Hair Mechanix

Multi-unit franchise saves time, streamlines worker payouts with Branch

How This Emerging Franchise Group Scales Operations and Boosts Growth with Streamlined Worker Payouts Powered by Branch

Background

After more than a decade in the transportation industry, Bret Hayden decided to strike out on his own and enter the franchising space. Passionate about providing great customer experiences and a newly emerging barbershop concept, he became the first franchisee of Hair Mechanix, a chain of barbershops in Florida. Along with five Hair Mechanix locations, he and his wife also own one of the top Hurricane Grill and Wings in the market. 

Like many other multi-unit franchise owners, Bret and his wife manage a mix of employees and contractors: Hair Mechanix stylists are classified as 1099 contractors, while Hurricane Grill staff are classified as W-2 employees. Though the two businesses have different types of workers, they were both dealing with a similar problem: paying out workers with methods like paper checks or cash tips each day was becoming burdensome. We spoke to Hayden about what made him seek out a solution like Branch and how it’s set his businesses up for success.

Hoping for a cure for cash-handling headaches

Prior to implementing Branch, Hayden and his team were issuing daily cash payouts to both Hair Mechanix stylists and W-2 employees at Hurricane Grill. Stylists at Hair Mechanix not only had to be paid their tips each day, but also commission earnings, while Hurricane Grill employees just required daily tip payouts. The administrative hassle of constant cash monitoring and trips to the bank to make all of these daily payouts happen was wearing on everyone.

“We were doing payouts in cash, and three or four people had their hands in the till every day,” says Hayden. “The till was always over or short, and someone always had to run to the bank to make change or cash a check.”

He saw how cash payouts were becoming a constant headache, and taking time away from store managers and operators that could be spent on more important tasks. 

“I knew there had to be a better option,” says Hayden. 

He set out to look for a solution that could give his managers time back in their day while maintaining fast payouts for workers after each shift. 

Switching to a single platform for seamless, streamlined payouts

When Hayden found Branch and rolled out the solution at Hair Mechanix,  “it was a lifesaver,” he says. He was able to implement Branch to handle multiple needs—paying out contractors their commission earnings and tips everyday, and providing cashless tip payouts to severs. Plus, management no longer had to struggle with constant cash flow monitoring, till reconciliation, and trips to the bank. 

With Branch, stylists at Hair Mechanix and restaurant staff at Hurricane Grill and Wings can now receive their respective payouts after each completed shift, with funds appearing in their Branch accounts by the next morning after they work. They can access those funds via their Branch account or their physical debit card, allowing them the freedom to spend or save their earnings however they like.

Both Hayden and his wife, who is the General Manager of Hurricane Grill, have found Branch has saved time and hassle each week. 

“My wife, (who is the General Manager of Hurricane Grill) was originally going to the bank three times a week to get change to make those daily payouts. With Branch, it’s just automatic and in employees’ accounts the next day.”

In addition to streamlining administrative processes and saving time, Hayden found his employees were grateful for the convenience of digital payouts, too. 

“Especially at the restaurant, the younger employees prefer [getting their tips on] the debit card. They’re not used to cash anymore; that’s the way things are moving. Nobody had an issue making the transition…it was just a matter of explaining how they would be getting their tips pushed to a debit card and account each day.”

Smooth onboarding + simplified daily payouts

Simplifying daily payment processes has taken some of the mental strain out of daily admin tasks. With Branch, those tasks can be streamlined, so managers can focus more of their time on what matters. 

“Branch has made my life easier. Our Operations Manager, who used to have to keep track of the checks for 18 stores, was having to constantly figure out if we had enough checks, then see if someone had been to the bank, and reconcile the till at the end of the day. Now, it’s been 1000% easier. I run Branch for the barbershops and it takes me maybe seven minutes every morning.”

Hayden also appreciates the ease of onboarding for employees, and how responsive Branch has been to requests or changes. When a location has needed more Branch cards to hand out to new stylists or servers, he’s been pleasantly surprised that Branch will overnight more cards to his locations. 

Switching to Branch for digital payouts has been so seamless for Hayden and his team that they’re now testing out Branch for direct deposit as well. With plans to expand his franchise business, Hayden knows he’ll have to have a payments platform that can scale with him and streamline payouts while keeping staff happy.  

“I”m two and a half years in, and up to five locations; I’d like to add five more by the end of the year,” Hayden says. 

Branch is proud to help support franchise owners every step of the way—from their first location to helping them grow and scale their businesses.