The Salon Hub - Complete Staff Training Guide
Table of Contents
[Platform Overview](#platform-overview)
[User Roles & Access](#user-roles--access)
[Authentication System](#authentication-system)
[Directory & Search](#directory--search)
[Referral System](#referral-system)
[Gamification & Points](#gamification--points)
[Guides & Learning Hub](#guides--learning-hub)
[Connect Q&A Forum](#connect-qa-forum)
[Job Board](#job-board)
[Insurance Quotes](#insurance-quotes)
[News Feed](#news-feed)
[Admin Dashboard](#admin-dashboard)
[Subscription Management](#subscription-management)
[Common Workflows](#common-workflows)
[Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
Platform Overview
The Salon Hub is a UK B2B marketplace connecting beauty and wellness businesses with suppliers, resources, and each other.
Purpose:
Connect salons/spas with verified suppliers
Provide compliance guides and resources
Facilitate job postings and recruitment
Build community through Q&A forum
Offer insurance comparison
Reward engagement through gamification
Not a booking system - We focus on B2B infrastructure, not consumer bookings.
User Roles & Access
1. **Salon/Spa/Professional** (Free)
Can Do:
Browse supplier directory
Access all 91 compliance guides
Participate in Connect Q&A forum
View job listings
Request insurance quotes
Earn points and badges through gamification
Refer other users for rewards
Read industry news
Cannot Do:
List their business in directory (not suppliers)
Post jobs (unless they upgrade features)
2. **Supplier** (Ā£15/month Basic tier)
Can Do Everything Salons Can, PLUS:
List their business in the supplier directory
Be discovered by salons searching for services
Display contact details, services, regions covered
Get verified badge (after admin approval)
Receive quote requests from salons
Subscription Required:
Basic tier: Ā£15/month
Payment via Stripe (planned)
Admin can grant free access periods
3. **Admin** (Full Control)
Can Do:
Approve/reject/verify all users
Manage supplier subscriptions
Export user data to CSV
Delete users (GDPR compliant)
Manage prize draws
View analytics
Moderate Connect Q&A
Delete jobs
Full platform oversight
Authentication System
**Passwordless Email Magic Link**
How It Works:
User enters email on login/signup page
System sends magic link to their email
User clicks link ā automatically logged in for 30 days
No passwords needed - more secure, easier for users
Account States:
Pending - Just signed up, waiting for admin approval
Approved - Can access platform features
Rejected - Cannot access platform
Verified - Supplier with verified badge (admin-granted)
Session Details:
30-day expiry
HttpOnly cookies (secure)
Server-side validation
Special Case - Admin Login:
Email: admin@salonhub.co.uk
Password: Siobhann123456! (case-sensitive)
Case-insensitive email matching for admin
Directory & Search
**How Directory Works:**
Role-Based Display:
Salons see: Suppliers only
Suppliers see: Salons only
Admin sees: Both salons and suppliers
Search & Filters:
Search Box
- Search by business name
- Real-time filtering as you type
Category Filter
- Dropdown with all service categories
- Examples: Hair Products, Nail Supplies, Equipment, etc.
Region Filter
- UK regions: London, South East, North West, etc.
