inspiring from one of our clients

Fred, I want to share with you one of the biggest challenges of my career in the beauty business and how I recovered with the knowledge I have gained from you and your team and with our software. In March of 2011 two employees moved several blocks down to a booth operation. One stylist was the top producer who had seven years with us. The other stylist had been with us for twenty years and was a reliable performer. They accounted for more than $200,000 of gross income. Our contract was implemented in 2007 so both were excluded. I considered them to be loyal employees. It's the familiar story: both came to us with nothing and we supported them with supplemented education, benefits, and support in their personal lives. After many tears, I dusted myself off, prayed to God to guide me, and on the way to work a few days after this bombshell I heard these strategies in my head: Cash Flow: I called all the "monthlies" which could be negotiated and did so. We had recently cut back to bi-weekly payroll which was fortunate. I used the inventory software to make tough calls on products leaving and staying. I had a tasteful sign for "SALE" items and devoted about 12 linear vertical feet to that area in a visible area (beside shampoo area) When distributors challenged me I remained steadfast. I asked my top producer if she could give me two Saturdays a month. (She said "yes". :) I discontinued the housekeeping position in the daytime and hired three new talent salaried stylists over a six month period to perform these duties. Retail Sales: I created retail specials for six week periods and produced framed signage at each station, easel signs, and foam board signs on restroom doors.We used an in-house graphic design software then emailed the product and specs to Kinkos and produced a professional looking sign for a very reasonable price. I created bundles of all kinds seasonally. We put small cards with retail promotions in every welcome bag for new clients. Service Sales Marketing: I used my appointment book to identify client types: * 1. Clients who came every 8-10 weeks for haircuts only. * 2. Clients who came every 4-6 weeks for haircuts. * 3. Clients who came every 8-10 weeks for color and cut services. * 4. Clients who came every 4-6 weeks for color and cut services. * 5. Clients who came regularly for Japanese Straightening or keratins. The minute the stylists left on the last day, I began contacting clients by email or by telephone if no email address was available and offered the following: *1. Next haircut is on the house. * 2. Next three cuts are on the house. * 3. Next color and cut are OTH. *4. Next three (3) color and cut OTH. * 5. Next keratin or Japanese Str8r OTH. I personally made calls for up to five hours a day. Over a six month period I continued to place emails and phone calls to clients who had not returned. I personally recommended a stylist(s) for each client. ALL LOYAL SERVICE PROVIDERS WERE PAID IN FULL FOR SERVICES. Clients who received one free color and cut received a promotional card to get the next cut and style free with their next color service with any stylist of their choice. I bought a unique hole punch and used that to punch a business card to create a gift certificate to check against the transactions. Result: Departing stylists were frantically texting and calling loyal stylists about what clients were coming in. Stylists wondered why the departing stylists had so much time to text and call. Loyal stylists were increasingly busy and verbalized that the departing stylists had made a mistake. They expressed loyalty to our salon. Clients verbalized to me that they had wanted a change for a time but were reluctant to "hurt" the long time stylist. Within two months 2/3 of the contacted clients for the 20 year stylist visited. Within 2 months 50% of the contacted clients for the top producer visited. Clients verbalized to me how much they appreciated my personal attention. A few clients returned but did not want to take advantage of any offer. Final Page: In less than two years, our numbers returned to the March 2011 figures. On March 1, 2013, not even two years later, the booth rental salon closed its doors. We could not have survived this challenge without many years of education and input from your team. We could not have recovered so well without the software. I have learned many painful lessons and maybe they can help another owner. My dear friend, Fred. One last tid-bit. I paid off the last piece of debt incurred after the walk out and another salon disaster last month. We had borrowed almost a million dollars across a bank, SBA, and SBA loan and paid it off in less than eight years while growing the SECOND location. Thanks for being a key piece of our success over these decades.

