Technology Changes the Beauty Business

Salons offer plenty of people with a variety of looks that they can easily customize and maintain themselves. Any salon owner will know how tough it is to manage every possible aspect in their business- right from buying of your materials to booking the appointments for your customers.

If you're the owner or manager of a salon or a spa, you will be happy to know that there is software that can do this for you. Many of the reputed names in the spa industry have transformed the way that they conduct their business using Salon Management Software. They are very happy with the results that they get and are very impressed at just how easy it is to use.

It is a simple place where all data is stored and can be accessed by anyone from management, employees and even your clients!! It's an all in one database that can actually speed up your business and even improve it.

This software is something that can simply be installed on any computer or laptop and it manages all that data that you have. This data revolves around the number of clients, their personal contact details, their services that they booked and pending payments. You can even control stocks of products and when you need to purchase fresh stock. You can offer your clients control over their appointments and these can be easily managed by your staff.

What it does is that it condenses all this information into a visual format that's easy to follow. You can use it to keep tabs on your employees and their performance records. The software isn't too technical, all you require is a simple tutorial and you're good to go. Most companies that design the software will also provide a help line that you can contact is case you do have some issues.

Salon software can help your staff to manage their client's appointments and transactions effectively, ensuring customer satisfaction. Customers can book their own appointments online by visiting your website and this information is sent to the database. Employees then schedule them right into the system as soon as they get their calls, or cancel them immediately. Managers and owners can plan out or organize reporting, payroll, advertising and email marketing.

Inventory management is another important factor that can't be overlooked- earlier this would have been the ultimate nightmare to most salon owners. Now you have a tool that can help you manage your entire inventory right from materials to costing. This ensures that you never run out of your customer's favorite products- it's actually a better way to do business.

If you would like to increase your business and find more customers, then this is just the tool that you need. Quick, fast and very effective - you'll be surprised at just how well this software really works. You can even go online and see the number of recommendations and testimonials that users have.

Software design companies are competing with each other to give their potential customers nothing but the best. As a salon software user, you have a number of options available to you- mostly online. They can be customized to your needs and all data that you enter here is secure with a password and servers provided by the company.

Nuan Steve is a software engineer who loves learning about new software, technology and their applications. He looks for new ideas and innovations such as the salon management software. He enjoys writing about them and sharing his own views, recommendations and reviews on them.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow: What's on the Cards?

Recently Google announced that the upcoming version of its operating system will be numbered Android 6.0, and called Marshmallow. The announcements killed loads of rumours and speculations surrounding Android M, the developer preview unveiled by Google on 28th May 2015. Google has announced that the final version of Marshmallow will be released in fall 2015. But several websites have reported that the final version of Android will be released by October.

So both users and developers are currently excited by the new features included in the final version of Marshmallow. Google has already revealed a number of new features while unveiling Android M in May. Also, the company has already released three developer preview versions of Marshmallow to facilitate mobile app development. Based on the developer preview versions released by Google one can easily identify some of the new features included in Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

10 Features Users can expect from Android 6.0 Marshmallow

1) Android Pay

Google is completely revamping its mobile payment service to compete with Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. The revamped Android Pay included in Marshmallow uses a near field communication (NFC) terminal. A user can now buy products from any member store, and make payment simply by clicking on the NFC terminal. He can further make payment in a secure way by creating a virtual account number without revealing debit and credit card numbers. The Android developers have to include Android Pay in mobile apps to facilitate both in-app purchases and mobile commerce transactions.

2) Enhanced Google Now

The virtual assistant from Google makes Android score over other mobile operating systems. Android 6.0 will include an improved Google Now that will allow users to get more relevant, contextual and useful information about the content currently running on the device. For instance, a user can use Google Now to gather additional information about YouTube video running on his screen. He simply has to hold down the home button to gather useful information and suggestion related to the video clip.

3) Permission to Access Phone Features

While downloading an app, one has to grant permission to access various features of the devices like speaker, camera, sensor and location. Android 6.0 divides all app permissions into specific categories like camera, sensor and location. This implies that while downloading the app, it is no longer necessary to grant permission. The app will ask permission to use a specific feature before performing a specific function. For instance, when you try to make a call through WhatsApp, the application will ask you for permission to use the speaker each time you make a call. And hence you must grant permission to access the speaker each time you want to call using WhatsApp.

4) Option to Add Fingerprint Support

While developing apps for Marshmallow, developers now have added the option to use fingerprint support. Google has included a biometric API in the mobile operating system to create apps with fingerprint support. The feature will help android development professionals to make apps more secure and personalized. At the same time, fingerprint support will further enable users to make payment through Android Pay in a more secure way.

5) Doze

Android 6.0 will also come with a new feature called Doze to boost the device's battery life. Doze will optimize power conservation by identifying if the device is in a rested state. Google claims that it has already tested the effectiveness of the feature to make the battery life two times longer when the device is in standby mode. Doze will enable fewer background services, but it will not affect incoming instant messages, notifications or alarms.