- Multi-select available
City Filter
- Specific cities within regions
- Updates based on region selection
Postcode Filter (NEW)
- Dedicated postcode search field
- Auto-uppercase formatting
- Partial matching (e.g., "M1" finds all Manchester M1 postcodes)
- Orange border when active
Sorting Options:
Verified First - Verified suppliers appear first
Highest Rated - Best reviews first
Most Recommended - Most referrals first
Newest First - Recently joined members first
URL State Persistence:
All filters and search terms saved in URL
Share links with filters already applied
Bookmark specific searches
Listing Details:
Business name
Categories offered
Regions covered
Contact: Phone, email, website
Verified badge (if applicable)
Embedded Google Map
"Get Quote" button
Referral System
**How It Works:**
1. Every User Gets a Referral Code
Automatically generated on signup
Format: REF-XXXXX
Found in user dashboard
2. Referring Process:
Option A - Share Referral Code:
User shares their code with friends
Friend enters code during signup
Referrer earns credits when friend is approved
Option B - Share Referral Link:
Direct link with code embedded
Example: thesalonhub.co.uk/join/salon?ref=REF-12345
Automatic credit attribution
3. Credit System:
Earning Credits:
50 credits per successful referral (when referee is approved by admin)
No limit on referrals
Credits tracked in user dashboard
Credit Tiers & Badges:
Bronze: 0-99 credits (š„)
Silver: 100-249 credits (š„)
Gold: 250-499 credits (š„)
Platinum: 500+ credits (š)
4. Monthly Prize Draws:
Eligibility:
Must have at least 50 credits
Automatically entered each month
More credits = better tier badge, but all eligible users have equal chance
Admin Manages:
Announces winners monthly
Records prize details
Displays on welcome page
5. Leaderboard:
Top 10 referrers displayed
Shows username, credits, tier
Updated in real-time
Visible on welcome page and gamification page
Staff Workflow:
User asks about referrals ā Direct to dashboard
Check their referral code and share link
Track credits in gamification page
Admin announces monthly winners
Gamification & Points
**Point System:**
How Users Earn Points:
Complete Guides (3 points each)
- Read all 5 sections
- Pass quiz with 80%+
- Maximum: 273 points (91 guides Ć 3)
Ask Questions in Connect Q&A (2 points each)
- Post new question
- Points awarded immediately
Answer Questions in Connect Q&A (3 points each)
- Reply to others' questions
- More valuable than asking
Total Possible: Unlimited (guides are capped, but Q&A is not)
**Achievement Badges:**
42 Badges Total across categories:
Guide Completion Badges (8 categories):
Complete all guides in a category to earn badge
Example: Complete all "Hair Salons" guides ā earn Hair Salons Master badge
Milestone Badges:
First Guide, 10 Guides, 25 Guides, 50 Guides, All Guides Complete
Point Milestones: 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000 points
Community Badges:
Community Helper (10 Q&A answers)
Community Expert (50 Q&A answers)
Question Asker (10 questions)
Active Member (100 total actions)
Special Badges:
Early Adopter (first 100 users)
Verified Professional
Top Contributor
**Progress Tracking:**
User Dashboard Shows:
Total points earned
Current tier badge (based on referral credits)
Achievement badges earned
Progress bars for incomplete categories
Recent activity
Leaderboard:
Ranked by referral credits (not points)
Top 10 displayed publicly
Full rankings visible on gamification page
Guides & Learning Hub
**91 Professional Guides** covering:
Categories:
Hair Salons (8 guides)
Nail Salons (8 guides)
Beauty & Aesthetics (8 guides)
Spa & Wellness (8 guides)
Barbershops (8 guides)
Tanning Salons (3 guides)
General Compliance (7 guides)
Business & Marketing (7 guides)
Health & Safety (5 guides)
Staff & Training (6 guides)
Equipment & Maintenance (6 guides)
Client Care (5 guides)
**Guide Structure:**
5 Learning Sections:
Overview
Key Concepts
Practical Application
Common Challenges
Compliance & Safety
Interactive Quiz:
5 questions per guide
Must score 80%+ to pass
Server-side validation (no cheating)
Can retry unlimited times
Earning Points:
Read all sections
Start quiz
Submit answers
If 80%+ ā earn 3 points + completion badge
If under 80% ā review content and retry
PDF Download:
Each guide downloadable as PDF
For printing and reference
Search & Filter:
Search guides by title/keyword
Filter by category
See completion status
**Current Content Status:**
ā ļø IMPORTANT: All guides currently have placeholder content and generic quiz answers (pattern: 0,1,2,2,2)
Next Steps:
Provide UK-specific compliance content
Write actual quiz questions
Set correct answer keys
See GUIDE_CONTENT_REQUIREMENTS.md for details
Connect Q&A Forum
**Community Forum Features:**
What Users Can Do:
Ask Questions
- Post title and detailed description
- Earn 2 points per question
- Visible to all logged-in users
Answer Questions
- Reply to any question
- Earn 3 points per answer
- Build reputation
View All Questions
- Browse by newest first
- See question, asker name, date
- View all replies
Email Notifications:
When someone replies to your question
Automatic via Resend integration
Includes question title and reply preview
Moderation:
Admin can delete inappropriate questions
No edit function (prevents abuse)
Report feature planned
**Use Cases:**
"How do I handle difficult clients?"
