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Adding and Managing Customer Profiles

15 minutes

Tutorial 3.1: Adding and Managing Customer Profiles

Introduction

Your customer database is the foundation of your salon's operations. This tutorial shows you how to create comprehensive customer profiles, record essential contact details, track allergies and preferences, and manage customer information effectively.

Who this is for: Owner, Admin, Manager, Staff, Receptionist What you'll learn:

  • Add a new customer to the database
  • Complete all profile sections (basic info, address, preferences, communication)
  • Record allergies and sensitivities safely
  • Search, filter, and manage your customer list
  • Edit and update customer information
  • Deactivate customers and handle GDPR requests

Time to complete: 15 minutes

Prerequisites

  • Logged in with at least Staff permissions
  • Access to the Customers section

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Access the Customer Section

  1. Click Customers in the sidebar
  2. The customer list appears showing existing customers
  3. Click the Add Customer button in the top-right corner

The Create Customer form opens with five sections.

Step 2: Enter Basic Information

The first section captures contact details.

Required Fields:

Field Description
First Name Customer's given name
Last Name Customer's surname

Optional Fields:

Field Description
Email For confirmations and receipts
Mobile Number Phone with country code selector
Date of Birth For birthday reminders
How did they hear about us? Free text referral source

Entering Mobile Numbers:

  1. The country flag shows the selected country code
  2. Click the flag to change the country
  3. Enter the phone number without the leading zero

Example:

First Name: Sarah
Last Name: Thompson
Email: sarah.thompson@example.com
Mobile: United Kingdom (+44) 7700 900123
Date of Birth: 15/03/1985
How did they hear about us?: Instagram recommendation

Step 3: Add Address Information (Optional)

The Address section captures the customer's location.

  1. Select the Country first (this adjusts field labels appropriately)
  2. Enter the Street Address
  3. Complete City, County, and Postcode

Note: Field labels adapt based on the selected country:

  • UK: City, County, Postcode
  • US: City, State, ZIP Code
  • Australia: City, State, Postcode

Step 4: Record Preferences and Notes

This section captures important information for service delivery.

Preferences: Record service preferences and likes. This field is for information staff should know when serving the customer.

Examples:

  • "Prefers morning appointments"
  • "Likes Sarah as stylist"
  • "Coffee with oat milk"
  • "Prefers quiet atmosphere"

Allergies & Sensitivities:

  1. Toggle the Allergies & Sensitivities switch if the customer has any known allergies
  2. When enabled, a text area appears
  3. Describe allergies and sensitivities in detail

Examples of allergy information:

  • "PPD allergy - cannot use permanent colour"
  • "Sensitive scalp - patch test required 48 hours before"
  • "Allergic to latex gloves"
  • "Previous reaction to Brand X colour on 15/01/2024"

Warning: Allergy information appears prominently throughout the system, including during appointment booking. Always record this information accurately.

Additional Notes: Use this field for internal operational notes not directly related to service preferences.

Examples:

  • "Prefers to pay by card"
  • "Often brings children - allow extra time"
  • "Price-sensitive - mention package deals"

Step 5: Configure Settings

The Settings section has one option:

Active customer checkbox:

  • Checked (default): Customer appears in normal searches and lists
  • Unchecked: Customer is marked inactive and filtered from default views

Leave this checked for new customers. Use deactivation later for customers who no longer visit.

Step 6: Set Communication Preferences

This section controls how the customer receives messages. There are two categories:

Appointment Information: Controls transactional messages like appointment confirmations and reminders.

Option Default
Email Enabled
SMS Enabled
WhatsApp Enabled

Promotions & Offers: Controls marketing messages like special offers and birthday greetings.

Option Default
Email Disabled
SMS Disabled
WhatsApp Disabled

Important: Marketing options default to off. Only enable these if the customer has explicitly consented to receive promotional messages.

Step 7: Save the Customer

  1. Review all entered information
  2. Click Create Customer
  3. You're redirected to the customer list
  4. A success message confirms the customer was created

Managing Existing Customers

Searching for Customers

The customer list includes a search bar:

  1. Type in the search field
  2. Search matches against name, email, and phone
  3. Results filter in real-time

Filter by Status: Use the status dropdown to filter:

  • All Customers - Shows everyone
  • Active Only - Shows active customers
  • Inactive Only - Shows deactivated customers

Filter by Birthday: Use the birthday dropdown to find customers with upcoming birthdays:

  • All Birthdays - No birthday filter
  • Upcoming (7 days) - Shows customers with birthdays in the next week

Filter by Skin Test Status: Use the skin test dropdown to filter by testing status:

  • All Skin Test Status - No skin test filter
  • Needs Test (Upcoming Appts) - Shows customers who need a skin test before their next appointment

