Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1455486
32 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MARCH 2022 NEED A HAIR CUT? By Steve Benoff I have dozens of apps on my phone. Most I don't use very often. Others I use daily or weekly. Some I use less frequently but still love. In the before times (you know, before COVID), I got my hair cut at the conveniently-located Fantastic Sams. I was a regular there since it opened. I'd call ahead, put my name on the list, get a time estimate, and I didn't have to wait very long once I got there. But, alas, Fantastic Sams closed early in the pandemic. That began a search for a new barbershop. I tried several non-chain places without satisfaction. Somehow, I discovered Great Clips and its app. I immediately fell in love. When you open the app, you are presented with a map showing every location within an hour's drive and the wait time at each one. You select your location, Beaumont of course, and then sign in assuming you've already set up an account. The app gives me a timer countdown. At about 15 minutes, you'll get reminder text. When you get there, you'll see a waiting list on a display so you'll know if there is anyone ahead of you. Once you're in the chair, your preferences from former visits will be shown to the hairdresser. The only thing lacking in my mind is the ability to pay on the app. Being the indefatigable researcher that I am, I decided to try two other haircut chains – Supercuts and Fantastic Sams. Both have apps which I downloaded and tried. After you push Book Now, Supercuts also shows you a map of locations but with no wait times. But once you tap the map it displays a list of locations with one of two types of buttons. For the Beaumont location it asks you to Call Now. For Hemet, for example, it displays Book Now. Then you select the service(s) you want. Next you can select the stylist or next available and the time from a list of available times. After that, you enter your name and phone to complete the booking. That's a nice app. I'm just not sure why those services aren't available for Beaumont. Fantastic Sams provides a map. The closest one is Yucaipa. When you select a location, you're given a wait time and the number of people on the wait list. Next you select from an extensive list of options. It is then you can make a reservation, assuming the time is available. I say that because when I tried, I couldn't get a date and time on the day I tried as well as the next day. By the way, apps that show locations need your location to show you relevant information. Typically, you are given three choices – you can block your location or allow the app to track your location all the time or only when using the app. I don't mind allowing an app to know my location, but I always restrict permission to when I'm using the app. There is almost no reason to allow full time location tracking. Because of the timer countdown, I prefer the Great Clips app. But I'd like the Supercuts app if it allowed me to book now instead of calling. Fantastic Sams comes in last which is just as well since it no longer has a location in Beaumont. If you use an app you'd like to share with others, let me know at steve.benoff@verizon.net. THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT!