Choosing the Right Scheduling App to Run a Business

When it came time to make a major decision on how to take his life’s work to the next level, John Carlo decided to switch to Booksy. As a businessman who runs a multi-staffer barbershop that specializes in upscale grooming—John needed a more advanced scheduling app that could help him overcome a host of different business challenges, which included expanding his brand. 

Another reason that John decided to switch to better booking by activating a Booksy account is that he wanted to go above and beyond with regards to meeting the needs of the staffers and clients who count upon him to make the right business decisions. 

Although John focuses most of his energy on one shop, he has opened seven barbershops throughout the two decades that he’s been in the industry. In addition to being a Booksy Ambassador, John is also an educator for Wahl. And he's the proud owner of the John Carlo Signature Line, which is his one-of-a-kind line of premium men’s hairstyling products.

Take a moment to learn exactly why this well-known grooming expert decided to switch to Booksy. Read about the unique Booksy tools that help him run a successful business. And better understand how our latest features will be able to help John and his staffers better serve each and every client that walks into his space. 

Empowering Staffers

For those who don’t already know, John owns the Men's Grooming Studio. His sleek, modern barbershop is the perfect balance of old school barbershop charm with new school trends and style. It’s based in Long Island, New York. And running a business in Long Island, which attracts customers from Brooklyn and Queens, means a lot of competition from other talented barbers. 

Naturally, John wanted his brand to stand out as much as possible. He wanted clients to notice his staffers with ease. And he wanted his barbers to be able to truly express themselves, while still showing loyalty to his shop. In addition to wanting online attention, John switched to Booksy so he could work with a scheduling app that would better empower his employees.

More specifically, John likes the fact that his Booksy profile page advertises the shop. But each staffer has their own unique drop down menu that lists their services and specialties. The different menus promote each individual barber and their unique skillsets, while featuring high quality portfolio pictures that market the grooming studio.

Even though Booksy profiles are designed to help business owners like John empower their staffers, all of the information resides under one “business umbrella.” And that helps John showcase and promote the shop, as a whole, since all of the profiles are connected to one another within the Booksy scheduling app.

Increased Visibility 

It’s always been important for John to grow his own personal brand. But part of that process means helping his staffers attract more clients. Booksy is a scheduling app that lets industry experts attract new customers via social media and through the Booksy search engine. And those new clients can turn into loyal customers.

“With Booksy each of my guys can grow and brand themselves. I especially want my new staffers to have the chance to grow their client base, because they’re new in the industry. But when you’re here, you’re also representing the Men’s Grooming Studio. That’s one way Booksy wins over every other scheduling app. It helps newcomers truly grow,” said John. 

John added that the software helps his staffers market themselves and attract new clients, because each Booksy provider has a unique link. And his barbers can better engage new customers by simply adding that link to their Instagram and Facebook pages. His barbers can also take advantage of Boost to get new clients. Both of these tools help with regards to attracting new clientele who may then want to cross-book a number of different services. 

“Booksy isn’t just for your seasoned professional or a new professional—it's designed to help everyone. With Booksy, you have a higher potential to be able to be successful in your work. Booksy helps you put yourself out there. Because of their technology, more people can see your work even before they step inside your shop or salon to shake your hand,” John said.

Unmatched Growth Opportunities

Over the past 20 years, barbering has brought John to almost a dozen different international countries. John has educated in 40 different states, and he’s been on the road with celebrities like Ice Cube. For him, barbering is more than a profession. The industry represents a lucrative business. And much like any entrepreneur, John wanted his brand to consistently keep growing.

“I reached out to my previous scheduling app on multiple occasions. On multiple occasions, I said ‘hey, listen, if there's something that we can do to collaborate together, I'm all for it. I work closely with Wahl. And I want to be more involved in marketing projects for your scheduling app, because I’ve noticed that you guys promote other barbers in the industry,’” said John.

Although John was unable to find ways to promote his brand through his previous scheduling app, once he switched to Booksy, he was offered a number of different opportunities. He was able to create educational content featured on the Booksy YouTube page. And within months, John was on tour showcasing his work to industry newcomers at Booksy sponsored events. 

“After joining Booksy, I quickly felt the love. I saw the opportunities for growth, which is something I was looking for that I wasn't receiving with my previous scheduling app. And I noticed right away that this is the best choice for myself, career wise. It’s also the right choice for my staffers and clients, because Booksy offers a booking format they appreciate,” John said. 

Client Experience 

Even though Booksy is a scheduling app that’s loaded with a number of intricate features, John appreciates that the software is easy to use. He said that it’s easy for him to hire a new barber and get them acclimated with regards to using the software. But it’s also easy for clients.

“It’s seamless and sleek—there’s not a ton of unnecessary steps. If I build up my team of barbers, they can easily learn how to promote themselves using Booksy. They can add services and edit prices with ease. And the process is simple for their customers,” John said.

To learn as much as possible about Booksy, John signed up for Booksy as a consumer. He wanted to better understand our scheduling app and that meant seeing it from both sides. John freely admits to being very impressed with what he saw in regards to the client experience. And instead of charging clients to book, when customers use Booksy everything is free.

“What I liked about Booksy is that the clients are able to feed off the vibe of each barber. They can see all of my barbers' profile pictures. If I’m a young guy, I can easily find a younger barber. An older gentleman can easily find a mature barber. Before booking an appointment, clients can open a barbers’ profile and review his portfolio. And that’s what makes this all work,” John said.

Access to New Software: Booksy Biz Pro and Lite

While John was making the decision to switch to a different scheduling app, he was very excited to hear about the Booksy software update. Several weeks ago, we released Booksy Biz Pro and Booksy Biz Lite. These two different software solutions were designed to help multi-staff managers like John, while offering just as much support to independent contractors.

According to John, the new software upgrade was a major part of his decision to switch to Booksy. And that’s because he appreciates the added reporting tools to help him track his business. Booksy Biz Pro offers more than 20 new reports to help him make more informed decisions about his income. 

More specifically, the reporting features help John identify VIP clients, keep track of product sales, take note of the services that bring in the most revenue, and acknowledge his busiest days and times. That kind of information is “clutch” when it comes to running a business and managing a room full of talented barbers, John said.