SMART SALONS

From bookings and marketing to reporting and client communication, AI is helping salons work smarter, reduce admin and drive growth. We explore the latest innovations

1 TIMELY

Timely has enhanced its core platform with AI tools and smart automation. Textie Bestie is an AI-powered SMS generator designed to help salons create and send messages more efficiently. It enables teams to stay connected with clients while reducing time spent on marketing administration.

Timely also offers a range of client experience automations, allowing businesses to send rebooking reminders to clients who have not visited for a while, request Google reviews, share aftercare instructions and deliver promotional offers for special occasions. These automated touchpoints help salons maintain engagement and encourage repeat business.

Digital consultation forms can be sent automatically before appointments, enabling businesses to gather important information ahead of a client’s visit. The completed forms sync directly to the client’s Timely profile, creating a centralised record that can be accessed for future appointments and consultations.

To support retention and retail performance, Timely’s AI tools can recommend when clients should book their next appointment based on previous booking behaviour. The platform can also suggest relevant retail products at checkout, using spending history to deliver more personalised recommendations.

020 3868 3790
hello@gettimely.com
gettimely.com

2 FRESHA

Fresha has expanded its AI capabilities in 2026, introducing a new generation of tools built specifically for the industry.

AI Concierge is an AI-powered booking assistant that can answer incoming calls, respond to client enquiries, and assist with bookings, cancellations and rescheduling. It reduces missed opportunities and increases conversion by providing instant answers to common questions, even outside of business hours.

Fresha has also recently launched Fresha Connect, which branches into Client Connect and Team Connect, extending AI-powered communication across customer and staff interactions. Client Connect allows businesses to communicate externally with their clients directly through the Fresha platform, creating a centralised messaging experience linked to each client’s profile and booking history.

Team Connect brings a Slack-style internal communication into Fresha, enabling staff to collaborate, share updates, manage conversations, and stay aligned without relying on external messaging tools.

fresha.com/en-GB/for-business

3 ZENOTI

Zenoti has upgraded its AI capabilities with a growing suite of intelligent agents designed specifically for the beauty and wellness industry, helping businesses reduce revenue loss, improve efficiency, and drive growth.

Its AI Scribe automatically generates treatment notes from consultations, reducing time spent on charting and administration so staff can focus more on client care. AI Receptionist ensures every call is answered 24/7, managing bookings, rescheduling, follow-ups, and customer enquiries to ensure opportunities are not missed.

AI Lead Manager captures, qualifies, and nurtures enquiries across multiple channels, helping convert more prospects into clients. AI Concierge identifies incomplete bookings, missed appointments, and revenue opportunities, enabling teams to take proactive action and maximise bookings.

Meanwhile, AI Treatment Visualiser and AI Photo Manager support consultations with realistic treatment previews and instant access to relevant before-and-after imagery, helping improve client confidence and increase treatment conversions.

Zenoti also offers AI Digital Marketer, AI Dispute Manager, and AI Business Advisor, providing automated marketing campaigns, chargeback management, and real-time operational insights to drive growth.

zenoti.com

4 PHOREST

Phorest has recently launched Phorest Collections: AI Edition, a suite of AI-powered features designed to help salons, spas and clinics streamline operations and reduce administrative workload, freeing up more time for client care and professional artistry.

Built around Phorest’s human-first approach to innovation, these latest AI tools focus on reducing high-volume, repetitive tasks while supporting teams to stay focused on client experience, creativity and connection.

Front Desk AI acts as a 24/7 assistant, handling scheduling requests and common client enquiries via SMS and WhatsApp. By managing routine interactions, it helps businesses stay responsive while reducing pressure on staff and can successfully resolve up to 89% of client conversations end-to-end without human intervention.

Cheatsheet AI turns client notes into concise and useful summaries, helping professionals prepare for appointments, personalise services and identify potential upselling opportunities.

The new features aim to help salons convert client data into actionable insights and automate everyday tasks.

phorest.com/ai-features

5 SHORTCUTS

Shortcuts has developed two AI-powered features: AI Reporting and AI Receptionist. Built directly into Shortcuts Cloud, AI Reporting allows salon owners to ask plain-language questions about their business and receive instant, data-driven answers from their own operational data.

Drawing insights from revenue, team performance, client retention, rebooking rates, retail sales, targets, and future bookings, it removes the need to navigate complex reports and helps owners make faster decisions.

Shortcuts’ AI Receptionist answers calls and messages, manages bookings and reschedules, handles common enquiries, and sends personalised reminders helping to free up teams to focus on clients.

These AI tools sit within Shortcuts’s all-in-one business management platform, which combines appointment booking, client management, staff performance tracking, stock control, retail management, integrated payments, and POS.

shortcutssoftware.com