"What's the best accounting software for salons?"
"Where can I find affordable salon chairs?"
"GDPR compliance question about client photos"
Job Board
**How It Works:**
Posting Jobs:
Suppliers and businesses can post jobs
Form fields:
- Job Title
- Company Name
- Location (UK city)
- Job Type (Full-time, Part-time, Contract, Freelance)
- Salary Range
- Description
- Application URL or email
Viewing Jobs:
All logged-in users can browse jobs
Shows: Title, company, location, type, salary
Click to see full description
Apply via external link/email
Admin Controls:
Can delete any job posting
Moderate for spam/inappropriate content
No Payment Required:
Currently free to post jobs
May monetize in future
Insurance Quotes
**Insurance Quote Request System:**
How It Works:
User Fills Form:
- Business name
- Contact details (name, email, phone)
- Business type (salon, spa, barbershop, etc.)
- Number of employees
- Additional information
System Processes:
- Validates form
- Sends email to Oak Insurance Brokers
- Confirms submission to user
Broker Responds:
- Oak Insurance contacts user directly
- Provides tailored quotes
- Handles all insurance discussion offline
Insurance Types Covered:
Public Liability Insurance
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Employers' Liability Insurance
Contents Insurance
Treatment Insurance
Partner:
Oak Insurance Brokers (industry specialist)
UK-focused insurance provider
Expert in beauty/wellness sector
News Feed
**Industry News Features:**
Source:
Google News API
UK beauty industry sources only
Auto-updated regularly
Display:
Latest 10 articles on news page
Shows: Title, source, date, image
Click to read full article on source site
Available To:
All logged-in users
Preview on welcome page (3 articles)
Admin Dashboard
**Admin Overview:**
Access: admin@salonhub.co.uk / Siobhann123456!
**Main Admin Functions:**
**1. User Management**
View All Users:
Complete list of salons, suppliers, professionals
Shows: Name, email, role, status, join date
Search and filter capabilities
Approve/Reject Users:
Pending Users - newly signed up
Click "Approve" ā user gets welcome email, can access platform
Click "Reject" ā user blocked, cannot access features
Click "Verify" ā adds verified badge to suppliers
Bulk Actions:
Select multiple users
Approve all at once
Reject all at once
Delete Users (GDPR):
Permanently remove user and all data
Confirmation required
Cannot be undone
Export to CSV:
Download all user data
Includes: name, email, business, role, status, join date
For reporting and analysis
**2. Subscription Management**
View Supplier Subscriptions:
List of all suppliers
Shows: Name, status (active/inactive), expiry date
Filter by subscription status
Grant Free Access:
Select supplier
Set free access end date
Bypass payment requirement
Useful for: Promotions, partners, testing
Manage Payments:
View subscription history
Manually update status if needed
Integrate with Stripe (planned)
**3. Prize Management**
Monthly Prize Draws:
Announce Winner:
Enter winner's name
Prize details (e.g., "Ā£100 Amazon Voucher")
Month/year
Save announcement
Display Winners:
Shows on welcome page
Visible to all users
Builds excitement for referral program
**4. Analytics**
Platform Statistics:
Total users (salons, suppliers, professionals)
Pending approvals count
Active subscriptions
Total referral credits issued
Guide completions
Q&A activity
User Activity:
Most active users
Engagement metrics
Growth trends
**5. Content Moderation**
Connect Q&A:
View all questions and answers
Delete inappropriate content
Monitor community health
