Beauty Expo Australia sat down with Leonie Cranney Marketing Manager of  GetTimely an inbuilt payments system that lets you easily take payments both in the salon and online.

Can you briefly explain the key features and advantages of your appointment booking software for the beauty industry?

Timely lets you control how you run your business, because we know that it’s your name above the salon door and your reputation on the line. With Timely, you can customise client communications to your brand, put boundaries in place to avoid cancellations  and manage your day-to-day operations like managing rosters and ordering stock. Timely has it’s own inbuilt payments system that lets you easily take payments both in salon and online.  You can even set up a daily payout schedule so you get paid even faster, putting you firmly in charge of your cash flow. You’re in control of the vision. We’ll make it happen.

How does your software help beauty businesses streamline their appointment management process?

Booking appointments shouldn’t be a chore. Timely lets clients book their own appointments online 24/7, and use the client portal to manage and reschedule,  so you can wake up to a fully booked schedule without having to lift a finger. Turn on our ‘Minimise gaps’ feature so your clients can only see slots that help fill your calendar back-to-back and set up automatic appointment confirmations and reminders, so you can get on with your day. You can even automate all your client paperwork and send digital forms to your clients to be completed at home ahead of their appointment. All you need to do is focus on giving the best possible service to your clients.

Can you share any success stories or testimonials from beauty businesses that have used your appointment booking software?

“We LOVE timely because it’s super easy to use and there’s a great support team who are always ready and eager to help us. The interface is beautiful and makes us feel professional when clients book in either in store or online. This is important to us as a new and small business because it helps us stand out.”  Lash Fix, Australia

“Timely saves me money, but most importantly it saves me time. Due to the ease of Timely, 90% of all my new clients just book online and don’t need to contact me. Love it! “ Sarah, Medical Aesthetics Geraldton

“I highly recommend Timely. It’s quick and easy to use from both a staff and client perspective. The reports offered are thorough, the transition process was seamless and the ongoing support is brilliant.” Leah, Waxed

“Timely was easy to set up, it’s super easy to use, and the help guides are amazing for finding things out!” Danna, Aitkenvale Beauty Spot

What customization options are available in your software to cater to different types of beauty businesses?

At Timely we believe that you should have the control over how your business is run, so we offer a lot of options to customise your booking system. You have full control over your brand, from the colours used in your online booking, through to the wording of your reminder SMS; you get to shape the client experience.

We also understand that different types of beauty businesses will have different needs from their software, so we allow for a lot of customisation in the way your system is set up. Things like being able to set which staff members have access to what parts of the system so you can keep control of confidential information. You can configure different prices for different seniority  of staff, add your machines and equipment as bookable resources so they don’t get double booked and set individual staff targets to boost sales. You can even signal that your business is inclusive by adding client and staff pronouns to your booking experience. However you manage your business, Timely has options to support your vision.

How does your software handle multiple staff members' schedules and availability for efficient booking?

Timely helps you keep your team focused and organised. You can tailor the services that each member of your team can perform and the hours they’re available to make sure that clients book with the right person at the right time. Timely also supports multi location businesses and can handle staff who move between different venues. Staff can log into Timely using their own details to keep track of their scheduled appointments, and easily switch between staff using unique PINs to make sure sales are always tracked correctly. Plus, you get to set individual staff access to keep data safe  and maintain control over your business.

Are there any specific integrations available with other salon management or payment processing systems?

Timely works with lots of systems to make running a salon as effortless as possible. For payments, we integrate with Tyro, Square, Zettle, Laybuy, and payment gateways such as PayPal (we’re a bit biased towards our built in TimelyPay though - it comes with loads of extra payment features!) We integrate with Xero, Quickbooks, and MYOB for accounting and invoicing; Mailchimp, Wordpress, and Google Tag Manager for websites and marketing; and Google to sync your calendar and contacts. If you sell product online you can link your Shopify store with Timely to easily track stock, sales and clients across both systems. To help you concentrate on what your love best, we also integrate with Zapier, which shares your client data with other apps quietly in the background to unlock all sorts of extra functionality and features.

