What a directory does, and what it doesn't
A directory lives on traffic. It invests to appear when someone searches for a salon, and it places your listing next to your competitors', sorted by its own criteria. For a salon that is just opening and has no clientele yet, it is a genuine source of first bookings.
In return, the relationship belongs to the directory: the customer has an account with it, receives its messages, and sees your neighbours with every booking. If you leave the platform, your listing disappears; the customer stays on the directory.
What independent software does, and what it doesn't
Independent software equips a salon that has, or is building, its own clientele. The website is yours — your domain name, your brand, no competitors on the page. The customer database is yours: you can export it at any time and take it with you. Reminders are sent from your number.
It brings in no one. Your customers come through your shopfront, word of mouth, your Google listing, your social media. It is a tool, not a marketplace.
Questions to ask before signing
| Question | Directory | Independent software (CYB) |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns the customer database? | Usually shared with the platform | The salon, exportable at any time |
| Where does the customer book? | On the salon's listing, among its competitors | On the salon's website, under its own domain name |
| Who sends reminders, and from which number? | The platform, from its own | The salon, from its own |
| What is left if you leave? | The listing disappears, the customers stay on the directory | The website stops, the database and history go with you |
| Who brings in new customers? | The directory, that's its business | No one: the salon relies on its own visibility |
Can you do both?
Yes, and many salons do: a directory listing to be found by passers-by, independent software for everything else — the schedule, the till, reminders, the relationship with regulars. The key is to bring the customer, from their first visit, back to your website and your database, so that the second booking is with you.
Frequently asked questions
Is CYB a salon directory?
No. CYB does not publish a list of salons and does not put barbers in competition on the same page. Each salon has its own website, under its own domain name.
Can I get my customer database back if I leave CYB?
Yes, at any time, along with the booking history. The database belongs to the salon; CYB is merely its technical host.
Is it worth a new salon being on a directory?
Often, yes, for the first bookings. The thing to watch is what it pays per customer brought in, and whether those customers become its own or remain the directory's.
Try the software, no account needed
Other guides
- Which barber software charges no commission on bookings?
- How can I send free SMS reminders to my salon's customers?
- How much does an online booking website cost for a barber?
- How can a barbershop reduce missed appointments?
The prices quoted are those currently in force, read from the database at the time of display.