Job Board:
Review job postings
Delete spam or inappropriate jobs
Subscription Management
**Supplier Subscription Tiers:**
Current: Basic Tier
Price: Ā£15/month
Includes:
- Directory listing
- Contact details displayed
- Quote request access
- All free user features
Payment System:
Stripe integration (planned)
UK bank account required
Automatic monthly billing
Free Access Periods:
Admin can grant temporary free access
Set custom expiry date
Useful for promotions or partners
Subscription States:
Active - Currently paid/free access
Inactive - Expired or never subscribed
Free Trial - Admin-granted free period
Common Workflows
**Workflow 1: New Salon Signs Up**
User visits thesalonhub.co.uk/join/salon
Fills signup form (name, email, business, phone, address, referral code)
Accepts GDPR consent
Submits form
System sends welcome email (via Resend)
User status: Pending
Admin approves in admin dashboard
System sends approval email
User receives magic link
User clicks link ā logged in
Can now access all salon features
**Workflow 2: Supplier Subscribes**
User visits thesalonhub.co.uk/join/supplier
Fills signup form
Submits (status: Pending)
Admin approves
User logs in via magic link
Tries to access supplier features ā redirected to subscription page
Pays Ā£15/month via Stripe (or admin grants free access)
Status: Active subscriber
Can now list in directory, receive quotes
**Workflow 3: User Completes Guide**
User browses guides at /guides
Clicks on specific guide
Reads through all 5 sections
Clicks "Start Quiz"
Answers 5 questions
Submits quiz
Server validates answers (no client-side cheating)
If 80%+ correct:
- Earns 3 points
- Toast notification: "Guide completed! +3 points"
- Guide marked as completed
- Progress updated on gamification page
If under 80%:
- Toast: "Not quite there - review and try again"
- Can retry immediately
**Workflow 4: Referral Process**
User A (existing) shares referral code with User B (new)
User B signs up, enters User A's referral code in form
User B submits signup (status: Pending)
Admin approves User B
System awards 50 credits to User A
User A receives email: "Your referral was approved! +50 credits"
User A's tier badge updates if threshold crossed
User A is now eligible for monthly prize draw (if 50+ credits)
**Workflow 5: Insurance Quote Request**
User goes to /insurance
Fills quote request form
Submits form
System sends email to Oak Insurance Brokers
User sees confirmation: "Quote request sent!"
Oak Insurance contacts user directly via email/phone
User receives personalized insurance quote offline
**Workflow 6: Admin Moderates Platform**
Daily Admin Tasks:
Check pending approvals:
- Go to admin dashboard
- Review pending users
- Approve legitimate businesses
- Reject spam/fake accounts
Monitor Connect Q&A:
- Check for inappropriate content
- Delete spam questions/answers
- Ensure community guidelines followed
Manage subscriptions:
- Grant free access for partnerships
- Check expired subscriptions
- Follow up on payment issues
Monthly prize draw:
- Run report of users with 50+ credits
- Select winner
- Announce in admin panel
- Contact winner directly
Troubleshooting
**Common Issues & Solutions:**
**Issue: User Can't Log In**
Symptoms: "Check your email for magic link" but no email received
Solutions:
Check spam folder
Verify email address is correct
Check if user is approved (not pending/rejected)
Resend magic link
If admin: Use password login instead
Database Note: If database is suspended (Neon auto-suspends after 5min idle), first login attempt may fail. User should try again after 10 seconds.
