Integrated payments could reduce admin pressure for salons

New insight from Phorest highlights the often-hidden operational cost of payment administration for salon, spa and clinic businesses. The software provider says that while taking payment is rarely the issue, the manual tasks that follow continue to place unnecessary strain on teams. 

From reconciling transactions and checking deposits to resolving tipping queries and fixing end-of-day discrepancies, payment-related admin can quietly accumulate. Phorest notes that these repeated tasks can affect time management, revenue clarity and staff morale, particularly as businesses contend with rising wages and staffing pressures.

According to Phorest data, businesses using fully integrated payment systems spend up to 12 fewer hours per month on end-of-day administration than those relying on multiple tools. The same data links digital tipping prompts to an average 25% increase in tips and shows booking deposits reducing no-shows by as much as 69%.

Luke Doolin, Country Manager for Ireland, UK and UAE at Phorest, says payment admin is often accepted as unavoidable.

“In many salons, spas and clinics, payment admin is still being treated as part of the job rather than a problem to solve,” he comments. “But when payments, deposits and tipping are fully connected to appointments and reporting, the day runs more smoothly.” 

The findings suggest that fragmented payment processes may also have wider implications, including missed deposits, inconsistent tipping and added pressure on managers to verify figures.

Phorest says that reducing payment friction can help teams operate more efficiently without compromising service levels.