Why Burns Barbers considers Epos Now a cut above the rest for its 3 sites

When Wayne Daws met property developer Damien Burns in a local park, he was presented with an opportunity he was quick to seize, leading to the creation of Burns Barbers, a fast-growing barbering chain that’s bringing something new to the industry.

“I used to work in North London, but lived in Bedfordshire. Going back was just too much when I didn’t want to be travelling during lockdown. So Damien built the Leagrave barbershop (his mum used to cut hair), and he was just going to rent the chairs out. But when I met him, I said you put your name above the door, I’ll run it for you, and I stopped him from renting the chairs out and becoming just another place where you come and cut hair. This way, everyone’s part of the firm!”

“We’ve grown massively in the last four years, and we’ve got two other branches in Cambridge and Leicester, both with Epos Now of course. We’re more male grooming than actual barbers now, and have a full technical side where you can have your hair cut, blow-dried, permed, get highlights, treatments, and hair replacement. There’s nothing we don’t offer now!”

With several decades of experience and a friendly, open personality, Wayne has worked hard to create the right atmosphere for Burns Barbers, and the result is a strong sense of identity.

“We’re not really a barber shop. We wanted to bring all the aspects of a salon-based feel to men’s hair. We only do appointments. Everyone gets the same amount of time, from an old man to a five-year-old. It sounds funny, but I don’t like barbers: they’re arrogant, and they all have David Beckham syndrome. We want everyone to enjoy coming in. We want people to want to come in. It’s like going to the pub without the alcohol: a social club-feel.”

But a relaxed atmosphere should never come at the expense of professionalism, which is why Wayne is glad he had a visible Epos Now system to bring credibility as he built his business’s reputation.

“As a newer business, having a till that looks so good and respectable, with proper, branded receipts, went a long way for us, especiallly given we are charging a little bit more for our service in an area with lots of cash-only barbers.”

Offering that customer-oriented, relaxed service is difficult if you’re struggling to stay on top of trade. Fortunately, Wayne has found a POS system that gives him the confidence to keep his attention where it belongs: on his customers and their hair!

“It really is all-in-one. It’s just plain and simple. It’s that easy any idiot could understand this till system. And by having a till system as easy as this, it’s saving me five minutes for every client. If I do twenty clients and it saves me five minutes every client, I can eat, and I get some time to myself. It’s just come, tap, print, bang! In the till!”

Co-ordinating your barber's team can often be a trickier aspect of running your shop. But Wayne also finds that simple with his Epos Now system.

“Everyone has access to check that their figures are right and what services they’ve done. That’s why I like the Epos Now Back Office because I can check how many clients staff have served, even details like petty cash. Bang. That’s what you’ve done. This is what you’ll be earning. It keeps the payroll nice and easy and everyone knows where they’re at.”

Just four years in, Burns Barbers has already expanded from their Luton base into Cambridge and Leicester. That means setting up two till systems in two months. But did Wayne worry? Not a chance! Adding products and then making adjustments is no trouble at all with his Epos Now system.

“Setting up, adding the products, and getting it done was half an hour’s work. Over the last 12 months, the till system has tripled the number of products and services being processed!”

Wayne expands on the benefits of the structure and data collection his system offers, making management and decision-making easier for the business.

“I like that you can segregate and colour-coordinate on the till. For instance, we have a colouring section that has nigh-on 10 different options, plus perming and product sections. Megan, our in-house hairdresser, has at least 20 services there. And we can monitor it all, from full head, half head, to highlights. Epos Now reports break it down and show you where your money’s going so we know what’s performing well!”

Running a business takes a lot of work. So when Wayne isn’t sure, he has the Epos Now support team behind him, ready to give him a boost, and he’s always happy with the help he gets.

“When we set up the card machines we had to call in two or three times. The fact that Epos Now support can remote in and show us is really, really, helpful, and makes it much easier than someone telling you on the phone ‘press this button, press this, now press this’. It’s really cool.”

With such rapid growth, Burns Barbers has an exciting future ahead! Wayne and the team continue to have a simpler time trading thanks to their reliable Epos Now system, making each shave easier. We wish them good luck in the future!