The problem
Working out each barber's commission from the till report and a spreadsheet is a Sunday-night job, and one wrong figure starts an argument. A four-barber shop where the owner spends 1.5 hours a week on it uses about 6.5 hours a month (times 4.3).
What the AI does
Fresha's Team plan lists commissions calculated automatically on every sale, using flat rates or tiered structures, with a live view of each team member's commissions, tips and wages, plus timesheets and pay runs with pay-period summaries. Set each barber's commission rate for services and products, have them clock in and out, and at the end of each pay period check the pay-run summary instead of building a spreadsheet. Fresha works out the figures; payroll and reporting to HMRC still go through your payroll software or accountant.
A worked example
A four-barber shop in Plymouth, owner included, pays employed barbers a commission on cuts and products. The owner moves bookings and the till to Fresha's Team plan, sets each barber's rate, and turns on timesheets.
Before
About 1.5 hours a week building commission figures from the till report
After
About 15 minutes a week checking Fresha's pay-run summary, saving about 5.4 hours a month
What it's worth
About $178£134€159A$257C$252 a month in time saved: 1.25 hours a week saved, times 4.3 is about 5.4 hours, worth $178£134€159A$257C$252 at $33£25€30A$48C$47 an hour. That is against Fresha Team at €9.95 (about $12£9€11A$17C$17) per bookable barber, about $45£34€40A$65C$64 a month for 4, shown in local currency on Fresha's page.
How to set it up
- Set up Fresha Team with each barber as a bookable team member, with their own services and prices.
- Enter each barber's commission rates for services and products.
- Turn on timesheets so hours are clocked in and out.
- At the end of each pay period, check the pay-run summary and send the figures to your payroll software or accountant.
- Show each barber their own earnings view so questions come up before payday, not after.
What goes wrong
- Commissions, wages, pay runs and timesheets are on Team only; the Independent plan doesn't have them.
- Employed barbers on commission must still get at least the National Minimum Wage for every hour worked; check hours against pay each period.
- If you're on Booksy, Fresha replaces it rather than adding to it, so moving clients and bookings is a bigger job than this one feature.