Our client approached us with a concept for a mobile app that connected minority customers to haircare professionals. Aiming to create the ultimate platform for vendors, customers and product suppliers, they required our app development services and industry expertise to make their concept a reality.
The Challenge: Personalised Features for a Local Target Market
Working with CUT’s existing brand identity, our job was to build an app that offered a complete spectrum of services for customers. Booking appointments, browsing products, paying for services and submitting reviews all needed to be straight-forward, seamless elements of the user journey.
The focus was on connecting local and minority customers with specialised hair care providers, therefore the app needed to provide advanced customisation, search and filter options.
We also needed to deliver an equally impressive platform for vendors and product suppliers. The CUT app aimed to remove the burden on vendors to build and manage their own websites. Instead, CUT would become the ideal platform for them to connect with customers and fill their columns. We needed to create a vendor registration and profile structure for them to showcase their services and ensure a frictionless and secure booking process for customers.
Our Solution: Advanced Features & Frictionless User Journeys
Following our bespoke Build The Future methodology, we began with the research and discovery phase to find out exactly what users required of the platform. This provided an overview of the ideal user journey and informed our strategy moving forward.
With a clear understanding of the key features we needed to include, and the customer data required to deliver a highly customisable service, we began developing the app.
We created several wireframes to ensure the app delivered superb functionality before adding branded design elements.
User Registration
Delivering a highly customised user journey relied on the accurate collection of specific customer data. We designed a straight-forward registration process which gathered information on user hair type and the usual hair service they required.
Listings by Location
So that customers could easily view local vendors, we presented service providers via an Uber-style map feature. From here, customers could navigate to vendor profile pages to find information on services and prices.
Advanced Filter Options
It was our job to make it as frictionless as possible for users to find a specific service in their area. Customers can refine results based on hair type, gender, budget, radius and rating.
Vendor Profiles
A vendor’s profile page is effectively their digital storefront within the CUT app. Potential customers can view services, location, prices, reviews and an image gallery. We made automatically populating the vendor profile page easy by collecting all the required data during the registration process.
Book and Pay In-App
Customers can book via the app, selecting the service, date and time that suits them. Appointments appear in the CUT calendar and users can also view all upcoming and previous appointments within their dashboard. Customers can pay in-app, with all booking and payment features available 24/7.
CUT Marketplace
We built a store within the app, where CUT could advertise their branded products and other suppliers could sell directly to the consumer. Customers can filter products by hair and skin type. Utilising the data collected during registration, each user’s ‘Recommended Products’ section automatically displays the products best suited to their hair type.
Final Thoughts: A Slick App Fit for Purpose
Now in the final phases of testing, the CUT app is almost ready to enter the market. An exciting new platform for local businesses and customers seeking more specialised hair care, the CUT app cuts the faff out of booking and paying for hair appointments.
