Understanding Customer History and Analytics
Tutorial 3.2: Understanding Customer History and Analytics
Introduction
Every customer interaction tells a story. This tutorial shows you how to view a customer's complete history including appointments, transactions, visit patterns, and spending. You'll learn to understand customer behaviour and use insights to improve service and retention.
Who this is for: Owner, Admin, Manager, Staff, Receptionist What you'll learn:
- View account summary cards (spending, balance, visits)
- Navigate customer profile tabs
- Understand visit insights and service frequencies
- Filter and search appointment and transaction history
- View product purchase history
- Identify overdue customers and outstanding balances
- Use dashboard skin test alerts to proactively contact customers
Time to complete: 10 minutes
Prerequisites
- Logged in with at least Staff permissions
- Complete Tutorial 3.1 (Adding and Managing Customer Profiles)
- Customer data in the system to view
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Access a Customer Profile
- Click Customers in the sidebar
- Search for or select a customer
- Click on the customer row to open their profile
Step 2: Understanding the Account Summary Cards
At the top of the customer profile, four summary cards display key metrics:
| Card | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Total Spend | Lifetime spend from completed transactions |
| Outstanding Balance | Amount owed across unpaid/partial transactions |
| Total Visits | Count of completed transactions |
| Last Visit | Date of most recent transaction |
Outstanding Balance Alert: If a customer has an outstanding balance, the card is highlighted with an orange ring. An alert message shows the total owed and number of transactions.
Example:
Total Spend: £1,440.00
Outstanding Balance: £60.00
Total Visits: 24
Last Visit: 15 Dec 2025
Step 3: Navigate the Profile Tabs
The customer profile has six tabs:
| Tab | Content |
|---|---|
| Appointments (default) | Appointment history, waitlist, visit insights |
| Details | Contact info, address, preferences, communication settings, badges |
| Transactions | Transaction history with search and filters |
| Products | Products purchased with dates and quantities |
| Skin Tests | Skin test records and status |
| Messages | Communication history |
Step 4: View Appointment History and Visit Insights
Click the Appointments tab (selected by default).
Waitlist Requests: If the customer has active waitlist entries, they appear at the top in a purple card showing:
- Requested service
- Preferred staff
- Preferred date and time range
- Priority level
Visit Insights Section: A compact grid shows visit patterns:
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Last Visit | How long ago (e.g., "3 weeks ago") |
| Frequency | Average visit interval (e.g., "every 6 weeks") |
| Next Visit | Prediction based on pattern (e.g., "Due in ~3 weeks") |
| Total | Total number of appointments |
Services Booked: Below the metrics, badges show which services this customer books:
- Service name
- Count (e.g., "12x")
- Frequency (e.g., "every 8 weeks")
Overdue Alert: If the customer hasn't visited within their typical interval, a warning appears:
"This customer typically visits every 6 weeks but hasn't been in for 10 weeks. Consider reaching out to schedule their next appointment."
Appointment History Table: Below the insights, a table lists all appointments with columns:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Date & Time | Appointment date and time slot |
| Reference | Booking reference (if generated from online booking) |
| When | Relative date (e.g., "Today", "Tomorrow", "In 1 week", "2 weeks ago") |
| Gap | Time since previous appointment |
| Service | Service name |
| Staff | Staff member assigned |
| Status | Scheduled, Confirmed, Arrived, Completed, Cancelled, or No Show |
| Deposit | Deposit payment status (if applicable) |
| Notes | Appointment notes (including internal notes) |
Filtering Appointments:
- Search: Filter by service, staff, notes, or booking reference
- Status dropdown: All Statuses, Scheduled, Confirmed, Arrived, Completed, Cancelled, No Show
- Date range: From/To date pickers
- Clear Filters: Reset all filters
Step 5: View Transaction History
Click the Transactions tab.
Transaction History Table: Each transaction shows:
- Date
- Transaction number
- Items summary
- Total amount
- Amount paid
- Outstanding balance
- Payment status (Paid, Partial, Unpaid)
- View link
Filtering Transactions:
- Search: Filter by transaction number or items
- Payment Status: All Statuses, Paid, Partial, Unpaid
- Date range: From/To date pickers
Finding Outstanding Balances: Use the Payment Status filter set to "Partial" or "Unpaid" to quickly find transactions that need follow-up.
Step 6: View Product Purchase History
Click the Products tab.
This shows all products the customer has purchased:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Date | When purchased |
| Product | Product name and SKU |
| Quantity | Number purchased |
| Unit Price | Price per item |
| Total | Line total |
| Sold By | Staff member |
| Transaction | Link to transaction |
Filtering Products:
- Search: Filter by product name
- Date range: From/To date pickers
Use this to:
- See what products they've tried
- Identify repurchase opportunities
- Recommend new products based on history
Step 7: View Skin Tests
Click the Skin Tests tab.
