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Milano Through The Decades;
Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs

August 3rd 2021 | 4 Minute Read

Over the last 3 decades, Milano Software has been recognized as the industry leader that specializes in software for business management. From the boom of the internet to the rise in smart technologies, we have continued to adapt, innovate, and come out on top. However, with success surely comes triumph, so let’s go back to the beginning to see how we got to where we are today!

The Start of Something Beautiful

In 1989, we founded Milano Software. We had set high expectations on ourselves to create high quality software solutions we were proud of. We were anxious but incredibly determined. After 2 years, hundreds of sleepless nights, and a thousand cups of coffee, we launched our first product; an innovative management booking system for salons. We knew there was a demand for software solutions within the beauty industry, but we weren’t sure how the community would accept us. We went for it anyway.

Our Business Took off!

What happened next was beyond our dreams. Our software became an instant hit. Our clients in the beauty industry absolutely loved our product, and we had acquired our first 1000 customers in less than a few years. We continued to grow our customer base and dominate the industry.

Word continued to spread about our exceptional solution. In fact, our client base officially became international when a salon from Great Britain became our first overseas client in 1996.

This was a monumental moment for us because our product was being recognized on the international stage. We knew that this was only the beginning for us. For the next couple of years, we continued to develop and brainstorm new features for our product. By the end of the decade, we had created a business management software suitable to all industries. We developed an account manager program for salons, spas, medical spas, golf, retail, and footwear! We wanted to go beyond the beauty industry and into uncharted waters.

Our Breakthrough

Our massive breakthrough occurred when the internet became popular. While many companies were afraid of the changes brought on by the web, we found it as an opportunity to separate ourselves from our competitors. In 2003, we came out with the first online booking system the world has ever seen. We were the first few companies to create online booking software and have continued to pave the way in the industry ever since. Our competitors followed suit, but we came out on top with our advanced software.

Every year seemed to be better than the last. We partnered up with esteemed colleges, worked with world renowned hotel chains, traveled to trade shows all over the world, and even launched on the app store!

Trouble in Paradise

All great things must come to an end. Around 2010 is when we noticed that we were at a plateau. We realized that we got too comfortable. We hate to admit it, but we did. Yes, we are the leaders in online booking systems and desktop solutions. However, with the boom of the internet and rise in demand for smart technology, our customers were shifting towards modernity and lost interest in our obsolete product.

And on top of that, Covid-19 hit…

The effects of Covid-19 were detrimental to many businesses, ours included. We had to adapt and make changes accordingly. We tried our best to accommodate our clients with a “pay what you can” plan as well as lower their monthly fees because we understood that this was a hard time for business owners. Unfortunately, some of our customers went out of business due to financial hardships and we were heartbroken to see them leave our family.

We’re Back and Better Than Ever

Despite the effects of COVID-19, we picked ourselves back up and went to work. We knew we played it too safe the last decade and in order to stay in the game, we had to adapt to the changes in the world. We researched, developed, and spent the next couple of years perfecting our latest product; we wanted to wow the world again. We created a cloud booking management system for truly any type of business. Not only that, but we created Klickbook, the product of our dreams.

Milano Software provides simple, effective, and high quality software solutions to help any business streamline their operations.

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