Most people love to go to the hairdressers to be pampered. To have some “me” time or the amazing head massages. Catch up on all of the aged gossip magazines! But my interest in family business, I am keen to hear how business is travelling and any new initiatives the entrepreneur has tried. Lou’s story is a great story as she takes us on her journey to find inexpensive technology solutions for her business.
Louise opened the doors of her business Lou’s Hairdoo’s over 13 years ago. Her aim was to offer her clients affordable hair colours, so they no longer felt the need to try and colour their own hair at home. The business also had the goal of offering clients a comfortable environment where parents felt they could bring their children with them and still relax and be pampered. (Yes, she is my hairdresser! And does a fantastic job)
As a family run business attached to Louise’s house in Engadine, running the business provided Louise with the flexibility to pursue her passion whilst also raising her young family. However, it did mean there was little separation from her home and work lives.
Open to change, over the years Louise has tried different initiatives such as mobile hairdressing, to improve her service offering. It wasn’t until she decided to accept an opportunity to leave her business temporarily to take up an opportunity to manage a competitor’s salon, that Louise realised how the use of technology could revolutionise the hairdressing industry and her own small business.
Upon returning to her family business, Louise went on a mission to find affordable technology solutions she could use to make the workings of her business so much easier. Not just for her, but also more convenient for her customers in this cashless society.
This is what she discovered:
- My Chair Salon – an app costing $6.49. The app allows Louise to operate a separate address book. To save appointments, history, previously used formulas, any notes. The app also provides a diary management and calculates your fees prior to the customer arriving. The app also produces reports so Louise can keep track of income made, percent of clients that use service lines or acquire retail products. For an inexpensive app, it means Louise can have the technology of a large salon on her iPad.
- Xero – small business accounting package from $25 per month. Xero allows Louise to maintain up to date financial reports to track how her business is going. Bank transactions feed directly into the software, reducing the need for Lou to manually enter the data. Xero is cloud based meaning Louise can operate the software from her iPad. There is no need to have a server or back-ups as the data is maintained on the cloud. Also means Louise does not need to pay her upgrades and her accountants have direct access to Louise’s file and can provide up to date advice.
- Eftpos – after shopping around, Louise was able to acquire a Go pos lite machine from Bank of Bendigo. The fees are $12 per month. Louise’s customers will have the convenience to pay how they like.
- Facebook – Louise decided an efficient way to advertise was via Facebook. She offers competitions, promotions and also shows the different hair styles each day.
If you are interested in finding out more about how technology could help transform your business, but like Louise are unsure of where to start, please do get in touch with me, I’d be happy to help.
What you can see from Louise’s story is that the use of inexpensive technology can completely change the way a small family business operates. The use of technology is now able to take a lot of the administrative burden off business owners and facilitate more time to better service their customers and devising strategies for future growth.
When I asked Louise ‘what she would like her business look like in the future?’ she said ‘she would like her business to continue to grow and possibly one day move into a shop’. But for now, Louise would like her business to continue operating at home, as it suits her family’s lifestyle.
Louise’s drive for customer service has shown that small family businesses can have the same technology solutions as large businesses. There is not always a high price tag for your business to be tech savvy. All that is required is a bit of research.
