For hair, nail and beauty salons
An AI receptionist for salons, so you never stop mid-cut to answer the phone
Hello answers your salon's phone, website chat and email while you're with a client. It books and moves appointments, explains your prices, deposits and cancellation policy, and reminds new colour clients about a skin test before their appointment. Every call is summarised and emailed to you, so nothing is lost between clients.
6,465
hair and beauty businesses in New Zealand, February 2025, more than double the 2,931 in 2000
12,800
employees in hair and beauty services, not counting working owners
48 hours
before every colour is when Wella advises a skin allergy test
Facts checked 20 October 2026.
What clients ring about, and how Hello handles it
Booking an appointment
Hello checks your calendar, books the right service with the right stylist and sends a confirmation with links to reschedule or cancel. Clients can book by phone, chat or email at any hour.
Moving or cancelling
Hello moves the appointment, explains your cancellation policy in your words and emails you, so a gap can be filled from your waitlist.
"How much is it?"
Hello quotes your "from" prices and explains that the final price depends on hair length or a consultation, as you've set it. It mentions any deposit before the client books.
Colour and skin tests
For new colour clients, Hello explains your skin test policy and books the test at least 48 hours before the colour appointment, if that's what you ask for.
Products and gift vouchers
Hello answers questions about the products you stock and how to buy a voucher, using the information you approve.
Running late
Clients who are running late can tell Hello by phone or chat. It emails the salon straight away so you can adjust the next appointment.
What Hello does for salons
- Answers every call while your hands are busy, and says it's an AI assistant
- Books, moves and cancels appointments in your Google or Outlook calendar
- Explains prices, deposits and cancellation fees before a client books
- Books skin tests ahead of colour appointments when you want it to
- Puts calls through to a stylist with a text first saying who's calling
- Emails a summary of every call and shows you each month what clients asked
What Hello won't do
- Diagnose skin or scalp problems or give treatment advice
- Take deposits or card details over the phone
- Book into salon software on Solo or Team plans (it uses your calendar, or emails the request for you to confirm)
- Quote prices you haven't approved
How it plays out
Example: a full Saturday
You and two stylists are booked solid. The phone rings twelve times. Hello books four appointments for next week, moves two, answers questions about parking and keratin treatments, and puts one call through to the owner after texting her the caller's name. Nobody stops mid-cut.
Example: the evening rebook
A client remembers at 9pm that she needs her roots done before a wedding. She asks in your web chat. Hello finds a slot, books it and emails her a confirmation. You see it in your calendar in the morning.
Example: Christmas rush
In December your diary fills weeks ahead. Hello tells callers the next free times, offers a waitlist spot if you keep one, and emails you each request so you can fit people in when cancellations come up.
The rules that shape how Hello answers
Hairdresser registration has ended
The Health (Hairdressers) Regulations 1980 were revoked on 31 July 2025, so councils no longer register hairdressers and barbers under them. The Ministry of Health now publishes voluntary hygiene guidance instead. If clients ask about hygiene, Hello answers from your own practices.
Source: Ministry of Health, Public Health Guidance for Hairdressers and Barbers
Quoted prices must be accurate
Under the Fair Trading Act, prices you give must be accurate and extra charges must be disclosed. Hello quotes only your approved prices and mentions deposits and cancellation fees before a booking is made.
Source: Consumer Protection, Misleading prices or advertising
Tell clients why you're taking their details
Privacy principle 3 says people should know why their information is collected. Hello can say why it's taking a client's number and email when it books, and you can add a line about allergy notes.
Skin tests are manufacturer guidance
Wella advises a skin allergy test 48 hours before every colour, and DermNet notes a reaction can still happen after a clear test. It isn't a legal requirement, so Hello follows your salon's policy.
What a missed booking is worth
Stats NZ's consumer price index shows hairdressing and grooming prices up 2.9% in the year to June 2026, so every chair hour is worth more than it was. And a new client who likes their first visit usually comes back. Hello Solo is NZ$149 + GST a month, about NZ$4.90 + GST a day.
Source: Stats NZ CPI, hairdressing and personal grooming services, via Figure.NZ
| Calls a day | Plan | Price | About per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to about 5 | Hello Solo | NZ$149 + GST a month | NZ$4.90 |
| 5 to 30 | Hello Team | NZ$299 + GST a month | NZ$9.83 |
| 30+ | Hello Scale | Quoted | n/a |
Getting set up
- 01Add your services with "from" prices and how long each takes, so Hello books the right length of appointment.
- 02Write your deposit and cancellation policy in one or two sentences. Hello reads it word for word.
- 03Tell Hello your skin test policy for new colour clients.
- 04Print your QR code for the counter so clients can rebook from the support page.
Questions from salons
Does Hello work with salon booking software?
On Solo and Team plans Hello books into a Google or Outlook calendar, or takes the request and emails it to you. Connecting salon software is a custom job on the Scale plan.
Can it take deposits?
No. Hello explains your deposit policy and can send your payment or booking link, but it never takes card details over the phone.
Will it book skin tests?
Yes, if you want it to. Tell Hello your policy and it will offer a skin test at least 48 hours before a new client's colour appointment.
Can clients ask for a particular stylist?
Yes. Hello books with the stylist the client asks for, or the next available, depending on how you set it up.
Will my clients know it's AI?
Yes. Hello says it's an AI assistant at the start of every call. Most clients just want a time that suits them.
What if a client is unhappy?
Hello takes their details and what happened, and emails or texts you straight away so you can call them back yourself.
Written by Phil Dossett, co-founder of Leadica, the Auckland company that makes Hello. Facts checked 20 October 2026.
Sources
- Stats NZ business demography 2025, via Figure.NZ
- Stats NZ business demography 2025, via Figure.NZ
- Wella Professionals, Hair colour safety tests
- Ministry of Health, Public Health Guidance for Hairdressers and Barbers
- Consumer Protection, Misleading prices or advertising
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner, Principle 3
- DermNet, Allergy to paraphenylenediamine
- Stats NZ CPI, hairdressing and personal grooming services, via Figure.NZ
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