Managing Client Relationships

Learn how to organize your clients with tags, notes, VIP status, and relationship tracking.

Overview

Building strong client relationships is key to growing your tattoo business. Apprentice helps you keep track of client preferences, session history, project notes, and communication—all in one place.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: View Your Client List

1. Navigate to Dashboard > Clients
2. You'll see a list of all your clients with:

• Client name and avatar
• Number of completed projects
• Last appointment date
• VIP status indicator (⭐)
• Quick action buttons

Sorting Options:

• Recent: Clients you've worked with recently
• Upcoming: Clients with upcoming appointments
• VIP: Your VIP clients
• All: Complete client list

Step 2: Access Client Details

Click on any client to open their Client Detail Page. You'll see:

Profile Section:

• Contact information (email, phone)
• Client since date
• Total appointments
• Total revenue generated
• VIP status toggle

Tabs:

• Overview: Quick summary and recent activity
• Projects: All tattoo projects (completed and in-progress)
• Appointments: Complete appointment history
• Communication: Chat message history
• Notes: Private notes only you can see

Step 3: Add Private Notes

To add a note:

1. Open the client's detail page
2. Click the Notes tab
3. Click + Add Note
4. Write your note (e.g., "Prefers morning appointments," "Allergic to certain inks")
5. Click Save

Tips for useful notes:

• Pain tolerance levels
• Preferred placement areas
• Style preferences
• Scheduling preferences (weekends only, mornings, etc.)
• Allergies or skin sensitivities
• Aftercare issues from previous sessions

Note Privacy:

• Notes are private—only you can see them
• They won't appear in messages or shared projects
• Great for tracking sensitive information

Step 4: Tag Your Clients

Tags help you organize clients into groups for easier filtering.

To add tags:

1. Open client detail page
2. Click Tags section
3. Click + Add Tag
4. Type a tag name or select from existing tags
5. Press Enter or click Add

Suggested Tag Categories:

By Experience Level:

• first-timer
• returning-client
• collector

By Style Preference:

• blackwork
• color-enthusiast
• traditional
• neo-traditional

By Project Type:

• large-project
• small-pieces
• cover-up
• touch-up

By Scheduling:

• flexible-schedule
• weekends-only
• last-minute-bookings

By Status:

• waitlist
• active-project
• referral-source

Step 5: Mark VIP Clients

VIP clients get special treatment and appear at the top of your client list.

To mark as VIP:

1. Open client detail page
2. Toggle the VIP Status switch
3. Save changes

VIP Benefits:

• Priority booking notifications
• Special badge in client list
• Easy filtering to view only VIPs
• Can set VIP-specific pricing rules

When to use VIP status:

• Loyal repeat clients
• High-value projects
• Referral sources who send you business
• Clients you want to prioritize for booking

Step 6: Track Client Journey

View Complete History:

Projects Tab:

• See all tattoos you've done for this client
• Track project progression (consultation → design → scheduled → completed)
• View design iterations and AI generations

Appointments Tab:

• Complete appointment history with dates
• Session notes from each appointment
• No-shows or cancellations (if any)
• Total time spent in sessions

Communication Tab:

• All chat messages in one place
• Quick reference for past conversations
• Search through message history

Tips

Keeping Client Data Organized

• Add notes immediately after sessions: While details are fresh, record preferences and observations
• Tag on first contact: Establish tags early to build good organizational habits
• Review client profiles before appointments: Spend 2 minutes reviewing notes and history
• Update VIP status quarterly: Re-evaluate who should be VIP based on recent activity

Building Stronger Relationships

• Remember preferences: Use notes to track things like preferred coffee, music tastes, conversation topics
• Acknowledge milestones: Note birthdays, tattoo anniversaries, project completion dates
• Track referrals: Tag clients who refer others to you, thank them with discounts or priority booking
• Document tattoo story: Notes about why they got each piece help you connect emotionally

Using Tags Effectively

• Keep tags simple: Use 1-2 word tags, not sentences
• Create a tag system: Develop consistent categories (style, schedule, status)
• Review tags monthly: Remove outdated tags, consolidate similar ones
• Don't over-tag: 3-5 tags per client is usually enough

Client Privacy

• Notes are HIPAA-adjacent: Avoid recording medical details unless necessary
• Be professional: Write notes as if the client might accidentally see them
• No personal judgments: Focus on facts: preferences, observations, logistics
• Secure data: Don't share client information with other artists without permission

Common Issues

Issue: I have duplicate client profiles

Solution: Contact support to merge duplicates. Provide both client IDs and which one should be the primary profile.

Issue: Client can't see my notes

Solution: This is by design. Notes are private and only visible to you. If you want to share information with a client, use the Chat feature or add it to the Project Description.

Issue: How do I delete a client?

Solution: You cannot delete clients who have completed appointments (for record-keeping). You can:

• Remove them from VIP status
• Tag them as inactive
• Filter them out of your main client view
• Contact support for special cases (duplicate profiles, spam accounts)

Issue: Client tags aren't saving

Solution:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Make sure you're clicking Save after adding tags
3. Refresh the page and try again
4. Clear browser cache if issues persist

Updated on: 16/01/2026