Timely gives David the freedom and flexibility to do what he loves in and out of the salon
Inspired by his own family, David set up Shortcuts Salon to make getting a haircut the best possible experience for both kids and their parents.
“Not only is Timely great value, but it's also brought great value to the business.”
David O’Neal
Owner, Shortcuts Children’s Salon
Banking on a career in kid’s hair
Before he started Shortcuts in 2014, David wasn’t a hairdresser or a barber; he was a ‘wing it’ man who would give anything a go. Working in the retail banking industry gave him the financial prowess he needed to set up his own business, and 6 years and 8 locations later, Shortcuts is thriving.
Why did you start Shortcuts?
I had to find a solution to get my kids to enjoy their haircuts. Rather than ask them if they wanted their hair cut, I’d ask them if they wanted to play on the PlayStation or the iPad, then I’d sit them down, let them play, and start cutting their hair. That gave me the idea of a Children’s salon, and we rolled with it!
What makes Shortcuts different to its competitors?
Our staff are amazing, and I believe we know kids better than anyone. We’ve probably done more haircuts than any other kids’ salon chain or independent salon in the country, and we’re passionate about creating that incredible experience for kids and their parents.
What do you love most about Timely?
I love how Timely allows me to go about my daily life. I can be in the gym or out of the salon and and manage everything remotely if I need to. It allows me to be very, very flexible and do what I need to do every day.
Why is Timely important to your business?
Timely has been the key to the growth and success of our business. Our eight locations are hours apart from each other and we have a lot of staff, so to be able to manage the whole business in one place has been game-changing.
“I’m always researching my competitors, and I’ve still not seen a booking system that any of them use that's as good as Timely.”
David O’Neal
Owner, Shortcuts Children’s Salon
David’s Timely tips and tricks
Use online booking so your clients have 24/7 access
Online booking allows us to do over a thousand bookings a week! Instead of taking a thousand phone calls a week, online booking frees up that time for us to focus on what’s important, which is making the experience great for kids and parents.
Send SMS and email appointment reminders
We send an appointment booking reminder email and text 24 hours before an appointment, which helps to save our staff from no-shows and reduces admin time manually confirming appointments.
Make use of Timely’s automatic emails
As well as appointment reminders, we set up automatic emails to send to customers when there has been a change to their booking so we don’t have to contact them ourselves, and also when they didn’t show up for an appointment, so we can let them know about our cancellation policy.
Manage your business on the go with the Timely iOS app
The app gives me a huge amount of flexibility in my day-to-day life. I can manage my staff, see and edit appointments, and keep up to date with what’s happening if I’m not in the salon. Our staff also use the app to see what appointments they have coming up for the day.
“We're constantly getting feedback from our customers about how easy it is to book online. They love the journey, they love the experience.”
David O’Neal
Owner, Shortcuts Children’s Salon
