Why a digital diary?
Wahanda Connect offers you a simple and safe online alternative to better manage your diary, your clients, and your business.
The main benefits of using a digital diary are:
- Information available to everyone, all the time. When using a diary that's online, any team member can access information relevant to them anytime from any device: desktop, tablet or a smartphone.
- Make your availability readily available to customers. Give your customers an easy way to book with you 24x7. Transform your receptionist from a phone operator to a hostess.
- Email and text (SMS) reminders. We will send email and text reminders to your customers automatically, reducing the risk of no-shows and keeping your staff focusing on other important salon activities.
- Tracking your business health with charts and reports. You'll see how addictive that is - always being up to date on how your business is doing, measure employee performance, check what your top services are.
- Client information at your fingertips. Information about your customers is available in one place, along with their booking history, notes and habits.
- Record and track No-shows. Be aware about the bad history when re-booking customers.
- Safe and sound. It's secure, it's always available, it's safe. We handle your data with respect.
First steps on switching to a digital diary
The great news is that switching from your pen and paper system to Connect is quick and easy. In fact, you've probably done some of this already. Here's what you need to do in a few simple steps:
- Review and finish setting up your menu. Make sure you list all services you provide. Feature up to 5 services that would be shown on the top. Set up some discounts to get more attention.
- Add each of your Team Members, select the services they offer, add their picture. If you want to allow them to log in to Connect, you can set the permissions they will have, making sure they only access the information you're comfortable with (e.g. allow them to manage their diary, but not to see Finance or Client contact details).
- Update Team member availability if they have any regular days / time off by adding blocks in the Calendar. Just select the day/time and record the Block either as a one off (e.g. an early finish) or a recurring block (e.g. lunch hours or Wednesdays as their regular day off).
- Upload your Client List. If you have a list if your clients in an Excel file, you can upload their details into Connect in a few clicks, saving you the job of adding their details individually, and meaning you have their details saved ready to book in their next appointment. Go to Clients and click Upload Client List.
- The last step is to add your upcoming appointments into the Calendar. Our suggestion is to choose a date 2-4 weeks from now and start adding all new appointments from that day into Connect while still managing the remaining ones the old way. Once you've done this, you'll be ready to throw away the paper diary and enjoy all the benefits of Connect!
- Confirm bookings ASAP. Check your email for confirmation emails. You can also enable SMS reminders for new bookings by going to Settings > Notifications > Contacting You tab. Short confirmation delay positively impacts your venue score on Wahanda and is a better customer experience.
- Add a booking widget to your website or Facebook page. Go to Settings > Online booking > Booking widget, grab a widget code and add the booking button to your existing venue page.