Square study reveals majority of Irish beauty and personal care businesses lose more than one week a month to admin

Sep 28, 2023
  • Irish beauty and personal care businesses lose 45 hours a month on average to administrative tasks
  • With the time back, businesses would treat themselves to finishing work on time (59%), and identifying new training for their team (38%) and new services to offer (27%)
  • More than half (53%) of beauty and personal care businesses in Ireland accept cash payments, compared to a third (34%) in the UK

DUBLIN: Square, the technology company that helps companies of all sizes to manage and grow more easily with an integrated ecosystem of point of sale and payment solutions, has today released new research* revealing the biggest time and energy drains on Ireland’s entrepreneurial beauty and personal care sector.

Square’s research shows that, on average, Irish barbers, hair and beauty businesses, spa and nail salons, personal trainers, tattoo parlours and piercing studios lose more than one working day (over 11 hours) a week to administrative tasks.

Nearly 40% of businesses could be missing out on bookings

Almost four in ten (39%) of Irish beauty and personal care businesses are not using platforms or booking tools to automate admin. This means businesses which rely on manual scheduling systems for example could be missing out on bookings, compared to using an automated 24/7 booking system. Square’s research in Ireland shows that 46% of people want to book after hours or at the weekend, highlighting how businesses could be missing the opportunity to maximise revenue if they rely on manual scheduling systems.

For Irish beauty and personal care businesses that automated admin, the majority (59%) say the biggest bonus has been finishing work on time ), with almost two fifths also saying identifying new services to offer (38%) and providing training for their team (37%) has been a significant bonus.

Using technology to work more efficiently

One business that uses Square’s products is Navan-based Hair by Yvonne. Having searched for a solution to help her with the challenges that can come with the day-to-day running of a business, salon owner Yvonne Curtis chose Square Appointments to manage its bookings – a tool she has nicknamed her ‘business manager’.

Yvonne says: “I always thought I was indispensable in the salon and that the business couldn’t run without me. I call Square the ‘business manager’ for me as it does literally run the salon for us. It has just taken so much pressure off. Clients can book appointments online themselves, so Square has reduced hours worked by managing all the scheduling. It also allows me to keep track of stock because I know what’s coming down the line if we’re booked up in advance. It has decreased our workload by about two hours every day.”

Riona O’Hara, Head of Square Appointments at Square Europe says: *“Scheduling appointments, sending booking reminders and keeping the calendar full are demanding admin tasks for any beauty business. Solutions like Square Appointments play a much needed role by giving business owners an opportunity to automate admin tasks, streamline their point of sale operations and accept online bookings 24/7. With 46% of customers opting to book their appointments out of hours, we want to make it easier for businesses to take bookings around the clock, even when the salon is closed.” *

However, while a rising number of beauty and personal care businesses are turning to technology to transform their offering and customer experience, Square’s study shows some obstacles remain. Two fifths (41%) of Irish businesses still prefer working manually, while other key barriers stopping some businesses from implementing automated booking systems include misconceptions over how long it will take to get up to speed with an automated system (28%) and how much it will cost (26%).

Turning to new solutions can unlock efficiencies for staff, managers and clients now, as well as in the future. Less than one in five (15%) of Irish beauty and personal care businesses are automating inventory management, while less than a third (28%) are automating marketing campaigns. It’s an opportunity for businesses to turn to tech to unlock efficiencies and set up a strong platform for growth.

Majority of businesses continue to accept cash

Square’s research also shows that more than half (53%) of Irish beauty and personal care businesses continue to accept cash payments, compared to a third (34%) in the UK for example.

Previous research by Square** has shown that while more Irish consumers preferred to pay with contactless card payments than cash when paying for treatments in hairdressers, barber shops, beauty salons or spas, there is still a continued demand among consumers for cash payments.

  • ENDS -

Please visit Square Appointments for more information.

Notes to Editors

  • Research commissioned by Square and carried out by Coleman Parkes in June 2023. Surveyed 100 beauty and personal care businesses in the Republic of Ireland.

** Research from Square - 2022 consumer survey, Ireland, commissioned by Square and carried out by Cint in September 2022. Survey of 1,000 consumers and 200 beauty and personal care businesses in the Republic of Ireland.