Failure to digitise sees UK beauty industry lose £1.2 billion
By Sophie Nutt | 06 March 2020 | Movers & Shakers, News
The failure to digitise booking processes is threatening the profitability of the UK salon industry, as research from Powered by Flossie shows that £1.2 billion is being lost every year as clients fail to keep their pre-booked appointments.
The data shows that a third (30%) of women in London admit to not showing up to a hair appointment, leaving salons to swallow the costs.
As well as this, more than 75% of salons currently use paper booking systems, which are increasingly being shunned by consumers, as over a third (38%) of millennial reveal they booked their most recent appointment online. An additional third (36%), however, were unable to as their salon did not have an online booking option. A further fifth (20%) said their online experience was frustrating, and ultimately put them off booking.
Capturing this clientele is important, as the research also found that the millennial demographic books treatments more frequently than any other age group. The research stated that 18-24 year olds visit salons on average once a month, in comparison to the overall average of one appointment every six-to-eight weeks.
“Whether its causing them to lose revenue via no-shows or preventing their customers from easily accessing the services they want, legacy technology is hurting the hair and beauty industry,” – Jenene Crossan, CEO and founder of Powered by Flossie.
Alongside quick and easy online booking experiences, the younger generation of consumers increasingly demand flexible payment options, including buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services. Internal data from Powered by Flossie also found that customers are significantly more likely to attend beauty appointments if they have paid in advance, as it creates a financial repercussion for missing their bookings.
“Salons in the UK face a number of challenges, but one of the most widespread is the impact of a lack of digitisation,” says Jenene Crossan, CEO and founder of Powered by Flossie. “Whether its causing them to lose revenue via no-shows or preventing their customers from easily accessing the services they want, legacy technology is hurting the hair and beauty industry.
“However, having spent more than 20 years in the technology industry, I’ve seen first-hand how new, innovative software can be used to change entrenched business practices. Powered by Flossie provides enterprise salons with software that enables them to offer their clients the best booking solutions; incorporating innovative payment options, easy to use interfaces and a way to end the no-show status quo.”