Salon management app for mobile: which salon tasks to handle on the go
A salon management app for mobile only earns its place if it fits the moments when you actually reach for your phone: between two treatments, at the front desk, or just after you have left the salon. A pocket-sized calendar is not enough for that. You also want to open a client card, move an appointment and see what came in today. In this article you will read which tasks fit well on your phone, how to test that in a few days, the difference between a web app and a store app, how to set permissions per staff member and what it costs.
What you want to do on your phone, and what you do not
Managing your salon on mobile does not mean doing all your admin on a small screen. It is about the actions you postpone today because the computer is in the back: moving an appointment, calling a client back with the right details in front of you, or quickly checking whether a new online booking has arrived.
A general explanation of customer appointment management software shows that managing appointments is only one part of what such software does. For a salon you add the client card, the till, the stock and the overview of the day. So the question is not whether an app works on mobile, but whether the parts you need in between are in the same app.
Still choosing between providers? The guide to the best salon app compares features, price and GDPR. This article is about the step after that: fitting the app into your working day.
Five moments in your working day to test on mobile
Do not test an app against a feature list, test it against the moments you run into every week. Take these five and see how many steps each one takes on your phone.
Moving an appointment between two clients. A client texts or calls to say she will be late. Can you move the appointment in a few taps and see straight away whether the staff member is free then? See bookings management.
Opening the client card before the client walks in. What was the last treatment, which colour, which appointments are still coming? With client management you have that context at hand without walking to the desk.
Checking out. The point of sale is in the same app as the calendar, so the receipt is linked to the appointment and the client right away. Cash and card are already included in the free plan.
Processing a delivery. When a box of products arrives, you want to update your stock while you unpack it. Inventory management is included from Starter.
Reviewing the day. After closing time you want to see what the day brought in. Reports are also included from Starter.
Notice that you still walk to the computer for one of these moments? Write down why. That is exactly the information you need to judge whether the app fits your working day.
Web app or store app: what is the difference?
You can put Salonnare on your phone in two ways. As an installable web app: you open Salonnare in the browser and add it to your home screen. And as an app from the App Store or Google Play. In both cases it is the same app with the same data, so whatever you change on your phone is immediately on the computer in the salon too.
The practical difference is mainly in notifications. If you turn on push notifications, you receive notifications from the app, such as a new booking, on your phone even when the app is not open. If you do not want that, leave them off.
Agree with yourself when you look. A phone that lights up with every booking pulls you out of your work. Pick two or three fixed moments a day to go through your notifications and calendar, and let the rest wait until your client has left.
Permissions per staff member: who sees what on a phone
As soon as several people use the app on their own phone, it matters who is allowed to see what. In Salonnare you set permissions per staff member (RBAC). A stylist can then use their own calendar and client cards, for example, without access to the till settings or the reports.
Health data, such as allergies or skin conditions, is kept in a separate encrypted vault. You decide per staff member who may view it, separately from the regular client card. Under the GDPR that is not a luxury: a phone gets lost more easily than a computer in the salon.
Three agreements for the team. Set a screen lock on every phone that has the app. Log out on a shared device, such as a tablet at the front desk. And agree who enters a change and who checks it, so the calendar is right on every screen.
What a mobile salon app costs
Compare the price of an app on the whole picture, not just the monthly fee. Salonnare has three plans: Free for €0 per month (1 staff member, up to 50 bookings per month), Starter for €29 per month and Pro for €59 per month. The mobile app is included in every plan.
On top of that, a transaction fee of 0.5% applies to every online or card payment, with a minimum of €0.30. Salonnare does not charge a marketplace commission on new clients: that commission is €0. Online payments run through your own Mollie or Stripe account, so iDEAL and card payments land in your own bank account. Read more under online payments.
For your bookkeeping you export your data to tools such as Moneybird or e-Boekhouden. That is an export, not a live connection, so plan a fixed moment to run it.
Start with one task and build from there
The easiest way to introduce mobile salon management is to start small. Pick one recurring task you tend to postpone, such as moving appointments, and for one week do it only on your phone. Then look at which steps worked well and where you still walked to the computer.
If you work with a team, include them in that first week. The app is available in nine languages, so every staff member can work in their own language. Then expand step by step: first the client card, then checkout, then closing the day.
Want to see how that works for your salon? Start free with Salonnare and put the app on your phone today.
Put your salon on your phone
Start free with 1 staff member and up to 50 bookings per month. No trial that runs out, and you can move to Starter or Pro later.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
Is a salon management app for mobile only meant for appointments?
No. A good app also gives you access to client cards, the till, stock and reports on your phone. Do keep in mind the difference between the booking page where clients book themselves and the management environment you use to run your salon.
Can several staff members use the app on their own phone?
Yes. Each staff member logs in with their own account and you decide per staff member which parts are visible. Client health data is shielded separately. The free plan is for 1 staff member, Starter for up to 3 and Pro for an unlimited number.
Do I need to install the app from the store or can I use the browser?
Both work. You can add Salonnare to your home screen as a web app or install the app from the App Store or Google Play. It is the same app with the same data. You can turn push notifications on or off as you like.