The AI Era Is Here – How Can Technology Help to Optimise the Future of Businesses?

While consumer brands may be increasingly experimenting with artificial intelligence to decrease time spent on menial tasks and improve the customer experience, has the beauty service industry caught up?

Contributing £13.5 billion* per year to the UK economy, beauty is an important commodity. But are beauty business owners aware of how AI may help to optimise and automate their salons?

With business costs continuing to rise, according to BABTAC, it’s more important than ever for beauty business owners to ensure that they’re aware of the ways that AI may help to optimise their salons to support their bottom line.

According to Lesley Blair MBE, CEO of BABTAC, “there’s no doubt that AI can help beauty spaces to run more efficiently – from both an operations and cost perspective. From automated booking systems to helping with social media, utilising technology to optimise therapists time leaves more available resource for where it matters, be that upskilling to ensure customers are always offered the latest and safest treatments, spending time aiding staff members with their development or cultivating and nurturing a team. Although beauty is a hands-on business, finding ways to support busy beauty professionals can only serve to empower our community.”

Here are some practical ways AI can help:

Customer management and personalisation

AI has the power to revolutionise the beauty experience by analysing customer preferences and purchase history, offering bespoke product and treatment recommendations tailored to each individual. With the ability to create detailed customer profiles, which include past services, preferences, and future suggestions, it can help salons to provide a truly personalised experience for every client.

Appointment scheduling and management

AI-powered booking systems offer customers the convenience of booking appointments online or via an app at any time and can recommend the best appointment times based on both staff availability and customer preferences, ensuring seamless scheduling. With automatic reminders and confirmations sent through SMS or email, pesky no- shows can be minimised.

Inventory management

AI can track sales trends and forecast which products are set to perform well, enabling salons to maintain a perfectly stocked inventory. By monitoring product usage and real-time inventory levels, AI can ensure that you’re always aware of when it’s time to reorder to prevent any shortages.

Customer support and chatbots

AI-powered chatbots can be seamlessly integrated into a salon's website or social media platforms to provide instant answers to frequently asked questions such as service details, pricing, and availability. Meanwhile, a Virtual Beauty Assistant can offer personalised styling advice and beauty tips to help guid clients with product recommendations and aftercare suggestions that are tailored to their unique needs. 

Marketing and social media

Harness customer data with AI to craft targeted advertising campaigns on social media that drives local traffic to the salon. Additionally, AI-powered social media analytics can offer valuable insights into customer engagement, helping salons understand which content resonates most with their customers. 

Staff optimisation

AI can optimise staff scheduling by analysing demand forecasts to ensure the right number of employees are available during peak hours. AI-driven performance monitoring can also provide valuable insights into staff performance, identifying areas for skill development while also recognising top performing team members.

*British Beauty Council Value of Beauty Report