Huckle’s Chris Ward on building one of London’s most famous barbershops

Based in Shoreditch and Holborn, founder Chris Ward built Huckle from the ground up into one of the biggest names in London’s barbershop scene. To make sure their service and craft stay top-notch, Chris makes a point of hiring only the best of the best: each of Huckle’s 14 barbers has been handpicked by Chris himself, and has at least five years’ experience.

Making Huckle into a home away from home for clients

Chris and his team make it their priority to create an atmosphere of warmth and familiarity, so clients who book with Huckle are in for a treat. The scene is set from the moment clients walk in, with a playlist of catchy tunes and a wide range of drinks on offer. Huckle even hosts community events from time to time, like live comedy nights and acoustic sessions. 

In order to focus on building London’s best team and barbershop, Chris relies on Fresha to handle the business operations; from managing appointments and clients, to streamlining their payments and marketing.  

Using Fresha to run two locations smoothly

Running a successful business across two busy locations is no easy feat — but with Fresha, it’s no problem for Chris. He uses the platform to set team schedules and manage client bookings at both barbershops from anywhere, any time. 

“Fresha shows me exactly how both of our venues are doing in a matter of seconds, any time I want.”

Chris also uses Fresha’s reports to understand everything about his business performance across both locations, from occupancy and earnings to sales trends and client retention. “Fresha shows me exactly how both of our venues are doing in a matter of seconds, any time I want,” he explained.

Making costly calendar gaps a thing of the past

One of Huckle’s biggest challenges was dealing with awkward time gaps between appointments, which were costing them potential earnings. With Fresha, all Chris had to do to solve the problem was switch on smart scheduling. Now their clients are naturally steered to book slots that work best for the business, while still having plenty of choice. 

“My favourite Fresha feature is the smart scheduling. We don’t worry about gaps between appointments at all anymore.”

As a result, Huckle’s occupancy has shot up, and Chris’s team can make the most of each day without calling clients to reschedule appointments. Having more space in each day means more clients through the door, more revenue for the business, and more tips for the team. “My favourite Fresha feature is the smart scheduling,” Chris told us. “We don’t worry about gaps between appointments at all anymore.”

Unlocking a stream of new clients on the Fresha marketplace

With an online marketplace profile showcasing their business on the world’s biggest beauty and wellness marketplace, Huckle is getting seen and booked by a surge of new clients searching for London’s best barbershops. 

“We’re seeing more and more new clients find us through our Fresha marketplace profile. Our 5-star reviews encourage them to book with confidence.”

Combined with Fresha’s automatic “thank you” messages that ask for reviews after each appointment, their marketplace profile is home to all of their glowing client feedback. It not only elevates their business’s reputation but boosts their barbers’ personal brands, too. “We’re seeing more and more new clients find us through our Fresha marketplace profile — our 5-star reviews encourage them to book with confidence,” said Chris.

Huckle’s path forward with Fresha

Chris has big ambitions for Huckle, including expanding outside of London with multiple new venues in the next few years. And with his track record of success so far, it won’t be long until he reaches that goal.

“We’ve got loads of plans for the business, and Fresha will be by our side the whole way,” Chris told us. “We couldn’t ask for a better booking platform or growth partner — I’d recommend them to anyone in beauty and wellness.”