Hairdressers and barbers get a head start with booksy

Although hair and beauty salons are currently open for business, further closures cannot yet, unfortunately, be completely ruled out. Here Booksy shares some of the innovative ways hairdressers are pre-empting potential problems by pivoting their businesses.

Click and adapt

Traditionally, hair and beauty salons have always sold products such as shampoos and conditioners which are used within the salon, however, in 2021, lots of savvy stylists and beauticians are taking this one step further by introducing their own range of products to be sold both on the premises and online. This has proved to be a great boost for hairdressers, barbers and beauty therapists during the various lockdowns and, more and more business owners are getting onboard with Booksy’s scheduling and management system to help them manage these sales more efficiently.

Pride and groom

Although customers are now able to visit their favourite hairdressers and barbers once again, many are still haunted by the memories of their disastrous home-dos during lockdown. It’s a simple fact that looking our best is essential for our wellbeing – even when we’re not going anywhere and, this is something that hair and beauty professionals have been very much aware of over the past months. As a result, some salons have chosen to branch out by expanding their product offering to grooming kits. Containing essential grooming items such as hair  and beard trimmers, these handy kits have become incredibly popular with men who are determined to keep up appearances during those all important Zoom calls.

Ready for your close up

It’s no doubt a great idea to allow customers to buy professional products and kits online through the Booksy app but, for a lot of customers, the idea of tackling their own haircut is pretty darn daunting to say the least.  When the pandemic first hit, television presenters and broadcasters were forced to do their own hair and make-up in a bid to maintain social distancing.  These media professionals managed to muddle through by taking advantage of Zoom calls and tutorials with their hair and make-up artists and, this has proved to be an inspiration for forward thinking salon owners. Lots of barbers, hairdressers and beauticians are now working on creating online tutorials and, in the event of a future lockdown, one on one tutorial appointments – something which will come as a huge relief to a lot of customers. Owners and managers are able to successfully provide and manage these appointments using Booksy’s innovative scheduling site and app. Affordable and easy to use, the app allows customers to make their own appointment without having to make a phone call – whatever time of day or night and, wherever they may be. Fuelled by artificial intelligence, the app can make intelligent decisions about the timing of appointments, including how long each session should be, based on previous visits and the customer’s requirements. For salon owners, this means that managing virtual and on-site appointments is a breeze, freeing them up to focus on other, more important tasks.  Through video appointments, barbers, hair stylists and beauticians can walk the customer through the process of their cut or treatment, allowing them to maintain their grooming standards at times when they’re unable to visit the salon in person.

Conclusion

It is, of course, Booksy's hope that we’re able to continue to keep salon and barbershop doors open for good as, through the vaccine rollout, we start to get on top of the COVID-19 pandemic.  In the meantime, these innovative pivots are not only a good way for salons to survive but, also provide a handy extra source of income going forward. This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Booksy.