Beauty and technology are inseparable in today’s hairdressing sector, with artificial intelligence (AI) proving one of the biggest changers of recent times, reshaping salon operations and boosting client satisfaction.
In light of AI’s transformative capabilities and soaring client expectations, hairdressers can wield numerous means to leverage AI to its fullest potential. This article delves into the role of AI in hairdressing and its impact on the future of salons.
Table of Contents
Understanding AI and its business potential in hairdressing
What to look for when choosing AI solutions for hairdressing
Summary
Understanding AI and its business potential in hairdressing
Artificial intelligence is the ability of machines – in this case, computer systems – to simulate human intelligence processes. In relation to the hairdressing industry, AI can be used to review customer preferences, haircare trends, and other data types to deliver ideal hair services and recommendations.
AI systems can also use machine learning algorithms to learn and adapt based on human interactions, resulting in more accurate and customized outcomes.
With access to various AI robots and platforms like Tongyi Qianwen, hairdressers can streamline their workflows and unlock innovative solutions in the salon industry.
Below, we’ll dive deeper into the roles that AI is increasingly playing in hairdressing.
Customer care bots
AI-powered chatbots on salon websites and social media platforms can be employed to help answer frequently asked questions. Many queries that a salon receives pertain to simple service-related questions about price, services offered, location, and operating hours, which AI-powered virtual consultation robots can easily answer.
This can help save time and the costs otherwise used to hire customer care agents. AI uses algorithms to further recognize and add frequently asked questions, including location and operation hours, to chat boxes and FAQ sites. This way, if a possible new client sends a message, the chatbox instantly answers with the related information.
According to Salon Today, millennials and Generation Z appreciate booking that is available online or via text 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The best way for them to do so is through chatbots installed on websites and social media specifically for this purpose.
Research also shows that only 20% of callers leave voicemails, leaving 80% who may instead react positively to a follow-up text message, which AI can generate in seconds. This allows hairdressers to avoid losing consumers who may be looking for simple information.
In addition to using chatbots on websites, AI-run machines can be installed on their premises to deal with simple requests and check-ins, which helps save time and other resources.
AI bots can also detect social media mentions and reviews from independent sites, conveying such information to hairdressers. This feedback can help gauge customer satisfaction and determine areas for improvement.
Color matching and personalized styling recommendations
Matching a client’s hair color to their features, including skin tone and eye color, is one of the hardest things a hairdresser must do. Now, AI-powered colored matching tools can help by analyzing several aspects and recommending the ideal hair shade.
These hair dye split filter films provide an excellent example of AI assisting individuals in determining their ideal hair color. The filter assesses a person’s facial features and head shape before selecting the best hair shade.
Moreover, AI in hairdressing can help choose the best corrective color options based on past color choice errors. AI deep learning systems use and evaluate the client’s historical data (from previous photos) to detect errors and recommend corrective color selections that rectify them.
Moreover, AI can analyze hair texture, length, facial features, and other factors to recommend hairstyles that best complement an individual’s unique characteristics. Additionally, artificial intelligence platforms review previous needs, preferences, and services that a client received, helping the hairdresser deliver custom styling recommendations.
Digital marketing
Hairdressers can use generative AI to develop and optimize their SEO strategies, personalize messages, and create effective marketing campaigns. This is achieved via AI systems’ rapid analysis of vast amounts of data which can then be developed useful marketing strategies to improve digital marketing critical to attracting and retaining customers.
According to a Salesforce poll, more than 51% of marketers use generative AI to create content, with an additional 22% planning to do so soon. This equates to almost three-quarters of all marketers adopting generative AI in the near future.
Hairdressers can also employ AI to compose social media posts, write image captions, and develop attention-seeking campaign headlines. Additionally, they can create SMS programs for promotions, special events, new products, and discounts.
Generative AI can also assess the activities of other hair stylists and recommend new products and styles, making it possible to produce marketing content related to current trends.
What to look for when choosing AI solutions for hairdressing
Before choosing an AI platform for hairdressing, hair professionals should consider their business objectives. Opting for tools that align with their goals ensures smooth operations and efficiency. They should also choose comprehensive AI tools with myriad capabilities, such as appointment scheduling, inventory management, and customer relationship management software.
Hair stylists should also look for AI tools equipped with facial recognition technology to provide personalized recommendations, as well as platforms that offer various hairstyle options and custom features to accommodate varying preferences.
It’s also beneficial to prioritize AI platforms that support multilingual interfaces to cater to clients from different language backgrounds. Other important factors are scalability and ease of integrating AI platforms with existing salon systems. Lastly, hair stylists should give thought to how easy their preferred AI tools are to use, choosing only those that they and their clients can master quickly.
Summary
In conclusion, AI in hairdressing has created various opportunities for hair professionals and their clients. AI-powered tools are increasingly making choosing custom hair styling, conducting virtual consultations, and scheduling appointments easy.
In turn, hair professionals stand to benefit from using AI by using it to manage inventory and customers, train staff, and provide updates on the latest hair styling and hair products.
As AI continues to evolve, the future of hairdressing holds boundless possibilities in terms of added creativity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Indeed, it pays for hair professionals to keep pace with AI advancements in hairdressing to optimize operations, service delivery, and feedback.
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