Madison Reed’s New AI Tool Heats Up Hair-Coloring Revolution

For Madison Reed, the hair-coloring market continues to be on the kaleidoscopic edge of a revolution.

To further drive automation and efficiencies while improving guest and employee experience, the hair care brand has launched a suite of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Since launching in 2013, it has touted itself a steward in leveraging technology, including AI. Now, the company is taking it a step further by rolling out agentic AI tools to elevate customers’ end-to-end journey with the brand and streamline its brick-and-mortar operations.

“Madison Reed is redefining what it means to be a trailblazer by embracing AI across every part of its operations,” said Jon Callaghan, co-founder, True Ventures. “From precise color matching to faster service and a more seamless user experience, they are integrating advanced technology into one of the most high-touch, emotionally resonant consumer categories. In doing so, Madison Reed continues to elevate the hair color journey while driving meaningful business outcomes and setting new standards for personalization and efficiency.”

Madison Reed first launched AI by offering guests a personalized and digital color match quiz in 2016, which has delivered more than 20 million virutal color matches to date. A virtual reality hair color try-on experience followed — technologies, officials said, were pivotal in disrupting the industry with hair color as a direct-to-consumer business.

Hello, Madi!

Recognizing the opportunity to build on these capabilities, Madison Reed has partnered with Sierra to build an AI agent that delivers three distinct capabilities via its chat function, Madi. These include enhanced product discovery; customer support and facilitation of subscription management; and online scheduling and cancelations across the company’s 97 Hair Color Bars.

Following successful product and experience testing, Madi is now handling up to 100% of the brand’s web traffic, improving Madison Reed’s lifetime customer support value while increasing efficiency. With 24/7 chat availability, the brand is seeing a 30-time increase in chat interaction with a two-time increase in guests’ likelihood to book an appointment, while subscription cancelations are cut in half for customers working with Madi.