PURPOSE OF THE APPLICATION/WEBSITE

The Android, IOS and Web Applications were set up with the core purpose of addressing the need of a beauty community application where consumers can meet their needs and desires.

The application's core participants are end-users, service professionals eg. Hairdressers, and service providers eg. Hair Salons.

We stress this being a community application as it serves multiple functionalities including a booking platform, a directory, a statistics hub, a rating and reviews platform, a messaging service and a social media platform. We will delve into these functionalities below:

a) BOOKING PLATFORM

This platform firstly allows service providers like Salons to run their employee's calendars on one platform.

It further has flexibility by allowing the company to choose a booking method that suits their entity i.e. Automatic Bookings, Provisional Bookings and Manual Management of bookings. In summary;

• Automatic bookings allow users to book open slots and the booking is immediately confirmed.
• Provisional bookings allow users to book open slots and the booking is provisional until the business accepts the booking to make it final.
• Manual Management of bookings is a new concept that allows businesses to utilise the calendar platform without giving the user the ability to book. This allows the business to make the booking manually on the platform and can accommodate for double bookings etc on a calendar.

b) DIRECTORY

Directory provides consumers with various service providers and service professionals based on their needs and requirements. The search engine that extracts this directory allows search-based results on various factors including location, professional rating, business rating and industry and can also provide an exact search.

c) STATISTICS HUB

This provides valuable statistics to service providers such as the number of views their profile has received for today, for the month and for the year.

We have further enhanced this functionality to include the age range of viewers.

d) RATING AND REVIEW PLATFORM

One of the key functionalities of this application is the ability to allow users to rate businesses and professionals and provide them with reviews as well.

e) MESSAGING SERVICE

The application allows communication between all in the platform with a built-in messaging service.

This service was further enhanced throughout the application with shortcuts to messaging specific business/professionals and vice versa in strategic locations. For example, the application has a shortcut on the business profile page in order to message a service provider directly.

f) SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM

This platform provides users with access to videos that provide tips and keeps you smiling throughout the day.

It allows for interaction within the community.

g) Should I register as a service provider, service professional or user?

Service Providers are businesses providing a service. Service providers include hair salons, tanning salons, makeup companies etc.

Service Professionals are professionals within the beauty industry. Service professionals include hairdressers, skincare technicians etc.

Users include consumers that are looking to book the services of service providers.