This shows the customer's skin test history in a table:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Date | When the test was performed |
| Method | How the test was done (In-Salon, At-Home Kit, Consumer Screening) |
| Product | Brand and product name tested |
| Staff | Staff member who performed the test (or "Self-administered" for at-home tests) |
| Status | Current status of the test (Valid, Expired, Expiring Soon, Awaiting Customer, Awaiting Staff Signature, Awaiting Result, Positive (Allergic), or Inconclusive) |
| Expires | When the test expires (with "Expired" label if past expiry date) |
Skin Test Status: A badge on the customer profile header indicates their current skin test status:
- Valid (green) - Has a current, valid negative test
- Expiring Soon (amber) - Test expires within the reminder period, shows days remaining
- Expired (grey) - Test has expired
- Never Tested (grey) - No test on record
- Allergic (red) - Previous positive reaction (colour services should not proceed)
- Pending (blue) - Test awaiting results
- Awaiting Signature (amber) - Test awaiting staff signature
- Inconclusive (orange) - Test result was inconclusive
Dashboard Skin Test Alerts:
The dashboard includes a Skin Tests Due panel that shows customers who need a skin test. This helps you proactively contact customers before their appointments.
Click the panel to expand and see:
- Customer name (click to view their Skin Tests tab)
- Urgency indicator showing when the test is needed (e.g., "Today", "1 day", "2 days")
Click View all to see the full list on the Skin Tests page.
Finding Customers Needing Tests:
- On the Customer Index, select "Needs Test (Upcoming Appts)" from the Skin Test filter dropdown
- Two additional columns appear: Next Appointment and Days Until
- Contact customers in order of urgency (fewest days first)
The same alerts panel appears on the Skin Tests Index page for quick access when managing skin test records
Step 8: View Messages
Click the Messages tab.
This shows communication history with the customer including:
- Appointment reminders sent
- SMS and email messages
- Customer replies (if two-way messaging is enabled)
Using History for Better Service
Before an Appointment
- Open the customer profile
- Check their Visit Insights: When did they last visit? What services do they typically book?
- Review the Services Booked section: What's their most frequent service?
- Check for allergies (shown in the header badge)
- Read any notes in the Details tab
Identifying High-Value Customers
Use the Total Spend metric to identify your best customers. Consider:
- Adding VIP badge (Tutorial 3.5)
- Prioritising their booking requests
- Personal follow-up for retention
Finding At-Risk Customers
Look for customers who:
- Show "Overdue" in their Visit Insights
- Haven't visited in longer than their typical frequency
- Have outstanding balances
Consider reaching out with a reminder or special offer.
Common Pitfalls
"The spending totals look wrong"
Total Spend only includes completed transactions. Pending or cancelled transactions aren't counted. Check for unbilled appointments or incomplete transactions.
"I can't see old appointments"
Use the date range filters or pagination controls. By default, recent appointments appear first. Scroll down or expand the date range to see older records.
"A customer's history is blank but I know they've visited"
Check for duplicate customer records. Search by phone or email to find if history exists under a different record.
"The visit frequency seems incorrect"
Frequency is calculated from completed appointments. If appointments were cancelled or marked as no-show, they may affect the calculation.
Tips and Best Practices
- Check history before appointments - Spend a minute reviewing to personalise service
- Reference past services - "Last time we did X, how did that work?"
- Track service intervals - Use frequency data for proactive rebooking
- Follow up on outstanding balances - Filter transactions by "Unpaid" weekly
- Identify at-risk customers - Monitor the "Overdue" warning and reach out
- Use product history for recommendations - "You've been using X, have you tried Y?"
- Celebrate milestones - Note customer tenure and visit counts
Related Tutorials
- Tutorial 3.1: Adding and Managing Customer Profiles - Create and manage records
- Tutorial 2.4: Processing Transactions - Bill appointments
- Tutorial 3.5: Using Customer Badges - Mark VIP customers
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back does customer history go?
All appointment and transaction history is preserved indefinitely.
What's the difference between Total Visits and appointment count?
- Total Visits (in summary cards): Count of completed transactions
- Total (in Visit Insights): Count of all appointments including cancelled
How is the visit frequency calculated?
The system calculates the average interval between completed appointments. If a customer has had 12 appointments over the past year, their frequency might show as "every 4 weeks".
Can I export customer history?
Individual transaction receipts can be downloaded as PDFs. For bulk exports, use the Reports section.
What if the "Next Visit" prediction is wrong?
The prediction is based on historical patterns. If a customer's habits have changed, the prediction may not reflect their current schedule. Use your judgement for outreach.
How do I see which staff member a customer prefers?
Look at the appointment history - note which staff members appear most frequently. You can also add this to their Preferences field.
Does Total Spend include tips?
Yes, if tips are recorded in transactions. The total is the sum of all transaction totals.
How do I see which customers need skin tests before their appointments?
Check the Skin Tests Due panel on the dashboard. It shows customers with upcoming colour service appointments who don't have a valid test. Click the panel to expand and see the customer list with reasons. You can also use the "Needs Test (Upcoming Appts)" filter on the Customer Index page to see the full list with appointment dates.
Last Updated: January 2026