6) USB Type C

Marshmallow will further support USB Type C to make it easier for users to charge their smartphones and tablets. The universal and widely used connection type can be used to connect all peripherals of the device, and provide power to it. The latest versions of MacBook and other devices already support USB Type C. USB Type C will help to charge the devices much faster that legacy microUSB chargers.

7) Track Memory

Mobile apps are mostly hated because they use additional memory on the device, and hence affect its battery life. Some of these memory-hungry apps are uninstalled right away in order to boost the devices' performance. Android 6.0 makes it easier for users to identify the apps that consume more memory through the Track Memory feature. They can use the feature to check cache, installation and similar memory taken by a specific app. They can even check how frequently the app is running. So it becomes essential for developers to ensure that the mobile applications consume minimal memory.

8) Option to Run Apps Side by Side

The large screen available in the tablets encourages many users to run two apps simultaneously. With Android 6.0 it becomes easier to run two apps side by side on a tablet by splitting the entire screen. While other mobile operating systems already have this feature in place, this new feature will enable users to access multiple apps at a time regardless of their choice of device.

9) Chrome Custom Tabs

Marshmallow will additionally come with a number of features to enhance users' mobile web experience. They now have the option to use the Chrome Custom Tab feature to open web view that will load on top of the mobile app. So, they are no longer required to open the web browser to access the web view. The feature enables them to access web content directly on the custom tab created on top of the app. The tabs will further support common features like password saving, auto-fill and automatic sign-in.

10) Direct Share and Floating Toolbar

The two new features included in Marshmallow seem simple and minor. But they will help the mobile platform to enhance UX significantly. Direct Share feature will enable the device to identify who the users frequently share content with. Thus, they can share content with regular contacts simply by pressing a single button. Likewise, Floating Toolbar will make it easier for them to copy and paste content from various documents and web pages.

However, the users have to initially switch to specific mobile devices to take advantage of Marshmallow and its new features. The developer preview versions of the mobile operating system are currently available only for Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player. But the hype surrounding the updated version of the most popular mobile operating system will encourage many manufacturers to launch new devices without any delay.

Best Cloud Storage Devices Of 2016

Distributed storage permits you to get to your essential records, archives, pictures and recordings at whatever time and anyplace furthermore keeps your information safe from any security risk or from information misfortunes. To secure your computerized data and information, distributed storage offers free online stockpiling from where you can without much of a stretch share and keep the reinforcement of your own information documents.

Distributed storage offers an extremely basic answer for email connections in which you can join an envelope or a document connection and give access level to it as opposed to appending the records independently in an email. With the assistance of distributed storage you can share your work, view it, alter it and transfer and download the documents.

With every passing day, distributed storage is turning out to be exceptionally well known and is considered as a standout amongst the most dependable and secure strategies for putting away your computerized information with a great deal of sharing and different components.

There are numerous elements which the clients aren't at present mindful of, so here we have scribbled down a rundown of three best distributed storage gadgets.

Google Drive

Google drive is the most utilized distributed storage gadgets; it gives a lot of storage room for putting away all your vital computerized information. At first, it offers 15GB free yet in the event that you utilize more than 15 GB then you need to pay additional. This distributed storage administrations has a greatly straightforward and easy to understand interface, you can move and customize the records specifically from the individual envelope. Introducing Google drive on your MAC, tablet or PC will permit you to effectively match up your documents in My Drive Folder. Anything you alter, include or uproot and adjust will likewise reflect in your Google drive account. You can without much of a stretch change the settings of the drive as in with whom you can share furthermore alter the level of their entrance.

Dropbox

After Google Drive, Dropbox is the second biggest distributed storage administration suppliers and it likewise offers incredible components. There are unlimited elements that distributed storage can give, however not every one of the administrations can give that yet Dropbox offers a ton of astounding components. Dropbox offers 2GB free space which can be expanded up to 16 GB with their referral program. Dropbox works splendidly on every one of the stages like: Android, Blackberry, MAC, Windows, iPhone and Linux so it gives you a chance to get to your records on every one of the gadgets at whatever time and anyplace.

The auto sync highlight is impeccable as it makes the entire framework one drive whether you have a web association or not, you can without much of a stretch get to the documents in light of the fact that Dropbox just overhauls changes made to the records as opposed to the entire thing. Sharing and welcoming is a typical component in all the distributed storage administrations, likewise, Dropbox additionally gives you a chance to welcome and add individuals to your drive and share interface or make visible displays. Another fascinating component is that inadvertently on the off chance that you erase any document or organizer then you can restore back your information inside of a month as dropbox keeps one month's history of your records.

Microsoft OneDrive

OneDrive or SkyDrive likewise offers you stunning storage room when you information exchange they give you 7GB free stockpiling and you get additional 8GB free space in the event that you initiate your camera move reinforcement to consequently store your pictures to the OneDrive, and on the off chance that you allude OneDrive to somebody then you get 5GB extra space, so when you whole it all altogether you get 20GB free space for your record, documents, recordings, photographs and so forth. OneDrive is accessible on every one of the gadgets and naturally adjust every one of your documents to your OneDrive or SkyDrive Account. You can likewise work, alter, save your records in OneDrive from Microsoft Office 2013 applications and on the off chance that you haven't introduced Office 2013 you can in any case use logged off capacity drive in your program.