**Issue: Supplier Can't Access Directory Features**
Symptoms: Redirected to subscription page
Solutions:
Check subscription status (admin dashboard)
If inactive: User needs to subscribe (Stripe)
If admin wants to grant free access:
- Go to admin subscription management
- Grant free access with end date
- User can now access features
**Issue: Quiz Won't Submit**
Symptoms: Button disabled or no response
Solutions:
Ensure all 5 questions answered
Check browser console for errors
Refresh page and try again
If persistent: Database connection issue (retry after 10 seconds)
**Issue: Referral Credits Not Awarded**
Symptoms: User referred someone but no credits
Solutions:
Check if referee actually entered referral code
Check if referee is approved (credits only on approval)
Check referee's account - referral code should be visible
Manual check in database if needed
**Issue: Email Not Sending**
Symptoms: Welcome/approval/magic link emails not received
Solutions:
Check Resend integration status
Verify email address valid
Check spam folder
Resend API key may be expired
Check Resend dashboard for delivery logs
**Issue: Directory Search Not Working**
Symptoms: No results or filters not applying
Solutions:
Clear all filters and try again
Check if any listings exist for criteria
Verify role (salons see suppliers, suppliers see salons)
Try different search terms
**Issue: Admin Can't Delete User**
Symptoms: Error when trying to delete
Solutions:
Ensure user exists
Check database connection
Try again (database may have been suspended)
Check browser console for specific error
**Issue: Google Analytics Not Tracking**
Symptoms: No data in GA dashboard
Solutions:
Verify user accepted cookies
Check browser doesn't block analytics
Wait 24-48 hours for data to appear
Verify Measurement ID correct: G-WY8TZH4N3H
Check Network tab for gtag requests
Quick Reference
**Key URLs:**
Home: thesalonhub.co.uk
Login: thesalonhub.co.uk/login
Join Salon: thesalonhub.co.uk/join/salon
Join Supplier: thesalonhub.co.uk/join/supplier
Directory: thesalonhub.co.uk/directory
Guides: thesalonhub.co.uk/guides
Connect Q&A: thesalonhub.co.uk/connect
Jobs: thesalonhub.co.uk/jobs
Insurance: thesalonhub.co.uk/insurance
News: thesalonhub.co.uk/news
Admin Dashboard: thesalonhub.co.uk/admin
Gamification: thesalonhub.co.uk/gamification
**Admin Credentials:**
Email: admin@salonhub.co.uk
Password: Siobhann123456!
**Point Values:**
Complete guide: 3 points
Ask question: 2 points
Answer question: 3 points
**Referral System:**
Credits per referral: 50 credits
Prize draw eligibility: 50+ credits
Tiers: Bronze (0-99), Silver (100-249), Gold (250-499), Platinum (500+)
**Subscription:**
Basic tier: Ā£15/month
Payment: Stripe (planned)
Free access: Admin can grant
Training Checklist
New Staff Should:
[ ] Understand the three user roles (salon, supplier, admin)
[ ] Know how passwordless authentication works
[ ] Be able to approve/reject users in admin panel
[ ] Understand the referral system and credit tiers
[ ] Know how gamification points work
[ ] Be familiar with all 91 guide categories
[ ] Understand subscription requirements for suppliers
[ ] Know how to grant free access to suppliers
[ ] Be able to manage prize draws
[ ] Understand common troubleshooting issues
[ ] Know how to export user data to CSV
[ ] Be familiar with GDPR deletion process
Support Resources
For Technical Issues:
Check workflow logs in Replit
Review browser console errors
Verify database connection (Neon)
Check Resend email delivery logs
For User Questions:
Refer to this guide
Check FAQ page on website
Review replit.md for technical details
Consult GUIDE_CONTENT_REQUIREMENTS.md for content needs
For Platform Updates:
See replit.md for latest changes
Review git commits for recent features
Check admin analytics for usage trends
Last Updated: November 4, 2025
Version: 1.0
Platform: The Salon Hub (thesalonhub.co.uk)