Viewing a Customer Profile

  1. Click anywhere on a customer row
  2. The customer profile opens with six tabs:
    • Appointments - Appointment history and visit insights (default tab)
    • Details - Contact info, address, preferences, communication settings, and badges
    • Transactions - Financial history with search and filtering
    • Products - Product purchase history
    • Skin Tests - Skin test records and status
    • Messages - Communication history with the customer

Editing a Customer

  1. Open the customer profile
  2. Click the Edit button (top-right)
  3. Make your changes
  4. Click Save Changes

Deactivating a Customer

For customers who no longer visit:

  1. Open the customer profile
  2. Click the Details tab
  3. Scroll down to the Customer Status section
  4. Toggle the switch to the off position
  5. The customer is marked inactive immediately

To reactivate:

  1. Open the inactive customer's profile
  2. Go to the Details tab
  3. Toggle the switch back to the on position

Note: Deactivated customers remain searchable but don't appear in default lists. Their history is preserved.

Handling GDPR Data Removal Requests

When a customer requests their personal data be removed:

  1. Open the customer profile
  2. Click the Edit button (top-right)
  3. Scroll down to the Data Privacy section at the bottom of the form
  4. Click Remove Data
  5. A confirmation dialog appears explaining:
    • What data will be permanently removed
    • What records will be preserved for business purposes
  6. Click Remove Data to proceed

What is removed:

  • Name, email, phone number
  • Address and date of birth
  • Preferences, allergies, and notes
  • Marketing preferences and badges
  • Communication preferences

What is preserved:

  • Transaction history (for financial records)
  • Appointment history (for business reporting)

The customer record is anonymised but not deleted, ensuring your financial and appointment records remain intact for accounting and reporting purposes.

Warning: This action cannot be undone. Once personal data is removed, it cannot be recovered.

Understanding the Customer List

The customer list displays:

Column Description
Name Full name with allergy indicator
Email Clickable email link
Phone Clickable phone link
Birthday Date of birth (if recorded)
Status Active/Inactive badge
Skin Test Current skin test status
Actions Edit button

Allergy Indicator: Customers with allergies noted show "⚠️ Allergies noted" text below their name in the list.

Sorting: Click column headers (Name, Email, Phone, Birthday) to sort the list.

Common Pitfalls

"I can't save a customer without an email"

Email is optional. Only First Name and Last Name are required. However, without email or phone, you cannot send the customer appointment reminders.

"The phone number shows an error"

Ensure you've selected the correct country code. The phone number should not include the country code digits - just the local number.

"I can't find the customer I just added"

Check your filter. If "Active Only" is selected and you somehow created an inactive customer, they won't appear. Select "All Customers" to see everyone.

"Allergies aren't showing when I book"

Ensure the Allergies & Sensitivities toggle is enabled and you've entered text in the allergy field. A customer marked with allergies displays a red "Has Allergies" badge on their profile and in search results.

"I accidentally deactivated the wrong customer"

Open their profile (search for their name), go to the Details tab, and toggle the status switch back on to restore them.

Tips and Best Practices

  1. Collect information gradually - Get name and phone at first visit; add details over subsequent appointments
  2. Always record allergies immediately - This is a safety issue; don't wait until later
  3. Verify email addresses - Read back the email to confirm spelling
  4. Use the referral field - Ask "How did you hear about us?" to track what marketing works
  5. Keep notes professional - These are business records; be factual and helpful
  6. Update after each visit - Add any new preferences or information learned
  7. Get explicit marketing consent - Never enable marketing options without clear customer agreement

Related Tutorials

  • Tutorial 2.2: Booking and Managing Appointments - Book appointments for customers
  • Tutorial 3.2: Understanding Customer History and Analytics - View spending and visit patterns
  • Tutorial 3.3: Customer Preferences and Communication Consent - Detailed consent management
  • Tutorial 3.5: Using Customer Badges - Apply badges like VIP

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the minimum information needed to create a customer?

Just First Name and Last Name. However, without phone or email, the customer won't receive appointment reminders.

Can I add customers without their permission?

Yes, you can create a record when they book or visit. However, marketing messages require explicit consent - keep those options disabled unless the customer agrees.

What if two customers have the same name?

Each customer record is unique. Use email, phone, or date of birth to distinguish between them. You can also add a note like "Sarah Thompson - Croydon" to help identify them.

How do I handle customers with no email or phone?

Create the profile with name only. Add a note explaining: "Walk-in customer - will call to book". They won't receive reminders but can still have appointments booked.

Can customers update their own information?

Customers can update their communication preferences via a secure link sent in emails. For other changes, staff must update the profile.

What's the difference between Preferences and Additional Notes?

  • Preferences: Service-related likes and dislikes (prefers quiet, likes Sarah)
  • Additional Notes: Operational information (pays by card, brings children)

Both are internal-only. Use whatever distinction makes sense for your team.

How do I merge duplicate customer records?

Currently, there's no automated merge feature. You would need to manually consolidate information and delete the duplicate. Be careful not to lose appointment or transaction history.

Last Updated: January 2026