These were the main three distributed storage benefits that offer stunning online stockpiling with no pay-ups, notwithstanding, there are more which are less known. Do let us know about which distributed storage choice you are utilizing underneath as a part of the remark segment.

Workforce Optimization to Thrive in a Rapidly Evolving LTACH Environment

Long-term acute care hospitals (LTACH) provide acute and post-acute care to clinically complex individuals who have multiple acute or chronic conditions and need care for relatively extended periods-more than 25 days, on average.

For LTACHs, labor costs represent an average of 60% of hospital operating expenses, of which nursing comprises more than half. Hence, demands on LTACHs to manage labor cost, increase the quality of care, and lower the cost of delivering services have increased exponentially.

On the other hand, LTACHs can control and plan their admissions and should ideally have zero staffing issues via a proactive scheduling process that incorporates admissions, acuity, and the right resource. This is an advantage that LTACHs have and they need to exploit it instead of relying heavily on the agency, overtime and other options that drive high turnover.

LTACHs that fail to address challenges related to staffing, scheduling, and retention can suffer significantly. Consequences can be high workforce attrition, fines as a result of the loss of five-star quality rating, liability issues, costs due to on-job injuries and resident accidents caused by inappropriate or poorly trained staff. It can also mean higher operating costs if scheduling is not optimized, agency nurses or contract workers are used more, or if overtime is used to supplement full-time staff.

According to IDC Health Insights - An aging population and increased prevalence of chronic conditions will drive consumer demand for more healthcare services and for nurses and other caregivers who deliver these services. As demand increases, a shortage of skilled, experienced nurses will continue to increase. This along with an aging workforce is driving the need for healthcare organizations to efficiently manage their workforce.

Control costs while maintaining the highest quality levels' is the mandate for all LTACHs today. As healthcare organizations seek to balance the need for reducing costs with the goal of improving care, keeping the workforce satisfied and engaged becomes extremely challenging. Information technology is beginning to play a pivotal role in helping healthcare organizations meet this mandate with hospitals, long-term care, and other providers deploying intelligent and easily deployable workforce management tools.

The value of information technology is its ability to capture and process large amounts of data and to display it in meaningful ways to optimize communications, support collaboration, drive informed decision-making and maximize resource use. Comprehensive workforce management systems go beyond this to engage staff, support active participation, and promote fairness and transparency - all of which drive employee satisfaction and shared accountability for efficient and effective care delivery.

Gone are the days when it used to take a year, sometimes years, to implement a workforce management solution that allows for flexible scheduling, appropriate staffing ratios, and attention to skill sets and preferences of individual staff, creating a win-win for both nurses and LTACHs.

Today thanks to intelligent workforce optimization solutions, LTACHs are able to proactively control workforce costs, standardize staffing processes, optimize labor productivity, and schedule workforce staff based on HPPD, acuity, workload and future demand in a matter of weeks.

How to Cut Lead Nurturing Costs With CRM Software

It's beyond discussion that lead nurturing is a must for customer acquisition. From 50% to 63% of leads won't be yet ready to buy at the first contact, say Marketo and Marketing Donut, so valuable and persistent communication is what should help you convert them.

At times, the volumes of leads to nurture can be astonishing. Contacting them manually eats away working hours and raises customer acquisition costs, let alone various communication issues that may result from human errors. To cut these costs and streamline the process, many companies choose to manage lead nurturing via specialized marketing automation tools. However, much can be done via CRM software alone.

Below, we come up with 3 areas of CRM automation that address the key pillars of lead nurturing - leads' identities plus correct timing and frequency of communication.

Humans and Machines

In essence, lead nurturing is highly personalized communication. Some of this routine can be done automatically with no loss to outcomes - for example, follow-ups or holiday greetings. Other cases surely require a more 'human' voice, when salespeople need to deliver value through unique content and professional advice.

To find the balance and reach the best possible results at lesser costs, you can combine human and machine efforts. Even nurturing your key leads, you can still diversify your efforts, providing that your responsible employees will be keeping track on the progress and jump in when necessary.

Handy templates

Another way to make a CRM software helpful is to enable lead nurturing templates in the system. They will help to minimize the time spent on preparing nurturing messages but still preserve a sender's personal touch. As a product of your department's expertise, such templates can also help the staff to use the best lead nurturing practices adopted at your company.

Timing is key

Also known as drip marketing, lead nurturing is far more effective when done regularly. As a lead's forgetting curve lengthens, it will take ever wider gaps between contact sessions (e.g. two weekly contacts followed by an email in 3 weeks followed by another one a month later). So instead of leaving the burden of manual time management to the personnel, it's worth enabling automated alerts, which can be created and edited, when necessary, by CRM users themselves depending on the circumstances. This can help to avoid frustrating gaps in communication and thus prevent losing valuable opportunities.

It's adaptable

This approach is customizable depending on the industry and adopted corporate workflows. Our Microsoft Dynamics CRM consultant team is ready to tell more about how to tailor it to your specific needs.