Managing Staff Schedules Across Multiple Locations
How do salons, spas and clinics with two or more locations manage staff, working hours and bookings from one place? Common mistakes and a practical setup.
When a business opens its second location, scheduling is usually the first thing to break. Different opening hours at each location, staff who work at both, and clients unsure which location to go to all create conflicts that never happen with a single site. In this post we explain how to set up staff scheduling for a multi-location business.
Common problems in multi-location businesses
- The same person, at the same time, in two places: A specialist who works Tuesdays at one location and Wednesdays at another can end up booked for the same slot in two separate calendars.
- Mixed-up opening hours: If one location is open until 21:00 and the other until 19:00, a late booking can land at the location that closes early.
- No central view: Managers only find out which location is busy by calling each one.
- Clients going to the wrong location: If the confirmation doesn't state the address clearly, clients go to the location they're used to.
The right setup: locations, staff and hours
1. Set up each location separately
Each location should have its own address, phone and opening hours. Closed days and public holidays are entered per location.
2. Assign staff to locations
A staff member can work at one or several locations. Their own working hours intersect with the location's hours, so they can't be booked outside their hours or while the location is closed. We explain this structure in our guide to staff-based scheduling.
3. Let clients choose the location first
On the booking page, clients choose the location first, then the service and staff member. They only see free times for people who work at that location and provide that service, and the confirmation email includes the right address.
4. Keep services shared
Services and prices are usually the same across locations. A shared service list saves you from re-entering everything each time you open a new location.
Managing everything from one screen
| Need | How it's covered |
|---|---|
| How busy is each location? | Location filter on the calendar and occupancy report |
| Who works where? | Location assignment on the staff card |
| Revenue per location | Location filter in reports |
| Fast start at a new location | A new location starts with the default location's hours, then you adjust |
A note for spas and wellness centers
Package services at spas (like hammam + massage) are long, which makes per-location occupancy tracking even more important. Defining packages as a single service with their total duration reserves the right block in the calendar. See our spa booking system page for details.
Which plan do you need?
In Vaktimce, multiple locations come with the Professional plan, together with advanced reports; it supports up to 5 locations and 10 staff. See current plans on the pricing page; you can try every feature free for 14 days without a credit card. Create a free account to get started.
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