Salon owner holiday marketing ideas from Fred Dengler

Get Your Piece of the Holiday Pie! It's going to be a rough holiday season for many salons and spas, with an overall expected sales gain of just 2% to 3% over last year. The big chains will be advertising and slashing prices early and often to drive traffic into their salon/spas. And that will be especially hard on smaller salons and spas - unless they've done something to set themselves apart in the minds of shoppers. All across the country, salon and spa owners are being forced to make a difficult choice: slug it out on services and price with the biggest salons, spas and chains, or develop a niche that the big players don't cater to. With the expansion of national franchises and chains into every neighborhood, the Drug and Grocery stores carrying our professional products, the Internet bringing so much merchandise to consumers, competing on price to sell services and products isn't a viable strategy. Coupons and specials upset the staff with discount customers who come in once and do not return. Two options that can bring success: stock products too specialized or to appeal to mass merchants; or personalize your service to make that the distinguishing feature of your salon/spa. Creating Unique selling points that WOW the customers and differentiate your salon/spa. Look at your customer's experience in your salon/spa. Five sense the process your customer goes through. What can you do to give every customer a wow with every sense? What can you do in a sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste way that will make the customer enjoy their time at your location more? Is your location spotless with all products dusted? Do you have inviting artwork on the walls and stimulating fashion videos? Do you have scented candles or fresh brewed coffee to stimulate the customer's sense of smell? Do you give the customer clean, fresh smocks and towels? Is your music designed to get your message and salon/spa culture across to the customers? These areas (and many more) can be considered and used to increase your customer's enjoyment! Use our Holiday Successful Promotion Check list with items like: -Do you have a flyer to hand out at the front desk at client check in for our Holiday specials? -Do you have a Gift Card Display? -Do you have your Hint Kit together to get present clients to get their spouses to buy something special for them? -Do you have your Gift Basket Give Away raffle set up to capture everyone's e-mail and cell phone? -Are your gift baskets and shrink wrap sets ready to go - on the shelf November 15th ? Over the 45 days before the December 31st you will see 90% of your regular clients. Now is the time to make the small changes that will WOW the customers and keep them coming back for more in the slower months of January and February.

Fred Dengler discusses major upgrades to Mikal SMS 6 with 6.9.2

Fred Dengler writes: All NEW Version 6.9.2 release 2013: We have released new versions every year since 1982 and this version 6.9.2 ranks right up there as one of the most innovative upgrades in the history of our software development. We have new options that fill the book (JITA), a mobile app that allows staff to book client appointments from this mobile phones, new graphic receipts with coupons you can design and customize to print based on the client visit and much more. 6.9.2 includes WICS POP up card, Wait List (madeby and date), Wait list (allow update to comments), Return of product and sell in one transaction, Real-time A/R balances/postings at invoice time, 40 column windows receipts with coupons, Auto Printing of Coupons by item, Standard emails from quick customer screen, Mailing Bridge Enhancements, JITA option available, Mobile Employee App option available. Upgrade cost $99 Do you have last minute cancellations? How much money do you lose a year from the empty spots in your book? Imagine having your MIKAL system check your book each night and send out the booking opportunities that are available? Only to your clients who have opted in, for your services, at your prices, and only for clients who do not have a future appointment booked……………… Add just 3 services a week at $40 each and generate an extra $6240.00 this year. Do this for 8 stylists and generate an extra $49,920.00 a year! MIKAL exclusively has the JITA Genie! The genie is out of the bottle….an exclusive Mikal option that looks at your book automatically every day and sends specific booking opportunities to your clients. You don't share your revenue with a web service. (sign up fee and 15-18 percent of service booked). You don't have to give discounts. You don't create clients who WAIT for appointment offers. You don't have staff mad at discounted offers being done during busy times. You don't give your client list to someone else. You MAKE THE MONEY . (not some web company you have to split revenue with ) Get the JITA* option with MIKAL for a one time charge of $400 Employee Mobile Appointment Book: Imagine being able to book client appointments from anywhere. On your smart/Iphone. With anyone. At any time. The Employee Mobile Appointment Book gives you the freedom, power, and flexibility to do this! When you see a client out and about and they say “I really need to call in and book an appointment” you can now say: “Let me book it right now for you!” All you have to do is log onto the MIKAL Mobile Appointment Booking app. Select the day, time, service and they are booked. What if you meet a new potential client? You can enter their basic information, find an appointment and book them. Fast, easy, and done! Also: Book the client at your chair before they go to the front desk to pay – increase rebooks & prebooks! Option price $200* Monthly maintenance $22 with on-line booking. Call for stand alone pricing! Call MIKAL 513-528-5100 Mobile now makes sense! sales@mikal.com

Fred Dengler on the power of just in time salon appointment strategies

MIKAL exclusively has the JITA Genie! Imagine having your MIKAL system check your book each night and send out the booking opportunities that are available? Only to your clients who have opted in, for your services, at your prices, and only for clients who do not have a future appointment booked……………… Add just 3 services a week at $40 each and generate an extra $6240.00 this year. Do this for 8 stylists and generate an extra $49,920.00 a year! WOW The genie is out of the bottle….an exclusive Mikal option that looks at your book automatically every day and sends specific booking opportunities to your clients. You are in control. You decide who gets the JITA offers. You decide to send only to clients who do not have a future appointment for that service. You decide the limited number for each employee. You decide the service recommendations that match each employee's services. You decide if there is a discount. So unlike web based services that you have to pay for and revenue share the booking income with YOU ARE IN CHARGE. You don't share your revenue with a web service. Web services charge a sign up fee and revenue share from you of 15-18 percent of service booked. You don't have to give discounts. You don't create clients who WAIT for appointment offers. You don't have staff mad at discounted offers being done during busy times. You don't give your client list to someone else. You MAKE THE MONEY . (not some web company you have to split revenue with ) The MIKAL Corporation 513-528-5100 sales@mikal.com

