The Lash Lounge’s Commitment to Quality, Authenticity, and Growth with Mindbody

We recently sat down with Kristin Kidd, the vice president of operations at Franworth, to discuss their partnership with Mindbody and the growth of their brands. Specifically, The Lash Lounge has been making waves in the beauty industry with its luxurious lash services and commitment to creating a positive customer experience.  

Accelerating growth with an emphasis on culture 

Kristin has been with The Lash Lounge for five years, joining the team during a period of rapid growth following their partnership with Franworth in 2016. She’s played a pivotal role in building and expanding The Lash Lounge while supporting the other brands in Franworth’s portfolio.  

In addition to helping Franworth’s brands grow and function efficiently, company culture has been a primary focus across all brands for Kristin, ensuring a positive employee and customer experience. “We started to really focus on our culture back in 2019, and we placed a high priority on helping our franchisees establish a strong environment. As a result, in the last three years, our locations have all been doing so well and we attribute that to managers making their brands a place that people want to be and love working.” 

Personalization and care at The Lash Lounge 

When it comes to the customer experience, The Lash Lounge aims to provide a luxury service that anyone can enjoy. They prioritize customization, caring for natural lashes, and making customers feel beautiful and appreciated. From personalized greetings to offering the right lash care products for the right client, The Lash Lounge strives to create an authentic and fulfilling experience for every customer.  

Kristin believes this experience is achieved the training of their employees. “It’s all about appreciating the unique beauty of everyone that steps into our salons and making them feel cared for. It’s why we invest in world-class training for our employees, so they can care for our customers to the standard we hold for ourselves.” 

The role of Mindbody in The Lash Lounge's growth 

The partnership with Mindbody has played a crucial role in The Lash Lounge's growth over the years. In 2018, Kristin and her team made the decision to switch to Mindbody from a competitor's platform, seeking a more effective, scalable solution as their business expanded.  

Since The Lash Lounge integrated to Mindbody, they’ve continued to take advantage of new features as Mindbody has enhanced its product offering. “The all-in-one nature of Mindbody's platform, along with the support provided by their strategic account manager and technical account manager, has made it an invaluable technology partner for The Lash Lounge.” 

One of the standout features for The Lash Lounge has been Mindbody’s Messenger^[ai] integration. This AI-powered chatbot has revolutionized their customer communication by enabling automated responses to missed calls and engaging with customers through their website. By also employing Messenger^[ai]’s texting capabilities and secure payment processing, The Lash Lounge has not only saved valuable time for their employees but has also generated significant revenue and attracted new customers. The convenience and efficiency provided by Messenger^[ai] have elevated the overall customer experience and set The Lash Lounge apart from their competitors. 

While Messenger^[ai] has met many of The Lash Lounge’s needs, two use cases were top of mind for Kristin. “People can call our locations at midnight and now that bot takes the call and walks them through the booking process, without us having to be there. If our employees are with a customer, they can be fully present with the customer, knowing that the customer [on the phone] will be taken care of, and they won’t be missing out on that appointment.” 

The Lash Lounge has also harnessed the power of Mindbody's Marketing Suite to effectively communicate with both new and existing customers. By integrating their Mindbody data, The Lash Lounge can create targeted marketing campaigns and smart lists to cater to specific audiences. This streamlined approach supports their franchisees and drives revenue growth by delivering personalized and relevant marketing messages. 

Kristin cited the scalability of marketing campaigns as one of her favorite aspects of Marketing Suite. This feature allows her team in The Lash Lounge home office to create messaging campaign templates, which can then be shared with franchisees for basic customization and distribution to their local audiences. This process has saved the franchisees time, allowing them to plug and play their marketing, while ensuring that The Lash Lounge is maintaining a consistent brand voice across all franchise locations.  

Poised for continued growth and success 

Looking to the future, The Lash Lounge has ambitious plans for brand expansion. With their exceptional construction management and real estate team, they’re excited to chase their growth goals in the year ahead.  

The success of existing franchise owners is helping continue The Lash Lounge’s growth. “Our current franchisees are doing so well, that many of them are ready to begin opening their second or third, or fourth location, which reflects their success and we’re really excited for that, as well,” said Kristin. 

The Lash Lounge's partnership with Mindbody has been a driving force behind their success. By leveraging Mindbody's all-in-one platform, the brand has enhanced their customer experience, streamlined operations, and driven revenue growth. With their focus on culture, personalized service, and creating a luxury lash experience, The Lash Lounge is well-positioned to continue their upward trajectory.