The problem
A barbershop with empty chairs on weekday afternoons is paying rent on time it can't sell. Three barbers each with 4 empty half-hour slots a week is 12 a week, about 52 a month, and at $29£22€26A$42C$41 a cut that's over $1,463£1,100€1,309A$2,112C$2,068 a month of capacity going unused.
What the AI does
Booksy's pricing page says Boost is an optional marketing feature that gives better visibility on the Booksy Marketplace. While Boost is on, you pay a one-time commission of 30% of a new client's first visit, with a $7£5€6A$10C$9 minimum, plus VAT; their later visits carry no Boost charge, and marketplace bookings are free when Boost is off. Turn Boost on when the diary has gaps and off when it's full. Book every Boost client's next cut before they leave, so they become your regulars rather than marketplace visitors.
A worked example
A three-chair barbershop in Wolverhampton already books through Booksy and has quiet weekday afternoons. The owner turns Boost on for a month and gets about 10 new clients at $29£22€26A$42C$41 a cut, then asks each one to book their next cut at the chair.
Before
About 52 empty slots a month and no new-client source beyond walk-ins and word of mouth
After
About 10 new clients a month from the marketplace, at $8.78£6.60€7.85A$12.67C$12.41 commission each on their first $29£22€26A$42C$41 cut
What it's worth
About $205£154€183A$296C$290 a month in profit from new clients' first cuts, at an assumed 70% margin on $293£220€262A$422C$414 (10 new clients at $29£22€26A$42C$41). That is against about $88£66€79A$127C$124 in Boost commission (30% of $29£22€26A$42C$41 is $8.78£6.60€7.85A$12.67C$12.41, times 10), or about $105£79€94A$152C$149 with VAT, on top of the Booksy subscription you already pay. The 10 new clients is an assumption; the payback comes from the ones who return without commission.
How to set it up
- Check your Booksy profile first: clear photos of your own cuts, prices, opening hours and each barber's profile.
- Turn on Boost when the diary has gaps you want to fill.
- Book each new Boost client's next cut before they leave the chair.
- After a month, count how many Boost clients came back and compare with the commission paid.
- Turn Boost off in weeks when the diary is already full.
What goes wrong
- Commission is charged on every new client's first visit while Boost is on, including the ones who never return.
- The $7£5€6A$10C$9 minimum means a cheap service, such as a $13£10€12A$19C$19 beard trim, costs half its price in commission.
- Booksy adds VAT to its charges; if you can't reclaim VAT, the real cost is 20% higher.