Fred Dengler on Stylist Mobile Booking Aps

Employee Mobile Appointment Book Imagine being able to book client appointments from anywhere. On your smart/Iphone. With anyone. At any time. The Employee Mobile Appointment Book gives you the freedom, power, and flexibility to do this! When you see a client out and about and they say “I really need to call in and book an appointment” you can now say: “Let me book it right now for you!” All you have to do is log onto the MIKAL Mobile Appointment Booking app. Select the day, service, and employee and they are booked. What if you meet a new potential client? You can enter their basic information, find an appointment and book them. Fast, easy, and done! Book the client at your chair before they go to the front desk to pay – increase rebooks & prebooks! Pick a date. MIKAL knows your schedule. Pick a time. MIKAL shows best start times. You will only book perfect appointments! Pick the service. Your services. Your prices. Your times. Pick a present client or enter a new client. PLUS: Get your schedule real time. Check clients in at the salon. See who is waiting for you. You are in control!

Fred Dengler and MIKAL Salon and Spa Software

The MIKAL Corporation has been involved in the Beauty Industry since 1981. Our goal is to provide Beauty Salons and Day Spas with the most advanced Salon Management Systems available. Our Salon Management Systems, SMS, have been helping the Beauty Industry to use specific Salon Management Software and Day Spa Management Software that completely handles front desk operations, inventory control, employee management and payroll, and back office Salon Accounting. Our Salon and Day Spa Software Management System, SMS, has the most advanced Salon Appointment Book in the Beauty Industry. Our Point-of-Sale transaction allows the salon and day spa client to exit the salon in less than 15 keystrokes. From this fast and easy point-of-sale transaction we provide the salon with over 38 salon management reports. Our reporting system includes true salon retention tracking, multi-level compensation programs that can be tailored to each stylist, esthetician, and nail tech, and salon analysis tracked in 50 categories. The MIKAL Salon and Day Spa appointment book is used by the largest salons in North America. The Salon Appointment Book allows for standings booked out two years in advance, squeezes, multiple booking columns per stylist/technician, and multiple service bookings. The SMS Salon Software System has a detailed time clock for employee time tracking and tracks excused and unexcused absence time as well as time in the salon. Our Gift Certificate and Spa Package tracking module makes keeping track of outstanding Gift Certificates and Series sales a breeze. MIKAL is the most published computer company in the Beauty Industry with regular articles in Salon Today, Salon Ovations, Nail Pro, and many other Beauty Industry trade publications. MIKAL is also the proud recipient of the Computer Reseller News Software STAR Award, and the VARBusiness Top 50 Solutions Award.

