Web application developed by local start-up Gamurai will help hairdressing industry enhance customers’ experience and improve business management
Singapore—Hair salon owners can now easily manage customers’ hairstyling requests and their own business needs, with help from a new web application developed by Gamurai, a local start-up. The new app, “VEON@HairExperience” (VEON), comprises hairstyling and business management features and will allow the hairdressing industry to cost-efficiently harness technology for productivity, efficiency, and customer experience improvements.
A key component in Gamurai’s new app is a 3D Face Modelling Technology licensed from ETPL (Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd), the technology transfer arm of the Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).
The new app addresses two key challenges confronting the hairdressing industry today. One issue hair salon owners face is showing customers how they would look with a certain hairstyle or colour. The other is the challenge of handling administrative tasks such as organising customer information, booking appointments and tracking inventory.
How VEON@HairExperience Can Help
Gamurai’s VEON@HairExperience utilises 3D Face Modelling Technology to allow customers to preview how they would look with different hairstyles and hair colours. The app, which works on a touch screen tablet, can also help hair salon owners better access customer information, track and manage appointments as well as staff resources (Full details of the app are available in Annex A).
The app was successfully developed with support from ETPL and the Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R), a research institute under A*STAR.
“The potential of this app is immense. While it addresses many unmet needs of this industry and helps hair salons improve their productivity and overall business processes, this application can also be adopted by other fashion-related industries,” said Mr Philip Lim, Chief Executive Officer of ETPL.
“When sufficient data like hairstyles or hairstylists’ performance is collected, Gamurai can apply data mining or even simulation to provide analysis and statistical support to help pinpoint areas for improvement and help further grow this industry,” he added.
Following the launch, Gamurai will work closely with the Singapore Productivity Centre and the Hair and Cosmetology Association of Singapore (HACOS) to extend the reach of VEON@HairExperience to more salons in Singapore.
“The researchers from I²R have helped us understand the complexity of the technology, and enabled us to further tweak and enhance it during the year-long test bedding trials with partners in the hair industry. With strong support from HACOS and the Singapore Productivity Centre, we truly believe that our product will revolutionalise this industry,” said Mr Woo Sze Ming, founder of Gamurai.
There are some 3,000 hair salons in Singapore currently and Jawed Habib, Spakks and Urban Hair will be the first in the industry to adopt Gamurai’s new app.
Mr James Wee, Managing Director of Spakks Hair Studio, said, “With the advent of technology and so many apps developed daily, I have always wondered why there isn't one that is tailored for hairstylists? During the trial, my stylists and I were pleased with the fluidity of VEON. It is so intuitive and easy-to-use, like an extension of our craftsmanship.”
Mr Simon Lee, Founding President of HACOS, commented, “In our industry which essentially started off as low tech as a pair of scissor and comb, we are now gradually seeing a huge transformation in not only our hairstyling equipment and hair care products but also high tech systems and apps that could help this industry improve our professionalism in terms of our customer service and productivity.”
For media queries and clarifications, please contact:
Ms Tan Hwee Har
Assistant Vice President, ETPL
Tel: +65 6478 8459 (DID), +65 9049 1319 (HP)
Email: tan_hwee_har@etpl.sg
Mr Woo Sze Ming
CEO, Gamurai
Tel: +65 97619340
Email:szeming@gamuraitech.com
Mr Simon Lee
Founding President, Hair and Cosmetology Association of Singapore (HACOS)
Tel: +65 98462247
Email: synerget@singnet.com.sg
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