In short, Timely integrates with a lot!

Can you explain how your software ensures the security and privacy of customers' data, including appointment history and personal information?

Thousands of Timely customers trust us with their highly sensitive business data. That’s a responsibility we take very seriously, and we make sure we meet the highest industry standards of security and compliance. We use two-step authentication for added account security and Timely account owners can assign different levels of access to staff to help protect client data. We record all activity carried out by any staff member logged in so you can keep track of appointment changes and follow up with any issues.  We don’t access or share any of your data unless required by law or with your permission. Payment data is encrypted so clients’ payments are secure. No credit card data is stored in Timely in order to keep your clients’ card information safe and secure.

What kind of customer support and training do you provide to beauty businesses during the onboarding process?

We know how time poor salon owners and managers are, so we make setting up Timely as simple and easy as possible. There’s a suite of help guides and videos to help you get set up, import client data, and configuring the software.  And we have an award-winning team to support you via email, in-app, or on the phone for customers with Premium Phone Support. For any extra questions, comments or if you just want to say hi, we also have a supportive and engaging community on Facebook, Instagram and the Timely community hub.

Is your software compatible with mobile devices and can it be used for booking appointments on the go?

Yes, Timely’s all about empowering you to operate your business on any device, at no extra cost. Timely works on Android or iOS phones and tablets, so you can keep your staff in the loop with appointment calendars on their phones, sort online bookings and payments from phones, iPads and desktops. Use Timely on the go, from wherever you need to be.

Can you highlight any analytics or reporting features in your software that helps beauty businesses track their appointment bookings, no-shows, and revenue?

We know that a lot of people in beauty didn’t get into it for their love of analytics and reporting, so we’ve worked hard to make sure that all of our reports are helpful, easy to read and accurate.

Timely’s business dashboard shows your key business metrics at a glance, from staff sales and client retention to rebooking metrics. It’s a great place to get a snapshot of how your business is performing. If you need more detail, we’ve got over 40 different reports, including an executive summary of how your business is doing and the future value of your appointments.  With staff performance metrics, you can set individual targets, see how they’re tracking towards their goals  and effectively manage your team to support their development.

Timely puts you  in control of cash flow, clients and performance and power your business.

How often do you release updates or add new features to your software?

We’re constantly improving Timely by releasing new features, squashing bugs and improving performance. Our most recent releases include TimelyPay, allowing you to be paid as fast as the next business day, our Stock Management app, and our Shopify integration.

We also know how frustrating it is when you log into your favourite website and everything moved, so we always give you a heads up of any changes, and offer loads of support to learn about our exciting new features!

Is there a limit to the number of client profiles or appointments that can be managed using your software?

No. We built timely to help our customers grow their client base, so there’s no limit to the number of contacts that can be set up and managed.

Can you explain how online payments and refunds are handled through your appointment booking software?

TimelyPay is the all-in-one solution to get paid fast. You can accept all major cards online and in the salon, and you’ll get access to your funds as fast as the next business day. Deposits and cancellation fees reduce no shows, protect your income and build a loyal client base. Offer refunds on deposits, sales or online payments through the TimelyPay app on your phone or desktop. We’ve got guides and online tools to walk you through each scenario and our service team is there to help whenever you need it.

How does your software handle different time zones for businesses operating in multiple locations?

Timely lets customers book appointments, receive reminders, and notifications in their own time zones. That means that if you offer services that aren’t in person – Zoom, Skype, phone consultations – then you can see your bookings in your own time zone and they’ll see it in theirs so there won’t be any confusion.

Are there any training resources or materials available for beauty businesses to maximize the potential of your software?

For how-to guides, videos, and step-by-step instructions for troubleshooting problems, you can find what you need on TimelyHelp. For industry news, education, or advice on how to manage your salon, grow revenue and hire and manage staff, The Source is our collection of over a decade of information from the industry.