Customers & Automation
Customer Segments & Retention
Customer Segments & Retention
Customer segments and retention tracking help you understand your client base at a glance and catch at-risk clients before they drift away. Segments group clients by visit history and value, while the retention view shows exactly who is overdue for a visit and how to bring them back.
Where to find it — Web: Sidebar → Clients. Segments are the filter chips below the search bar; the retention view appears when you activate a cadence filter. Mobile: Clients tab → same filter chips and cadence view.
Overview
Customer segments and retention let you:
- See how many clients are New, Regular, or VIP at a glance
- Spot clients who are overdue for a visit or due soon based on their personal booking cadence
- View a weekly attention summary of birthdays, new client follow-ups, and at-risk clients
- Filter the client list by segment, contact method, or cadence status
- Review per-client retention details including cycle length, preferred service, and reliability
- Send personalised re-engagement messages directly from the retention view
Note
Segment chips and the attention summary are available on all plans. The cadence-based retention view (Overdue / Due Soon / On Track) and AI-powered suggestions require a PRO subscription.
Customer segments
Every client is assigned a segment automatically based on their visit history and spend. You do not set segments manually (except the VIP flag).
Segment definitions
| Segment | Badge | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| New | UserPlus icon | Fewer than 3 completed visits and not flagged VIP |
| Regular | Star icon | 3–9 visits, under $500 lifetime spend, and not VIP |
| VIP | Crown icon | Any of: manually flagged VIP · 10 or more visits · $500 or more lifetime spend |
The segment chips on the client list each display a count — e.g. "New (12)" — so you can see the size of each group without tapping.
How segment counts are calculated
Segment assignment uses the determineCustomerStatus function, which evaluates three fields per client:
| Field | Source |
|---|---|
| Visit count | Total completed bookings (updated automatically when a booking is marked Completed) |
| Total spend | Lifetime spend in dollars (updated automatically at checkout) |
| VIP flag | Manual toggle on the client's profile — set by the owner or manager |
A client can only belong to one segment at a time. The VIP check takes priority: if a client is flagged VIP or meets the spend/visit threshold, they appear under VIP regardless of visit count.
"Returning" vs "Regular"
The Returning Rate metric card at the top of the client list counts clients with 2 or more visits. This overlaps with but is not identical to the Regular segment (3–9 visits). "Returning" is a metric, not a filterable segment.
Contact filters
Two additional filter chips narrow the list by contact data:
| Filter | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Has email | Clients with an email address on file |
| Has phone | Clients with a phone number on file |
These are useful when preparing campaigns — you can check how many clients in a segment are reachable by SMS or email.
Attention summary
Requires: Owner or manager role. Cadence items (Overdue, Due soon) require PRO.
An expandable banner appears above the search bar when clients need follow-up. The header reads "[count] clients need attention" (or "1 client needs attention"). Tap it to expand and see:
| Item | Icon | How it is counted | Tappable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overdue | AlertTriangle (red) | Clients past their expected rebooking cadence. Requires 3 + completed visits. PRO only. | Yes — filters to cadence view |
| Due soon | Clock | Clients within ±1 week of their expected rebooking cadence. Requires 3 + completed visits. PRO only. | Yes — filters to cadence view |
| Birthdays this week | Cake | Clients whose birthday falls in the next 7 days. Must have email or phone on file. All plans. | No |
| New clients to follow up | UserPlus | Clients with exactly 1 visit in the last 72 hours. Must have email or phone. All plans. | Yes — filters to New segment |
Counts update each time you open the Clients page.
Cadence-based retention view (PRO)
When you tap the Overdue or Due Soon chip (either from the attention banner or the filter chips), the client list switches to the retention view.
What is visit cadence?
Visit cadence is the average interval between a client's completed bookings. OpenChair calculates it automatically:
- The system takes all completed bookings for the client, sorted by date.
- It calculates the interval (in weeks) between each consecutive pair of visits.
- It computes the arithmetic mean of those intervals — this is the client's cadence.
- It compares the time since the client's last visit against that cadence.
Example: A client has visited every 4 weeks on average. Their last visit was 6 weeks ago. They are 2 weeks past their expected visit → Overdue.
Cadence status definitions
| Status | Badge colour | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Overdue | Red (destructive) | More than 1 week past their expected visit date |
| Due Soon | Amber (warning) | Within 1 week before or after their expected visit date |
| On Track | Green (success) | More than 1 week before their expected visit date |
Note
Cadence tracking requires at least 3 completed visits per client. Clients with fewer visits do not appear in the retention view — their visit history is too short to establish a pattern.
