Lonely This Winter

Times have been pretty tough recently and, while the summer months allowed us a renewed sense of freedom and enabled us to socialise in the open air, the nights are now beginning to draw in – signalling darker days for some in more ways than one. Cold weather can prevent the elderly from getting out and about as much as they would like and, Christmas can be an incredibly lonely time for people of all ages. This Christmas, barbers and salon owners are working to stamp out loneliness in a number of innovative ways:

An epidemic of loneliness

In 2017, the #ShaveTheDay campaign was launched in a bid to reach out to elderly gentlemen suffering from loneliness.  Based at Luke’s Barbershop in Ruislip, the campaign encouraged barbershops to offer free cuts and services to senior citizens during December to help promote inclusivity and highlight the dangers of loneliness.  Owner, Luke Dolan, says, “Barbershops have community spirit at their heart and, that’s why I wanted to play my little part in bringing back some of these community values, and get people talking to each other – young and old”.   Salons have always been seen as a refuge where people can enjoy a chat and a cuppa along with their cut and, the #ShaveTheDay movement could just be a lifesaver for those spending the festive season alone. Additionally, a lot of barbers and salon owners are, in a post-pandemic world, training their employees to identify signs of mental distress in their clients in order to gently recommend help or, just somebody to talk to. 

Community chest

As barbers and stylists take on these new, multiple roles within the community, many are turning to Booksy to help them to manage their time and space more effectively. For the uninitiated, Booksy is a scheduling app with a difference.  As well as allowing customers to book, manage and cancel their own appointments, the platform has tons of great features to help salon owners make the most of their business. These features include the ability to take payment and pre-payments through the app, thereby cutting down on out of pocket expenses due to no shows – a valuable feature in 2021 when salons can ill afford to lose revenue. Owners and managers can also upsell products directly through the app – cutting down on the number of hands touching the in-store products for a more contact free environment. The app is also able to send notifications and reminders to customers to ensure that busy lives don’t lead to missed appointments – and missed cash for the salon. 

Booksy has been designed specifically with salons in mind and, even includes some clever marketing tools, including email outreach and posters, to help owners keep in touch with existing clients and reach out to brand new ones. 

Conclusion

As barbershops and salons battle to recoup their 2020 losses at the same time as providing a safe space for their communities, Booksy is delighted to be able to help through its forward thinking, AI powered platform. Like an extra pair of hands, Booksy can take the stress out of everyday tasks – including book-keeping, leaving owners and staff free to chew the fat with their customers while making them look a million dollars. 

Booksy.com