At the corporate management level, the company operates with a small but dedicated team of six individuals who have been working together for over a decade. Across the 24 studios, the franchises collectively employ 250-300 employees.
Not surprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges to Frenchies, as their personal service business relies on in-person interactions and extended contact with clients’ hands and feet. Despite the pandemic-induced challenges, including temporary closures, the company bounced back and continues to experience a strong rebound.
Co-founder Guy Coffey explained, “Demand’s never been higher, unit performance has never been higher. We’re excited about where we are and what we’re doing. That includes our partner vendors that are helping us do that and coming along for the ride.”
Throughout this journey, their partnership with TrueLark, an AI-powered client communication software, has played a pivotal role in their success.
“If you want your company to seem really smart, TrueLark does it for you.“
The Problem
Before adopting TrueLark, Frenchies used a messaging service called Hello Frederick which was acquired by a POS (Point of Sale) vendor. After the acquisition, the vendor required Hello Frederick clients to use the POS system which didn’t align with Frenchies’ needs. Therefore, they had to seek alternative solutions.
The Solution
Frenchies discovered TrueLark as a client communications solution in a roundabout way.
“What we were looking for in the beginning was actually someone to help us automate some of our marketing. We’re an appointment-based business, and we had a previous service to help us fill days, or boost marketing automatically the smart way. We wanted to connect with people at the right time, with the right offers. We found that TrueLark helped with marketing but also solved a real bottleneck in any customer service business where there’s busier times and less busy times.”
Mr. Coffey and his team quickly learned that TrueLark AI could engage in complex conversations about multiple topics. When he first tried it out, he tried to stump the bot with increasingly difficult questions, but the AI responded accurately. “I thought for sure there was a person talking to me.”
While the Frenchies team initially implemented TrueLark for two-way texting, they discovered TrueLark provided other important features in a comprehensive and integrated client experience platform. The tools include Virtual Receptionist, Web Chat, SMS, Lead Engage, Reporting and Analytics, and Multi-Location Support.
TrueLark Provides Relief to Frenchies’ Concierge Position
One of the key benefits Frenchies experienced with TrueLark was the relief it provided to their front desk concierge position. As the first human point of contact for guests, the concierge plays a crucial role in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience. TrueLark’s AI-powered system seamlessly handles incoming calls, texts, and inquiries, freeing up the concierge to focus on in-studio guests, assisting nail specialists and ensuring smooth operations.
However, the TrueLark solution is more than an answering service, as it provides personalized responses, books appointments directly into the Point of Sale system, and addresses customer queries accurately.
“What doesn’t go well is when you’re talking to a person face-to-face and the phone is ringing and not getting picked up. Or worse, you stop a conversation with a real live person to pick up the phone. That’s where TrueLark really came through because that eased the burden on that concierge position, whether there’s one or two up there. That was a huge load lifted from our people in the studio to know that incoming communications are going to be handled in a professional way and not just like an answering service, they’re actually going to answer questions and get the right solution.”
TrueLark’s reliability and consistency have been particularly impressive to the Frenchies team. Mr. Coffey noted that TrueLark is always there, never takes a sick day and consistently delivers outstanding guest experiences. With its ability to understand clients’ needs and provide tailored responses, he thinks of TrueLark as an intelligent team member that lightens the load for humans working in the studios.
Personalized Experiences in Frenchies’ Brand Voice
While Frenchies does not heavily rely on discounts, they leverage TrueLark to offer customized promotions tailored to individual clients. Whether it suggests appropriate services based on previous visits or recommends products, TrueLark’s AI understands each client’s needs, resulting in highly effective and targeted promotions.
“In our marketing we have something like 27 different comms going out depending on what service somebody’s had and when they’re due for another service. We invest a lot of time and money into making sure that those come through with our voice which is professional, friendly, and fun. If that wasn’t the case with our appointment setting – which is one of the first things people are going to interact with – we couldn’t use it.”
Maintaining a unified brand experience through web chat, SMS and live phone calls is a priority for Frenchies and TrueLark met their high standards from the beginning.
“The brand voice is really important in the beauty industry, that’s one of the things that makes it possible for us to use TrueLark. The crux of our business is the client experience cycle. It runs through everything we do and every communication. That includes the pre-visit experience. If it’s hard to book or if it sounds like a robot that you’re interacting with, it’s not going to go well. That’s not our voice. If you want your company to seem really smart, TrueLark does it for you.”
The majority of Frenchies’ clients enjoy the convenience of booking with the Truelark AI-powered platform. For the occasional guest that prefers speaking to a live person, Frenchies’ teams promptly handle these inquiries while maintaining efficient communication channels.
TrueLark Helps New Studios Start Strong
As the Frenchies’ corporate team continues to perfect their franchising system, new studio owners reap the benefits – especially when it comes to appointment volume on opening day. Mr. Coffey explained how new franchises have been able to book hundreds of appointments pre-opening.
“When we opened our first non-corporate owned studio, we were super happy to have 14 appointments on the books to start out. Yesterday, when the new Colorado Springs studio opened, they had 304 appointments on the books! With that kind of volume right from day one, you’re definitely going to need technology because you put that many phone calls and texts onto someone’s shoulder, they better be really, really on top of it or something’s going to drop through the cracks. To have TrueLark as a part of their system right from the get-go is going to be a game changer. It speeds everything up.”
Solution Highlights
- TrueLark allows Frenchies’ concierges to give onsite guests their undivided attention
- TrueLark AI provides a consistent guest experience that meets Frenchies’ high standards
- TrueLark AI accesses historical data to personalize offers to Frenchies’ guests
- TrueLark helps new studio owners hit the ground running by helping them efficiently manage hundreds of appointments and conversations
- Frenchies leadership considers the TrueLark team as true partners vs simply a service provider
- TrueLark works with the widest range of technology partners and tools
TrueLark Support Frenchies in Making Studio Ownership as Easy as Possible
“Our goal is to make it easy to do business and we’re a no risk prospect. If someone doesn’t like what they get, they can come back and get it redone. We just want to be no risk and super easy to work with. In our business, part of that is the appointment setting process and guests getting some basic questions answered. If we can do that through technology and AI, then, that’s a no-brainer. You can always get more money, but you can’t get more time.”
The Frenchies Modern Nail Care team considers TrueLark an invaluable partner in their quest to streamline client communication and enhance the salon experience.
“Working with Tapan [TrueLark Head of Product] and Srivatsan [TrueLark CEO] has been a pleasure, they’ve been great partners. We have some vendors that are just vendors. That’s just the way it is. Our partner vendors are who we work with to make our brand stronger and who we want with us for the long haul, and we really feel like TrueLark partners with us.”
In conclusion, we value our partnership with Frenchies Modern Nail Care and celebrate the achievements of this revolutionary company and exceptional team.
