sbNextStep Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

sbNextStep was released Oct 29, 2011. Over 82,000 copies were downloaded in its first 3 months of release and that number continues to grow. sbNextStep is based on sbFirstDay, a previous product that was introduced in 2009. sbFirstDay is no longer available for sale, as sbNextStep provides far more functionality and is being offered at no charge.

The "Freeware" Concept

Q : Why offer sbNextStep salon software for free?

A: The central theme to our charter has always been about finding ways to help "the little guy", i.e., small service provider companies. We looked at several business models and found this one offered the most benefit to our customers.

The idea of free software isn't new. But lately, "software as a service" (SAAS) has become the new mantra for software providers and there's a reason for that: money. Suppose you are a small salon and you spend just $40 per month...that's nearly $500 a year. Over time, it adds up. We're just offering a more streamlined option: free.

Does that mean you won't need to spend money on sbNextStep? That depends on you. In the beginning, you may require support or you may wish to purchase a video tutorial. You may also decide you like the portability of being able to view and book appointments from your phone or the web, in which case Google Calendar Sync makes sense. In any event, you will find that if you DO purchase anything from us, the charge will be extremely modest, representing a great value, and most importantly, will not be a recurring payment.

Credit/Debit Card Processing:

Q : Does sbNextStep accept credit cards?

A: sbNextStep's checkout window performs all of the tax and discount calculations for you and even prints or emails receipts. You would use an external card reader/swiper to submit the card for payment, however. We've found some great and very affordable products for this sort of thing at www.MerchantAnywhere.com Note: We are not affiliated with MerchantAnywhere.

Email:

Q: How do I find out my email server name and port number?

A: Google the following phrase: "smtp settings" followed by your email provider name, e.g. "smtp settings gmail". If you are using your own domain's email, check with your web host support staff. Ask for the smtp port number and server name. Also ask them what the daily limits are for sending relayed email (assuming they allow it).

Q: My email was working and has now stopped. What gives?

A: This is usually one of 5 things:

• 1.1. Your antivirus software or firewall is blocking outgoing email. Consult your antivirus help files to find out how to add sbNextStep as an "exception". This essentially tells your antivirus software that you are aware that sbNextStep is sending out email.
• 1.2. You have exceeded your email provider's daily relay email limit. sbNextStep uses your email to send out emails via something called "relaying", i.e., it relays the email to your email provider for sending. Example: Bluehost allows you to send 150 relayed emails per hour. Gmail allows you to send 100 per day.
• 1.3. Your email provider has marked the email as spam. That's because your spam score for your emails is too high. This can be caused by images that are too big, by putting exclamation points and other punctuation in the subject line, e.g., "Big Sale!!!", etc. Research the topic "spam score" on Google.
• 1.4. Your email provider is requiring that you fill out a "captcha" verification code. This is especially true for new Gmail accounts. To test, try logging into GMail from your web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer). Once you answer the verification question, you'll be able to use sbNextStep.
• 1.5. Your email isn't configured to allow relays. The term "relay" means that another software program is using your email to send a message. You may need to turn this functionality on.

Networking:

Q: Can the software be networked, i.e., can multiple users use it at the same time?

A: No. sbNextStep is single computer software. It's designed to address the needs of small multi-staff service providers and solo operators. You can export and import data between copies of sbNextStep. We recommend one-way synching as the data gets overwritten each time (not merged).

Newsletter:

Q: What's in your newsletter?

A: The newsletter provides insight into our development strategies. It also alerts you to other compatible technologies that can make your life easier, such as a new customer appointment scheduling site that we've stumbled upon.

Operating Systems:

Q: Is a Mac Version available?

A: No. Only Windows is supported for our salon software, specifically Windows 7, Vista, and later versions of Windows XP.

sbFirstDay:

Q: Do sbFirstDay customers have any incentives?

A: Absolutely.

• Functionality has been coded to import most sbFirstDay information automatically. The automatic import functionality for sbFirstDay goes away on April 1, 2012, as it unnecessarily complicates a lot of our code.
• The video tutorial is free for sbFirstDay customers.
• Lastly, if the customer is still covered under an existing support agreement for sbFirstDay, that support is automatically transferred to sbNextStep.
• Note: If you received sbFirstDay as a gift from a paid sbFirstDay subscriber, you don't qualify for the sbNextStep freebies. There was a "free second copy" promotion offered for sbFirstDay customers which allowed them to gift a license.

Q: Why didn't my sbFirstDay appointments import?

A: sbFirstDay's appointment book was too different, i.e., it was a single user appointment book which wrote text files to your pc. sbNextStep is multi-staff and stores it's data in a database. The good news is that all your history will import, i.e., you still be able to see what products and services a customer purchased and when. You should only need to import your future appointments. We mentioned this in several pre-release emails.

Is sbNextStep Just "Salon Software"?

Q: I notice that sbNextStep is often referenced as salon software. Why?

A: sbNextStep is appointment-based business software for service providers. There isn't anything in it that is specific to the salon industry, however it was initially written for a hair stylist. Salon providers make up the vast majority of our business, i.e., booth renters and salon and spa providers comprise 70% of our clientele. Massage therapists are also a big part of our business.

Q: Why not call it "business software" instead of "salon software"?

A: Marketing. Internet search engines need to know the most popular search phrases for your site. Ours happens to be "salon software" and "free salon software".

Support:

Q: Why do you charge for support when other companies provide it for free?

A: Our business model is the "free" model for sbNextStep itself, so there is no built-in profit to cover the cost of support. If you have watched the video tutorial, there is only a 10% chance you will require support. If you do require support, it's available on a "pay as you go" basis, i.e., you can purchase only what you need, e.g. a 5-pack of support credits for under $60. Support is a non-recurring issue, which means that you won't be repeatedly dinged over time for something you don't use. We feel this is the most economical solution for our customers. You'll find it's a fraction of the cost in terms of what the industry charges.

Q: How is support provided?

A: Via email. If our support people feel that a web meeting or phone call needs to happen, they will do it. Support issues handled via email are charged at a rate of 1 credit. Via web meetings, the charge is 2 credits. Prior to launching a web meeting, a support person will have gotten your permission to apply the 2-credit charge to your support account. In a web meeting, the support person can see your screen and either advise you how to fix the issue, or take remote control and fix the problem for you.

Upgrades:

Q: What is the cost of an upgrade?

A: Upgrades are free. You can download the latest version of our salon software any time from http://www.sbNextStep.com/index.html
Note: Add-ons such as Google Calendar sync are not considered upgrades, but rather optional accessories.

Q: How do I upgrade?

A: Before upgrading, perform a backup (important). If possible, perform an upgrade when you aren't rushed for time. The process of upgrading is identical to downloading and installing the software, except that your data won't get overwritten.

• 1.1. Go to http://www.sbNextStep.com and download the software.
• 1.2. Click "Run" or "Save" when the dialog opens. Select the default prompts.

Q: How often are upgrades released?

A: That depends. Typically, newer products (version 1 products) have upgrades issued more frequently than more mature products. That's because upgrades contain bug fixes, as well as enhancements requested by the user base that weren't originally planned for in the initial release. There isn't a hard and fast calendar.