Since he first started working with salons in 2004, Argo Networks Owner Mike Neagle has worked diligently yo deliver specialized and highly useful data to small businesses. Since then, his team of one has grown to 18, with even more plans to hire in the near future. Their growth is a reflection on the importance of big data in the tanning industry. Their continued expansion has triggered a move to a larger, more charming space in a 110-year-old former masonic lodge.

Q: How does Salon 360 pay for itself?

A: Salon 360 pays for itself in tangible and intangible ways. The system is created to help you make very tangible sales. the tanning business is pretty competitive and I think one of the best ways to stay on top is to figure out your numbers and your customers. This is what big companies are doing, but we have designed an infrastructure that makes it much more affordable for independent salons to implement.

Intangibly, Salon 360 saves salons a lot of time. The biggest objection that keeps people from buying the software is cost, but once they have made the commitment, they can’t believe how they ever functioned before. Finding meaningful information feels impossible a lot of the time, which is why many salon owners don’t bother looking more than once. We create repeatable data models that allow you to answer questions about your business. Getting the right data is like peeling an onion — you know that somewhere in your database it’s going to tell you which hours you should be open or who’s bringing in the most money, but we peel back the layers and show you what you need to see at a moment’s notice.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.