Are you considering Styleseat for your hair business? Read this first.
StyleSeat is a go-to booking app for hairstylists. But it’s still missing some essential features to run a beauty business. So, you might end up paying for other apps to fill in the gaps.
In this article, we look into some issues with StyleSeat and compare the app to PocketSuite.
Is StyleSeat right for your business?
StyleSeat is a leading booking and payment platform for hair professionals. Hair stylists and other salon professionals use the app to manage clients and run their businesses.
On the surface, StyleSeat is a decent option because the app also functions as a marketplace where clients can browse through other hair businesses in the area. This might bring a few new clients to your door, but the app is missing some basic functionality.
Here are common problems users may have with StyleSeat and how PocketSuite solves them.
#1 Limited Forms
As a beauty pro, forms and contracts are a must. Sometimes, you need a client to fill out an intake form and agree to a contract before the appointment. But if you’re booking with Styleseat, you may be out of luck.
Styleseat only provides forms and waivers on its Premium Plan. This plan is $35 a month. So, solo professionals have to upgrade their subscriptions just to have this essential feature. But are StyleSeat’s forms even worth it? They only offer a single form with four questions, and they can not be edited or customized for your business needs!
At PocketSuite, we know forms are essential. All our users have access to forms and contracts. You can create custom forms and attach them directly to your appointments. You can send forms to clients individually as well. And to get you set up quickly, we even created custom templates just for beauty pros.
#2 Pricing
So, how much is it going to cost? Styleseat does offer a free plan. However, it’s not actually free because you will have to pay a percentage per new client appointment made through Styleseat’s marketplace. (and your clients are charged a booking fee when they use StyleSeat).
Also, StyleSeat’s lead generation feature is an additional 30% charge per new client. This feature cannot be turned off in the free plan. Most importantly, the free plan has very limited functionality. So, you won’t get the essential features you need to run a successful business.
StyleSeat’s paid plan is $35 per month. PocketSuite offers more dynamic features starting at $24.99 per month. It’s unclear how long StyleSeat’s free trial is. At PocketSuite, you have 30 days of free access to our complete list of features.
#3 Limited product sales
Retail product sales are essential to hair and salon professionals. StyleSeat does have a product sales feature, but it’s only available on their premium plan, and it’s very limited.
If you sell products on StyleSeat, they cannot be purchased on their own. Products must be attached to an appointment during checkout. And products can’t be made visible to clients when they book you online. So you’ll have to add them manually.
Pocketsuite lets you build an online store right on your booking site. Clients can purchase products online as stand-alone items or when they book a service. We even give you the option to upsell products to clients during checkout. Plus, you can track shipping, delivery, and fulfillment all on the app. It’s a full-service e-commerce tool at no extra charge.
#4 Pricey Lead Generation
Lead generation is vital for a small business. StyleSeat has a New Client Connections feature to help users get leads. However, StyleSeat charges a whopping 30% of your booking for each new lead. And you can only turn this feature off in the paid plan.
It’s much easier to go with PocketSuite. With our Google Leads and Reviews, you can add a Book Now button to your Google Business profile and get booked straight from a Google search. You only pay $1 per new lead. Plus, you can set a lead budget, so it’s on your terms. And you can solicit Google reviews from clients and respond to reviews in the app.
#5 Rigid Appointment Reminders
Nothing’s worse than a no-show. That’s why beauty professionals rely on appointment reminders to keep their chairs booked.
StyleSeat does send appointment reminders to your clients, but only 48 hours before the appointment. This might cause issues for your long-term appointments like bridal hair appointments or next-day services.
With PocketSuite, you can send appointment reminders anywhere from 3 days to 2 hours before an appointment. It’s totally up to you! We know every client is different. So, you can even set a custom reminder frequency for specific clients
#6 No Invoices or Estimates
Invoices and estimates are a staple for any service business. They help you land more bookings and get paid faster. StyleSeat will send your client a receipt after a payment has been made. But, oddly enough, StyleSeay doesn’t seem to offer invoices or estimates as one of their features.
PocketSuite allows you to send custom invoices and estimates to all of your clients. You can add additional items or expenses and schedule invoices so they’re sent out automatically.
#7 Limited Client Messaging
It’s important to stay in contact with your clients. But it gets frustrating texting clients from your personal phone number.
Styleseat does offer an in-app messaging feature, but it’s limited. Clients will have to message you first, i.e., you can’t contact them to start a conversation. Plus, they will have to go to your StyleSeat profile to start the conversation rather than send a text message. StyleSeat also doesn’t offer a dedicated business line to communicate with clients.
PocketSuite has advanced in-app client messaging and offers a business line to all premium subscribers. You see all communications with your clients in the PocketSuite app. And their replies come straight to you. You can even create and save message templates to share with clients quickly.
Bonus: Affiliate Opportunities
At PocketSuite, we love to reward our pros. Our affiliates earn $50 (real cash) for every referral who completes the purchase of an annual plan. And your referrers get $50 off their annual plan.
Styleseat does offer a referral program. But you only get paid a flat amount after your referral completes six bookings with the app.
The PocketSuite affiliate program puts money in your pocket!
Are you ready to make the switch?
With all the limits to StyleSeat, you may find yourself shopping around for other apps to fill those gaps. You can avoid that with PocketSuite. We’re an all-in-one app to run your beauty business.
If you’re already using PocketSuite (or another booking platform), let our dedicated Imports Team upload your client and appointment data from StyleSeat into our app. It’s easy!
