The client rebooking rate of a salon, spa or clinic is an important metric for business performance because rebooking is a way of securing future revenue by maximising the potential of your client base.
But what’s the industry average for rebooking in New Zealand and Australia, and how can you improve it in your own business?
We analysed data from the hair and beauty industry to find out.
What is client rebooking and how is it calculated?
Client rebooking is when a client books a future appointment within 24 hours of a previous appointment. With Kitomba Salon and Spa Software reporting, if a client books a future appointment after 24 hours, but within three months (92 days) of that appointment, they are considered retained, not rebooked.
What’s the average rebooking rate for the hair industry?
Using Kitomba Benchmark, a feature of Kitomba Salon and Spa Software that compiles and compares anonymous data from the hair and beauty industry, we found that the average rebooking rate percentage for Australian hair salons in Q4 was 52%, while New Zealand was 57%.
The rebooking rate for Australia and New Zealand has increased slowly but steadily since 2017 (data was analysed from Q4 2017 to Q4 2020) and peaks in Q4 each year for both countries. This Q4 peak could be due to people visiting salons early in the quarter and rebooking before Christmas.
Both Australia and New Zealand have seen a notable increase in client rebooking rates between Q4 2019 and Q4 2020, which is great for the industry.
What’s the average rebooking rate for the beauty industry?
The rebooking rate for the New Zealand and Australian beauty industries has remained stable over the past three years with a slight upward trend, although not as prominent as the hair industry in New Zealand and Australia.
However, Australia has seen a notable increase between Q4 2019 and Q4 2020.
The average rebooking rate for New Zealand is 47%, while Australia is 43%.
What does this data mean for the hair and beauty industry?
This data tells us that the average rebooking rate has remained stable for both the hair and beauty industries in New Zealand and Australia, with a slight upward trend.
Salons, spas and clinics in the top percentile have a rebooking rate of 80% and above. That means there’s plenty of room to improve the industry average, and Australia should aim to catch up with New Zealand.
Not only do pre-booked appointments fill your calendar and secure future income, but rebooking helps to increase the frequency of visits, which can reduce your client revisit period as a result.
How does your business compare to the industry average?
To find out, take a look at your Kitomba Business Summary report. Your rebooking rate is included in this report. You can also use Kitomba Benchmark to see how your rebooking rate compares with the current industry average for both hair and beauty.
While all salons, spas and clinics will benefit from an improved rebooking rate, if your business is below the industry average we recommend setting a goal to improve your rebooking rate this year, and getting your whole team involved in making it happen.
Tips for improving rebooking rates in 2021
1. Set targets for your team
Setting targets for your team and business will help you to have clear, measurable goals to work towards. In Kitomba 1 you can set a target for each team member to reach a specific rebooking rate, and your staff can see how they’re tracking towards that goal on any device. This can either be a weekly or monthly target.
You can incentivise your team’s targets by running competitions where the staff member who rebooks the most clients in a week wins a prize, or set a team target and treat everyone to an outing or a small gift if they reach it.
For more information on targets, read how to set targets for your salon, spa or clinic, and how to introduce targets to your team.
2. Create a rebooking culture
Run a training session with your team on ways to rebook clients and turn rebooking into a habit and a culture. Part of this includes ensuring your team educates their clients about why and when they should rebook appointments.
For example, if a client has a balayage, make sure they rebook for their toner in six weeks’ time to keep their hair looking fresh. If a client is starting a treatment programme, encourage them to book at least their next appointment in advance to ensure they get their preferred time and day of the week. You can also use Kitomba Repeat Appointments for this.
The rebooking prompt that appears when completing a client invoice in Kitomba should remind your team to rebook, but it’s up to them to communicate to their clients about the ideal time for them to return for their next visit and encourage them to secure their next appointment before they leave.
3. Follow up
If a client doesn’t rebook before they leave your salon, spa or clinic, follow up with an automated SMS or email thanking them for coming in and reminding them to book their next appointment so they don’t miss out on their preferred time and date. Include a link to your online booking site so they can book an appointment easily online.
For more tips on automated marketing, read the top 10 client messages you could automate now.
How this data was collected
The data outlined in this article was sourced from Kitomba Benchmark, which is a feature of Kitomba Salon and Spa Software that compiles and compares anonymous data from the hair and beauty industry. Data from Q4 2017 and Q4 2020 was analysed.
Please note: Kitomba Benchmark in Kitomba 1 analyses the hair and beauty industries together, not separately, so the rebooking rate in Kitomba Benchmark may differ slightly from the rebooking rates outlined in this article.
Permission to use this content
When using information from this article in other publications please include a reference link to this article in attribution of the original source.
If you have any questions, leave a comment below or contact us.
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