MIKAL Salon and Spa Success Club in Orlando with Fred Dengler

MIKAL Success Club goes to Orlando! Plan on spending Jan. 12-14 in Orlando in 2014. We are hosting this very special MIKAL Success Club at the Comfort Inn and Suites Orlando at International Drive! I know the weather is nice now but remember this event is in January…. The MIKAL Success Club is a three day event, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday with meetings from 9am to 1pm. This format allows for afternoon networking and relaxation. The Success Club meeting is for owners and managers who want to make the most out of your MIKAL SIX system. The theme for this Success Club is ALL ABOUT EVERYTHING and will be an in depth review of three major areas of the System and Business Ideas: Marketing, Staffing, and Reporting with an in-depth day spend in each area. This is a meeting designed to merge system operations with management and marketing ideas that when combined will move your business forward. This MIKAL meeting starts Sunday January 12 at 9am and ends Tuesday January 14 at 1pm. Meetings are from 9am to 1pm each of the three days. Come in on Friday or Saturday before the meeting and unwind or stay an extra day to relax! The Comfort Inn and Suites on Canada Avenue in Orlando is a hotel offering a rate of $79 per night and only $10 more for a suite upgrade (very sweet!). Register Saturday night from 5pm to 7pm with your MIKAL team in the Breakfast area. This is a business oriented hotel just a block from International Drive and near Wet and Wild, Pirates Cove, Cheesecake Factory, Fun Spot America, Ocean Prime, and the whole International Drive Orlando experience! There is FREE shuttle service to major attractions. Heated pool and whirlpool. High speed internet, business center and fitness center included in the room cost! Bring the family and work each morning then connect with them in the afternoon. Bring your management staff and make it a company retreat. Fred Dengler and Glen Bell will host the classes and introduce you to new ways to use your systems and reports. Learn how other successful salons and spas use the MIKAL reports; participate in a workshop environment where everyone shares their ideas. Bring your information and reports to use during the classes to compare your business to others in the industry. Get an individual evaluation of your reports by Fred Dengler to use during the class and a 2 page evaluation and management summary to take home with you. This evaluation is normally a $300 service and it is FREE to all salons and spas attending this Success Club. You may want to bring your accountant or business consultant to this seminar. Spouses who are involved in the business part of your business should also be considered when deciding who should register for this amazing seminar. There is a limit of 25 attendees and a limit of three attendees per MIKAL account. Network in the afternoon out by the pool. Sun, fun, business, and more….. Fred Dengler’s thoughts on this all new seminar and business approach: Over the last five years I have been involved in teaching more business management classes that in the previous ten years. From this exposure, research, and combined with the all new features and reporting power of MIKAL SIX I have developed the only seminar in the industry that directly uses the most powerful tracking, reporting and marketing tool in the industry and combined this tool with the strategies and systems needed to revolutionize your business. All you need is an open mind, your present reports, and a desire to improve your business and life. What could this Success Club be worth to you and your business? Call me for a Cost / Profit Justification and see what this three day experience can mean to your business! Plus – do you have the Employee Mobil App up and running? Are you doing Just In Time Appointments? Does Autopilot send your 5 critical e-mails and texts out automatically? Learn how at the Success Club Orlando. Comfort Inn and Suites - Canada Avenue, Orlando 407-351-7000 MIKAL Room Block $79 per night! The Success Club schedule will include: Saturday Jan. 11 from 5pm to 7pm registration in the lobby – get your laptop loaded early! Sunday Jan. 12 MARKETING 8:00am Registration and coffee hour. FREE Breakfast buffet till 9:30am. 9:00am Analysis of the state of the Industry includes review of surveys and analysis that will give you new insight into your business. How to position your marketing. JITA – Just in time appointment marketing Autopilot and Demandforce marketing with Social Media Points and Loyalty marketing How to build a new employee every 90 days How to market your mature staff – smart strategies Every marketing challenge you have – bring it to the meeting! Glen hosts the poolside round table discussion with Fred (Bring your own beverages of choice and one extra for the moderator) Note: all afternoon events are optional! Do you use the JITA Genie? Monday Jan. 13 STAFFING 8:30am Coffee time! Don’t forget the Comfort Inn complementary breakfast! 9:00am The Eye Opener (REALLY) What is your present new and repeat client retention? What are industry averages? How do you measure up? How to read and communicate your reports. 4 things you can do to increase retention immediately 2 things your service providers can do to increase retention immediately How retention, clients per hour, and average ticket all work together….. Setting up the MIKAL Payroll and Goal Setting systems to increase sales and develop a self managing culture. How and how much to pay. New industry trends. How to fight the Salon Suites with a proven strategy How to tie pay to goals. How to set goals and review performance in 3 positive ways. The Staffing goal – grow the team, and create the culture for success. Set up your K-Reports for your consultants. Tuesday Jan. 14 REPORTS 8:30am Coffee Time! Complementary hot breakfast at the hotel. 9:00am Inventory Systems that work – the sales and order processing system for success. Review all Inventory reports and discuss the Purchase Order systems. Sales Analysis, Shop Goals, ALL the Management Check and Dashboard Put it all together the Sales Reports, Staffing Reports, and Systems Reports and ideas. Get ready for change. Learn how to implement these new ideas in your business so they STICK! We are done (30) – or just beginning……. Your investment only $285.00 for the first attendee and $250 for additional staff members. This includes workbook, one Salon Reports Evaluation ($300 value), $100 MIKAL SMS Software Option Certificate, Laptop software load of the full MIKAL SIX system with all options ($75 value, good for the seminar), and special Success Club gifts. ** Sign up before Nov. 29st and register everyone for $240 per attendee Limit 25 attendees! You will receive: 3 mornings (12 hours total) of small group training and networking in a workshop environment Detailed evaluation of your reports in advance of the seminar - $300 value Laptop computer load of MIKAL SIX software with all options for the seminar - $75 value Glen’s 30 years of system wisdom – priceless