Beauty salon Seiso is more than just somewhere to go for treatments. According to its founder Alison Zhou, it is designed to be a tranquil space where clients can slow down, reset, and reconnect with themselves.
“I found there was a gap between the beauty industry and intentional living,” says Alison. This place isn’t just for nails and lashes, it’s a retreat.”
In Japanese, ‘seiso’ means clean, neat, and tidy, which fits well with the salon’s minimalist aesthetic. Situated in London’s fashionable Fitzrovia – just minutes from award-winning espresso bar and fellow Square customer, Kaffeine – what sets Seiso apart from the competition is the way it’s diversified its revenue with a combination of expert treatments and in-house beauty products.
“All our customers get the chance to experience our products, with every staff member trained to use the range,” Alison says.
Staffed by a fast-growing team of almost 10, Seiso has quickly built a loyal following thanks to its signature hand creams and handmade soaps, which are complemented by treatments that take a healthy, holistic approach to beauty, including vegan gel manicures that are designed to strengthen nails. But building a business like this requires more than just great products; it requires the right technology to keep everything running smoothly.
The challenge: managing a dual-focus business
When Seiso opened in January 2025, Alison immediately knew she needed a system to manage both the product retail and the service booking sides of the business. And as a new salon juggling walk-ins, online appointments, product inventory, and staff scheduling, the operational load can be intense. “I manage every aspect,” Alison says. “We’re still a very new business, and I look after it all.”
Having experimented with using Google Calendars and spreadsheets to coordinate bookings and staff, Alison quickly realised that she needed a more integrated solution. She discovered Square through word of mouth – from friends in hospitality and creative industries, including nearby Potato Art Studio and restaurants.
“We’ve tried different appointment platforms, but visually, Square Appointments is much clearer,” she says. “It’s just easier for our technicians to see their day.”
Turning to Square allowed Alison and her team to manage both bookings and inventory, while putting people front and centre with client profiles and team management tools.
The solution: from calendar to checkout, with one platform
Seiso has used Square Appointments and Square POS from day one, building an ecosystem that supports the entire business. “Since we opened, we’ve been using Square, and in the past three months, the sales growth has reached 30%,” Alison says. “Square is so helpful for collecting all the data and keeping us on track.”
Square Appointments is at the centre of Seiso’s operations. Staff members manage their schedules directly from their smartphones – opening the mobile app, checking daily bookings and tapping into each appointment for details. “They can see what services they’re providing for each customer and what that customer’s preferences are. It helps them prepare,” Alison explains.
For a busy team of technicians, this saves valuable time and reduces confusion. And if a client cancels or reschedules, the calendar updates instantly with no manual coordination needed.
Square’s reporting tools also help Alison understand Seiso’s performance in real time. From daily reads to quarterly reports, this access to data empowers the team to optimise staffing. “When we first opened, we didn’t know which day would be busiest,” says Alison. “We assumed it would be Friday or the weekend. But Square’s reports showed us that Wednesdays were one of our busiest days.”
That insight led to a simple but powerful operational shift: adding more staff on Wednesdays to accommodate the higher demand. Now, Seiso can take more appointments without compromising the calm, unrushed experience that defines the brand. “You can see how the sales grow, how they drop. We use Square to judge our strategy,” Alison says.
And what about the way Seiso blends salon services with retail? Square does that too – from taking payments to managing inventory. “Because Seiso has both the retail and service side, it’s really hard to find one solution that does it all,” Alison says. “Square helps us on all sides – the checkout, the stock and the service. It brings everything into one, and that’s what I love about Square.”
Facing the future
Seiso has already integrated Square with platforms like ClassPass, enabling it to tap into new audiences, and continues to refine its operations using Square’s insights and tools. Staff are more prepared, customers enjoy a smooth, streamlined booking and checkout experience, and Alison can focus on what she does best – creating a sanctuary – while also being equipped with the insights needed to make smart staffing and marketing decisions.
At the end of the day, when the team are tidying up and preparing for the next day’s appointments, there’s a sense of quiet satisfaction that echoes Alison’s – and Seiso’s – calm, organised, and intentional outlook.
“The best part of the day is sanitising and putting away all the tools. It feels like we end the day in a very organised way.”
