Question 1

What is Protaja?

Accepted Answer

Protaja is an AI-powered client retention platform built for independent salon, barbershop, and spa owners. It automatically identifies clients who have not returned in a while, drafts a personalized re-engagement text message in your voice, and puts it in your daily approval queue. You review each message, make any edits you want, and approve with one tap. Nothing ever sends without your sign-off.

Question 2

How does Protaja know which clients to contact?

Accepted Answer

Protaja analyzes each client's visit history and calculates their lapse risk — the likelihood they won't return on their own. Most service businesses have a natural return window of 4–12 weeks depending on the service. Clients who are approaching or past that window appear in your queue first. The longer a client is absent, the harder they are to win back, so Protaja acts early.

Question 3

Does Protaja send messages automatically without my approval?

Accepted Answer

No — never. This is a core principle. Every message is a draft. You see it, edit it if you want, and approve it before it goes anywhere. Protaja handles the hard part — knowing who to contact and what to say — but you stay in complete control of every send.

Question 4

What kinds of businesses use Protaja?

Accepted Answer

Protaja is built for service-based small businesses where client relationships drive repeat revenue: hair salons, barbershops, nail studios, spas, lash and brow studios, massage practices, esthetician suites, and similar businesses. The common thread is an owner who knows their clients by name and wants to keep those relationships warm — without spending hours every week sending texts manually.

Question 5

How is Protaja different from bulk SMS tools like Klaviyo, Mailchimp, or EZTexting?

Accepted Answer

Bulk SMS tools send the same promotional message to your entire list at once — think "15% off this weekend" blasts. Protaja is the opposite. Every message is written individually for a specific client, based on their real visit history and the relationship you've built. It sounds like you remembered them — not like a marketing campaign. Protaja also never auto-sends. Bulk tools typically do.

Question 6

Can Protaja replace my booking software (Square, Vagaro, Booksy)?

Accepted Answer

No, and it's not meant to. Protaja sits alongside your booking software. Your booking platform manages appointments, payments, and calendar. Protaja handles what booking software doesn't: proactively reaching out to clients who haven't booked recently. You import your client list from your booking software into Protaja via CSV.

Question 7

Is Protaja just for salons, or does it work for other businesses?

Accepted Answer

Protaja works for any local service business where clients book repeat appointments and relationships matter. Salons and barbershops are the primary market, but estheticians, massage therapists, personal trainers, nail techs, and spa owners all use the same playbook. If you have a client list, a natural return window, and clients who go quiet — Protaja is built for you.

Question 8

How long does setup take?

Accepted Answer

Most owners finish the initial setup in about 30 minutes. You'll need three things: your client list as a CSV export from your booking software, a phone number to send from, and 3–5 example messages you've actually sent clients before (texts, DMs, anything in your voice). Once submitted, your AI assistant is typically ready within 24 hours.

Question 9

What booking platforms can I import clients from?

Accepted Answer

Any platform that lets you export a CSV file. That includes Square Appointments, Vagaro, Booksy, GlossGenius, Fresha, Mindbody, Acuity, and most others. You need at minimum the client's name and phone number. Last visit date helps the AI prioritize who to contact first.

Question 10

I was approved — what happens next?

Accepted Answer

You'll receive an email with a setup link. Click it, create your business profile, upload your client list, add your voice samples (3–5 real messages you've sent before), and complete your 10DLC carrier registration. Once submitted, your assistant is ready within 24 hours and your first queue will be ready the following morning.

Question 11

Is Protaja TCPA compliant?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Protaja's built-in Compliance Agent enforces TCPA regulations on every message: quiet hours are respected (no sends between 8 PM and 8 AM in the client's local time zone), opt-outs are handled automatically when a client replies STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE, and consent is required before any messages are sent. 10DLC carrier registration — required for business SMS in the US — is handled during onboarding.

Question 12

What if a client replies STOP or asks not to be contacted?

Accepted Answer

Opt-outs are processed immediately and automatically. When a client replies STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, or QUIT, they are removed from your active send list and will never receive another message from Protaja. No action is required from you. This is enforced at the platform level — you cannot accidentally re-add an opted-out client.

Question 13

What counts as a "message" toward my monthly limit?

Accepted Answer

Each individual SMS text delivered to a client counts as one message. Draft messages that you skip or delete in your queue do not count. You can monitor your usage in real-time from Settings → Billing. If you're approaching your cap, you'll see a warning before you hit it so you can upgrade if needed.

Question 14

How do I update or cancel my subscription?

Accepted Answer

Go to Settings → Billing in the Protaja app. You can upgrade, downgrade, pause, or cancel at any time — no contracts, no penalties. Cancellations take effect at the end of your current billing period, and you keep access until then.

Question 15

Can I edit messages before they send?

Accepted Answer

Yes — always. Every message in your daily queue is a draft. Tap any message to open the editor, change the wording, adjust the tone, or personalize it further. You can also skip any message you don't want to send. Nothing leaves your queue without your explicit approval.

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