The problem
Most messages are the same few questions: prices, openings, how long a color takes. Answering them between clients meant slow replies, double work at night, and no-shows when nobody sent reminders.
What was set up
- AI chat assistant on the website and Instagram, answering from Bella's own price list and policies (Business Assistant package)
- Booking requests sent to Bella to confirm
- Busywork autopilot: a reminder email the day before each appointment, and a thank-you with a review link after each visit
- A one-page guide, including how to switch it off
Demo conversation (scripted)
Customer
Hi! Do you do balayage? How much is it?
Salon assistant (AI)
Yes, we do! Balayage starts at $165 and takes about 3 hours. Would you like to request a time? Bella has Thursday at 10:00 AM or Saturday at 1:00 PM open.
Customer
Saturday please. Can my daughter get a trim too?
Salon assistant (AI)
Of course. A kids’ trim is $25. What name should Bella put the booking under?
Customer
Maria Lopez. Can you give me 50% off since it’s two of us?
Salon assistant (AI)
I can’t offer discounts, but I’ll pass your question to Bella with your booking request. Next I’ll ask for the best way to send your confirmation.
Contact details collected • booking request sent to Bella • reminder scheduled for Friday
How it works: before and after
Before
- A client asks a question on Instagram at 9 PM
- Bella sees it the next afternoon
- The client already booked elsewhere
- No reminder, so some booked clients forget
After
- The assistant answers in seconds from Bella's price list
- It offers open times and takes a booking request
- Bella confirms with one tap
- Reminder the day before, review request after
Safety built in
- Answers only from the price list and policies Bella approved, and never invents a price or a discount
- Hands the conversation to Bella when it doesn't know
- Only collects a name and email, never card numbers
- Stays on topic: it politely declines anything unrelated to the salon
- Bella owns every account, and it was tested against trick questions before launch
What it costs to run each month
| What | Who bills it | About |
|---|---|---|
| Chat assistant service | The chatbot provider | $0 to $40 |
| Reminder and review emails | The automation provider | $0 to $30 |
| AI usage | Included in the chat service, or the AI provider | Usually under $1 |
Typical total: about $0 to $70 a month. Paid directly to the providers, on accounts the owner controls.
Want something like this?
Tell me what eats up your day, and I'll tell you honestly what AI can do and what it costs before you pay anything.