ar codes are a fast, easy and accurate way of collecting and recording data in retail establishments and are very prominent in most markets; however the tanning industry has historically lagged behind. While many salons have been utilizing bar coding on retail products for years and many more have been implementing this technology at an increasingly rapid pace, the majority of salon owners have still not fully automated their inventory process. The $64,000 question has to be, WHY NOT?

Bar coding enables products to be tracked efficiently and accurately at speeds not possible using manual data entry systems. The primary benefit of this process is that it is truly automatic, occurring instantaneously as the transaction is taking place. Improved accuracy is yet another benefit. Studies show that the “entry and read” error rate when using bar code technology is approximately one error in one million characters versus one error for every 300 characters in manual key entry. Just think of all the potential money that can be lost if your employee accidentally rings up a $50 bottle of lotion for $15. This is a very common mistake that can add up to BIG money over the course of a year.

Since most major lotion manufacturers are now putting bar codes on their products, there is really no reason not to jump into 21st Century technology! If your current lotion manufacturer is not using bar codes, I would recommend finding out if this is on their design board or possibly switching to a more mainstream company. For those of you grass roots salon owners who are brand loyal: even if your lotion of choice is not bar coded, your software provider should be able to provide a solution. In either case, don’t settle for anything less than 100 percent automation.

A secondary benefit of bar code technology is the ability to utilize a bar-coded key-tag system to expedite your check-in process while providing a strong marketing presence at the same time. Having key tags produced with your salon logo on the front and your salon information, including a unique bar code number, on the back will help catapult your salon’s image and recognition! I’m sure that more than 50 percent of those who read this article have at least one key tag on their key chain from their local grocer, fitness center or video rental store. Contact your software provider and see how easy this process is to incorporate into your existing software solution.

I’ve enjoyed contributing to IST with this monthly column and would really like to tackle some of the issues that IST readers have, so please drop me a line with your suggestions. You can email me at scott@gohelios.com.

Scott Bogdan
Chief Administrative Officer, Helios LLC
Scott Bogdan has been a member of the Helios team since May 1998. Scott first got his feet wet in the tanning industry with his in-laws and their partner, Helios President Tony Toepfer, who owned and operated a 40-bed tanning salon in Illinois for over 16 years. In June 2001, Scott and his family moved to Indianapolis when Helios merged with ETS and took over their salon software development division. Scott and his wife, Kate, reside in Carmel, IN with their son Jared and daughter Ashley.