Classic Touch Barbershop:
passion for exceptional
customer experience

Did you have to invest a lot to start your own business?

Yes, but I knew it ahead of time - you need a location and you have to manage many things. And you need a vision for what you want to offer. I hadn't worked everything out in advance, but I always had an idea of what I would want if I ever had a barbershop. I'm still working toward that, but because my old clients are seeking me out, I had a running start. And it's growing.

What were the challenges you faced in starting your own business?

Basically, everything surrounding being a barber. I have a lot of confidence in my skills, so I knew that customers would come. But things like booking systems, payments, and everything you can't do yourself, it was a challenge to get all that sorted on time.

What do you do to keep your customers coming back?

In addition to giving them a great haircut and treating them really well, I also think consistency is super important. I believe that you always have to give the same high quality of treatment. And I also see what I can offer extra to my customers. I always strive to get better and give my customers a better experience. Convenience is my motto as well.

You really take your customers along on social media?

Yes, I really like showing the entire setup process. I enjoyed taking everyone along and seeing how that goes. And it's cool to look back and see how you started.

Do you do any other marketing?

I want to do more, and recently I've been talking to a company that creates content for businesses. Right now, I'm so busy that promotion isn't really necessary. With the busyness of my barbershop and other things, it's difficult for me to create more content.

Do you do anything besides your barbershop?

I also have a dance school here in Groningen. I teach Bachata and Salsa. So often after cutting hair, it's quick eating and then off to the dance school. So it's occasionally a bit busy. I also have a Vev page for my dance school.

How did you find Vev?

I was looking for a different platform than what I was used to. I found that software to be too expensive for my own salon. So I thought it was time to look for something else. But I knew what I wanted. And then my girlfriend gave me a tip for Vev. When I saw Vev, I knew right away "this works."

What do you like about Vev?

It's such a comprehensive program, so helpful, and also free appointment software. At first, I thought Vev was too good to be true, but six months later, it's going great. I've worked with a lot of software, and there were always planning issues that I had to keep an eye on. With Vev, I don't have that at all, it's very reliable. I can always access it on my computer or my phone and it's super fast. My clients also said it was super nice.

How does payment via Vev work, such as paying in advance and paying at the appointment?

I have clients who forget their wallet or had another reason they couldn’t pay. Due to my busy schedule, I forget to arrange it later, and it also doesn't come up in my administration. So, I thought about turning on prepayment.

I wasn't sure if my clients would want this, so I didn't make it mandatory. I turned it on and checked, what does that do? Many customers responded that they like it a lot. People pay when it suits them and can choose which account to use. I'm really surprised how many people take advantage of this.

And you also allow customers to pay with Vev after the treatment?

With Vev, I have my own assistant on my computer here. At the end of the treatment, a screen with a QR payment link automatically appears. It's really great. Just really cool. When the payment goes through, we both see confetti on our screens. And you don't even have to clean up the confetti!

I even had one time when I was cleaning up, and the QR code on the screen behind me popped up, and my customer had already paid by the time I was finished. It's a modern age, isn't it?

What is your dream?

I want to be able to provide more for each customer in my barbershop. And I hope I can find a colleague soon to make things even more enjoyable and assist more customers. You're doing really well and I'm happy with how things are going. So keep it up. I hope you can help many others because Vev is perfect. It works.