Delay is cumulative
If every appointment is underestimated by ten minutes, by the sixth client the salon is an hour behind. Nothing has gone wrong: there is simply one wrong duration repeated six times. It's the most common cause of days that end badly, and the easiest to fix.
Fixing it takes measurement, not estimation. For two weeks you note the real start and end time of every service: almost always two or three lines on the price list turn out to be well off, and they're the most frequent ones.
The other lever is order. A long colour that leaves thirty minutes of development can host a short blow-dry, if the diary allows for it; if it doesn't, those thirty minutes are lost. In salons with several stations that's the margin between a full day and a profitable one.
Where the delay actually comes from
The chart is qualitative and shows how much each cause contributes to end-of-day delay.
Two ways to build the day
The table compares a diary built on the price list with one built on real times.
| Aspect | Price-list diary | Measured diary |
|---|---|---|
| Service duration | As written | As timed |
| Time between clients | Zero | A few minutes, configured |
| Development time | Dead time | Usable slot |
| End of day | Running late | On time |
How to put it right
Measure the frequent services
Two weeks of real start and end times.
Correct the durations
In the diary, not on the displayed price list.
Add the free time
A few minutes before and after, configured once.
Use the development time
A short slot inside a long colour.
Where to start
- Time the three most frequent services for two weeks.
- Add a fixed amount of free time before and after.
- Use development time as a slot, not as a break.
Measure the most frequent services, not all of them. In almost any salon three or four lines cover most visits: fixing those fixes the day, fixing the rest changes almost nothing.
Free time before and after isn't wasted time. It goes on setting up the station, washing, saying goodbye without rushing: if it isn't in the diary it gets taken anyway, out of the next appointment.
Durations that match reality
In Saloria a visit lasts as long as the chosen services add up to, with free time before and after set in general and per service. Availability is recurring, with exceptions and blocks for closures and absences. The consultation starts from the same record, so the next visit is planned on what was actually decided.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I run late even when nothing goes wrong?
Almost always because the durations in the diary are shorter than the real ones: ten minutes across six appointments makes an hour.
How much free time between clients?
Enough to set up the station and say goodbye without rushing. If it isn't in the diary it gets taken anyway, out of the next appointment.
Can development time be used?
Yes, if the diary treats it as an available slot and not as blocked time.