How long should a hair appointment take, including preparation?

What does the stated duration include?

List the appointment steps before choosing a duration: discussing the request, preparation included in the offer, the styling work and the finish. Washing or detangling done during the appointment takes time, even if it is not in the service title. The description and duration must refer to the same service.

Separate what the client prepares before arriving from what you do during the appointment. If you require hair to be washed and detangled beforehand, say so clearly. If that preparation is included, do not calculate the duration as though it were already done. Review your service description rather than adding contradictory instructions.

How can your own work help you choose a duration?

Observe several comparable appointments in your own practice. Note the steps and what explains a difference: extra preparation, a different length or a request that does not match the chosen listing. Use those observations to review your offer. They do not prove that one duration will suit every client.

Do not use an unusually short appointment as the reference for a whole category. If a request falls outside the usual scope, confirm the appropriate service before a slot is selected. This guide sets no duration by hair type and does not replace your professional judgement.

Where does time between clients fit?

Putting equipment away, resetting your station and taking a break are not the same as the service you describe. Identify these needs separately when organising your availability. A calendar filled without gaps does not prove that the appointments can realistically follow one another.

Do not claim that a buffer is added automatically without checking what your tool actually supports. Review your calendar and offer only availability you can honour. Processing time does not necessarily make you available for another client either: do not promise simultaneous appointments on that basis alone.

What should you check in BabaCoiffure?

In your professional catalogue, review the service name, description, price and duration together. BabaCoiffure lets you enter these details for your services. The duration must match the offer described, not preparation or an option that you have not included.

Then open your public profile on a phone and read the service as a client. Check the information displayed and the available slots before sharing your link. This check needs no payment or real booking. Do not describe an entered duration as an automatic calculation tailored to a client’s hair, photos or travel.

Fictional example: two offers with different scopes

A stylist offers braids without extensions on hair that is already washed and detangled. Another of her offers also includes washing and detangling. She lists the steps for each offer and enters durations based on her own practice, rather than copying the first duration to the second. She plans separately for resetting the station before the next client. This example illustrates a method, not a service or duration offered by BabaCoiffure.

Before opening your slots

• The duration matches the steps included in this service.
• The preparation expected from the client is explicit.
• Requests needing a discussion before booking are identified.
• Your organisation accounts for time between clients.
• The public listing and availability have been checked on a phone.

How do you set booking availability when you work alone?

Frequently asked questions