Ziik helps MRoom stay sharp

About the company

MRoom is a Finnish chain of modern barbershops and hair salons for men, with locations across Finland and in Estonia. Established in 2008, they are known for their app-based online queuing system and have built a brand on convenience, professionalism, and digital innovation. They also produce their own signature line of men’s grooming products.

A successful franchise operation with more than 60 barbershops, MRoom’s 250-strong workforce includes both employees and freelancers, operating side-by-side in a structure that demands flexibility and clarity from management.

“Our business model is a bit of a hybrid,” says Niko Sandell. “And when you have both employees and entrepreneurs, you need communication that works for everyone.”

Challenges before Ziik?

As MRoom grew, so did the complexity of internal communication. Simply put, information was flowing but not always landing.

“We had a lot of channels. E-mails, Slack, text messages, Facebook. We even had some paper-based info in the salons,” recalls Niko Sandell. “But it was difficult to know who saw what. And that creates stress, both for management and for the people on the floor.”

Requirements for a new solution

It was clear to Niko Sandell and his team at MRoom that they needed a platform for internal communication that would also let them share manuals and important information. And being digital frontrunners, their first impulse was to build their own.

“I actually tried to invent Ziik myself,” says Niko Sandell. “It feels like it should be a simple thing to do, but it’s actually very complicated.”

Part of the requirements was the desire to be able to target communication to specific groups. With both employees and independent entrepreneurs on board, as well as shop managers, franchise takers, and many more, it was crucial to be able to get important messages out to the right people without spamming the rest with information they don’t need.

“Not everyone needs every update,” Niko Sandell explains. “They just need what’s relevant to them, when they need it. If they receive too much irrelevant information, they start tuning out, and then you run the risk of missing something important”

Results

Peace of mind for managers

For Niko Sandell, one of the biggest differences Ziik has made is at the management level. With clear messaging, structured channels, and built-in read receipts, he and his team are now in much better control of their communication.

“Now I know that the message is received, and not just sent. That might sound small, but it means a lot. It reduces stress, saves time, and helps us work more efficiently.”

Inspiration and culture, shared by the team

Ziik isn’t just for top-down updates. At MRoom, it’s become a place for the whole team to connect and build a stronger culture. Stylists and barbers use Ziik to share trends, techniques, and photos of haircuts they’re proud of.

“That’s actually the most common type of post in our community, people sharing their work. It’s great for team spirit, it inspires others to try new things, and ultimately that helps us stay ahead.” 

Supports both employees and freelancers

Ziik gives MRoom the flexibility to communicate with everyone in their network without overwhelming anyone. Whether someone is a full-time employee or an independent entrepreneur, they get the information they need, and only that.

“We can be precise with communication. That’s respectful of people’s time, especially freelancers who aren’t in the shop every day.”

Instant adoption, no training needed

Even for team members who don’t consider themselves tech-savvy, Ziik was easy to get started with. That made onboarding smooth and helped roll the platform out company-wide without delay.

"If you know how to use a smartphone, you can use Ziik.”

Everything in one place

Before Ziik, updates and materials were scattered across different platforms. Now, MRoom has one app where everything lives. And where manuals, guides and handbooks can be stored and updated centrally, so that everyone always has access to the latest version.

“Ziik is a perfect fit for our setup. It’s built for franchise operations like ours.”

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Favorite Features

Read receipts

Niko Sandell and his team now know exactly who has seen what, reducing confusion and unnecessary follow-ups.

Role-based access

Ziik makes it easy for MRoom to tailor content to different groups, from full-time staff to freelancers.

Manuals and updates

Ziik provides one central place for all materials, and the certainty that it’s always the latest version.

Great value for money

Ziik delivers real business value at a price that makes sense.