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Whether you’re a shaggy guy in Salem searching for a barber or a salon owner in Peabody trying to simplify your operation, the Booksy beauty and wellness app might be your solution. Booksy’s scheduling app aims to centralize and streamline the process of booking personal services including hair styling, esthetics, personal training, tattoos and piercings, and psychotherapy.
Consumers can use the app to find providers in their area, read reviews, schedule appointments, and even pay for services. Because the system is just a tap away on a phone, customers never have to sit on hold to find out when their favorite stylist is available or wait until the spa is open to book a facial.
Small businesses use the app to reach more potential customers and free up time that would otherwise be spent answering phones and managing the calendar. Booksy’s data suggests that without the hassle of turning phone calls and juggling schedules, businesses can save the equivalent of 12 working days of time in a year by using the software. And because the system is so convenient, customers book 20% more often, an increase that can translate into more revenue.
Though Booksy is all about creating connections between consumers and local businesses, it has its roots on the other side of the ocean.
The business was founded in Poland in 2014 by entrepreneurs Stefan Batory and Konrad Howard. Batory hatched the idea when he had trouble booking appointments with his physical therapist. He’d take long runs after work and by the time he got home, the therapist’s office was closed. During the day, the therapist was hands-on with patients and couldn’t answer the phone. As the founder of a popular Polish ride-hailing app, Batory realized the answer to his conundrum might also be a winning business concept.
The idea quickly took off and today can be found in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil, and South Africa, in addition to its original market in Poland. Since 2018, the company, which is now headquartered in San Francisco, has acquired or merged with three rivals, expanding its market share and reach.
In and around the North Shore, the app includes listings for dozens of barbershops, as well as hair and nail salons, day spas, estheticians, makeup artists, and personal trainers. More are certain to be joining the ranks, thanks to Booksy’s growing reputation and an aggressive expansion plan fueled by a recent infusion of $70 million in funding. Check out Booksy’s current North Shore market here.
And the future may see the Booksy platform expanding beyond the beauty and wellness space. When the coronavirus pandemic required people to keep their distance, the app was used by banks scheduling appointments with clients, nursing homes controlling the stream of visitors, and fitness equipment companies scheduling deliveries.
By now, all this talk of barbershops and spas might have you dreaming of a fresh cut or a hot stone massage. The good news is, you can just grab your phone and book an appointment.