on some great new features just released in our Feb-2021 Product Release, and to take a moment to thank you for being a member of the SalesVu community  Please let us know your feedback on any of the features we listed below, or how we can help out with any of them.

New Reports and features help maximize salon and spa efficiency

If you own an appointment-based business, we’re sure you’ll agree the efficiency of your salon business is critical to your success. It’s challenging to run a successful salon or spa without placing focus on optimizing your resources to achieve maximum potential. Tracking metrics like the average number of clients each stylist sees in a day can identify opportunities to accommodate more clients per day. Similar insights apply to optimizing the utilization of physical space.

Two new reports help you measure and improve resource utilization. A third new report focuses on client retention–the bread and butter of any established business.

Store Utilization • Monitor service hours booked

This report shows the number of hours booked within a specific period of time. This information can help assess how close you are to operating at full capacity at each of your locations.  You can view the report by date range, or you can filter the results by Store, by Employee, or for a Custom Time Period.

To maximize efficiency, you can measure Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) such as how much of your salon’s booking potential is being realized.  A simple calculation like “Total Treatment Hours Available / Total Hours Sold.” would tell you what capacity was achieved compared to a goal or potential. You can then build a plan to move the metric closer to where you want as you make operational adjustments. 

Stylist Utilization • Track the number of clients a stylist services

Similar to store utilization, this report shows the number of clients each stylist serviced within a specific period. Once again, results can be filtered by Custom Date Range, or you can quickly view results for selecting Today, This Week or This Month. You may also filter by Store or by Employee.

For salons or spas, services performed by your staff are your primary source of revenue. So, understanding how many clients your stylists see in a given period is a critical fist step toward focusing on how to increase revenue. We hope this report will help.

Client Retention • Track New or Existing Client Retention

This report looks at how many first-time clients (clients with one visit) returned for a second visit within a given timeframe. The data can be shown for 30, 60 or 90 days. The report also shows returning customers (clients whose order history includes two or more visits.)

All this is about turning one-time clients into regulars. Studies have shown that repeat or loyal clients not only spend more, they’re also easier to sell to and refer friend more often. One report even found that repeat clients spend 120% more annually compared to new buyers.

Tip: SalesVu’s CRM and Loyalty programs can bolster your customer retention efforts, enabling you to target each segment with the right offers, perks and messaging to move them toward becoming repeat and loyal customer. Ask our sales team how they can help get these capabilities setup for your account.

Booking Accuracy • Select a stylist when booking appointments

When booking an appointment, the employee column will no longer have a default value. The service provider must be selected manually helping to ensure the right individual is selected for the service.

This change prevents scenarios where staff members sometimes book appointments with the incorrect staff member chosen rather than intentionally picking the actual service provider as a part of the process.

Booking Capacity •  Managing to maximum capacity settings

Due to COVID, some businesses are permitted only a certain number of guests at a time. This feature helps such businesses manage the to the requirement.

An example: A merchant creates a 1-hour time slot (12 PM-1 PM) and limits the capacity for that hour to ‘10’ guests. A customer books a reservation and sets the guest count to ‘3’. The system shows availability for 7 additional guests. A second customer then books a reservation for the same time slot and selects 2 guests. The system indicates 5’spots remain available.

Welcome • iZettle is now a payment processing option

If you want to use Welcome and iZettle, you’re in luck! They now work together seamlessly.

Learn more about using SalesVu with iZettle here.
See more SalesVu integrations here.

OrderUp • “Enter table number” • This text is now customizable

On our OrderUp app, there is an instruction shown to customers: “Enter your name and table number” That is good, except for some businesses that do not have table numbers. You can now customize the text accordingly.

Incoming • Modifier ‘modifications’ for faster, easier,  accurate orders

We made some changes to make modifiers easier and quicker to read on the Incoming app. They now display as a list rather than in sentence form,. The modifiers also appear ordered consistently. 

This makes orders more straightforward to read in a busy kitchen, with fewer errors, allowing faster service. It can also help with training staff on how to make an item.  A sandwich could be made in the order it is displayed on the Incoming app.

Orders • Delivery • An option for a specific drop-off location

A new setting enables merchants to ask for specific drop-off instructions. When the setting is enabled, customers can enter relevant drop-off instructions such as their preferred drop-off location.

Some examples might be: “Leave it on my front step,” “Please leave at the Front Desk.”

Web Portal • Persistent Filters •  Remembering your selected filters

Now, when opening or editing a Product from a filtered list view, we’ll now remember your selected filters when you click into a Product view, and return back to the listing.

For example, if your are editing a Product after having filtered down the list to view only a particular Vendor, when you complete your task, and return to the list view, your filters will be remembered. Previously, you would have to setup your filters again.

POS • Usability • Show full product description

On the POS app,  some product names were longer than usual and the app was not able display the full name of the product. This change is to address those cases by showing the full product name on the screen.

Sometimes products have similar names and the particular attributes of a product are described only in the last few characters of the product name, making it difficult for a store clerk to be sure that the correct item was selected.