Case Study: Avanti

The pair has shared a common interest in hair and beauty since their early days at New York’s Jon Louis School of Beauty where they both attended, met and fell in love. But unlike most budding beauticians, Rebecca’s prior passion was for numbers. Yes numbers. Before embarking on her career in hair and beauty, Rebecca crunched numbers in the banking and accounting industry, a far cry from the stimulating day-to-day activities of a beautician! None the less, she let her true passions surface and decided to try something a little left of centre, ditching algorisms and adding machines for a new life with scissors, sprays and serums.

With a team of two massage therapists, two nail technicians, eight stylists and two aestheticians, Avanti has something for everyone. The salon has cozy side-by-side pedicure stations and caters for groups, couples, birthdays, weddings and other special occasions. The tiled wet room offers vischi treatments, wraps and waxing and a one-stop-shop for every hair and beauty treatment under the sun.

The décor resembles a modern-day barber shop with copper, dark wood and black leather chairs complementing the minimalistic tones of gray and silver extending from the salon to the spa where a large red door adds an effective splash of pizzazz.

The salon resides in a constantly evolving area experiencing rapid growth and signs for new developments, such as shopping centres, are constantly popping up. In light of this, Rebecca and Gary strive to keep Avanti ahead of the pack and keep the whole team up to date with education so the best treatments can be offered. This has significant implications for the business side of things too, and Rebecca insists that without Shortcuts, the salon may have struggled under the tirade of new local business developments.“ Before Shortcuts, we couldn’t even dream of having a staff list as long as it is. But now, we are able to manage the staff and keep track of what everyone is doing and when. Managing retail and the appointment book allows us to group capabilities and control schedules... it really makes the world of difference to running a successful business,” Rebecca said.

Rebecca says her favorite feature is the Confirmation Manager which has drastically sped up operations, allowing them to efficiently handle growth. She also says the Reporting feature has increased the availability of important information. “We absolutely love Shortcuts and are avid users of lots of the features, but we realise there is so much more to the package and look forward to exploring everything Shortcuts has to offer!” As a strong member of the local community, the Avanti team has enjoyed watching their clients grow up and are now sending some off to the prom and weddings like proud mums and dads!

“We love being a part of this community and when most people visit they have an exciting occasion and want to be pampered. It’s great to be a part of their special day,” Rebecca beams.

So, in spite of her unusual ‘slashie’ status and slightly atypical background, Rebecca Bilello clearly has what it takes to carry her and Gary’s thriving salon to the top and conquer any obstacles that may cross their path. And Shortcuts is proud to be a part of the journey.