Retention view tabs
Three tabs let you filter by cadence status. Each tab shows the count in its label:
| Tab | Example | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Overdue (5) | Clients past their expected visit window | Most urgent — sorted by how far overdue, then by last visit date (oldest first), then by spend (highest first) |
| Due Soon (3) | Clients approaching their expected visit window | Sorted the same way |
| On Track (28) | Clients within their normal cycle | Lowest urgency |
Retention metrics
A stats row at the top of the retention view shows three venue-wide metrics:
| Metric | Format | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat rate | Percentage (e.g. "68%") | Percentage of clients with more than 1 visit out of all clients who have visited at least once |
| Average cycle | Days (e.g. "28d") | Mean visit cadence across all eligible clients |
| Average LTV | Currency (e.g. "$450") | Mean lifetime spend across all clients who have visited |
Per-client row
Each row in the retention view shows:
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Name | Sarah Mitchell |
| Cadence badge | "Overdue" (red) |
| Last visit | "Last: 15 Mar" (mobile) or "Last visit: 15 Mar 2026" (web) |
| Average cycle | "Cycle: 28d" (mobile) or "Average cycle: 28 days" (web) |
| Favourite service | "Hair Colour" (truncated on mobile) |
On web, expanding a row reveals additional detail:
- Preferred staff — the team member this client books with most often, or "No clear preference"
- Reliability — completion rate label (e.g. "Perfect attendance", "1 cancellation", "2 no-shows — deposit recommended")
- Contact — phone and email, or "No contact method on file"
- Suggestions — AI-powered re-engagement actions (see below)
Staff filter
If your venue has two or more active staff members, a dropdown appears at the top of the retention view:
- Default: All staff
- Select a team member to see only clients whose preferred staff matches that person.
The preferred staff is the team member who has completed the most bookings with that client.
Counts and metrics update to reflect the filtered population.
Re-engagement from the retention view
Suggested actions (PRO)
When you expand a client row on web or tap a client in the retention view, personalised follow-up suggestions may appear:
| Suggestion type | Icon | Example title |
|---|---|---|
| Overdue | Clock | "Time to reconnect" |
| Birthday | Cake | "Happy birthday from us!" |
| New client follow-up | UserPlus | "Great to meet you!" |
| VIP milestone | Trophy | "A little thank-you" |
| Cadence slowing | TrendingDown | "We miss you!" |
Each suggestion has Send SMS and Send Email buttons. Tapping one generates an AI-drafted message that you can review and edit before sending. After sending, the card shows a green "SMS sent" or "Email sent" confirmation.
If an automation (e.g. reconnect automation) is already handling that type of follow-up, the card shows "Automation is already handling this follow-up." instead of send buttons.
Buttons are disabled if the client has no phone number (for SMS) or no email (for email).
Reconnect automation
For hands-off re-engagement, OpenChair offers automated reconnect campaigns that send messages to inactive clients on a schedule. Reconnect automation:
- Sends messages daily around 9 am in your venue's local timezone
- Supports up to 5 waves (e.g. a 6-week nudge, then a 12-week check-in)
- Tracks clicks and bookings so you can see conversion rates
- Respects a 30-day cooldown between sends to the same client
- Honours customer opt-outs and Do Not Disturb hours
Reconnect automation is configured separately from the retention view — go to Engage → Automations on web, or Settings → Reconnect Settings on mobile.
Best practices
1. Check the attention summary weekly
The banner surfaces time-sensitive items — overdue clients, upcoming birthdays, and new clients within their first 72 hours. A quick weekly check ensures nothing slips through.
2. Focus on Overdue first
Overdue clients have already drifted past their normal cycle. They are the highest-risk group for churn. Start your retention efforts here.
3. Use the staff filter for team accountability
Filter the retention view by staff member during team meetings. Each stylist or therapist can see which of their regulars are overdue and take ownership of follow-up.
4. Let automation handle the first touch
Enable reconnect automation for a first-wave nudge (e.g. 6 weeks), then use the retention view for clients who did not respond to the automated message.
5. Watch the repeat rate metric
A healthy repeat rate varies by business type, but tracking it over time tells you whether your retention efforts are working. If it drops, investigate which segment is churning.
Tip
Clients who respond to a re-engagement message and rebook will automatically move from Overdue or Due Soon back to On Track after their next completed visit.
Empty states
| Context | Message |
|---|---|
| No cadence data yet (first time opening retention view) | "No retention signals yet. Client retention appears after customers build visit history. Clients need 3 completed visits before cadence risk is meaningful." |
| Tab selected but no clients match | "No clients match this filter." (with Clear filter button if a staff filter is active) |
| FREE venue opens cadence view | "Unlock client retention insights — At-risk clients, visit cadence, and re-engagement messages are available on the PRO plan." |
| Error loading retention data | "Couldn't load retention view. Check your connection and try again." (with Try again button) |
Platform differences
| Feature | Web | Mobile (phone) | Mobile (tablet) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attention summary | Expandable banner above search | Expandable banner above search | Expandable banner above search |
| Cadence filter chips | Inline with segment chips | Inline with segment chips | Inline with segment chips |
| Retention view layout | Inline in customer list, expandable rows | Replaces list with "← Back to all clients" bar | Replaces list with back bar |
| Per-client detail | Expandable row with suggestions | Tap to navigate to client profile | Tap to open detail panel |
| Staff filter | Dropdown in retention header | Dropdown in retention header | Dropdown in retention header |
| Metrics row | "68% repeat rate · 28 days avg cycle · $450 avg LTV" | "68% repeat · 28d cycle · $450 LTV" | "68% repeat · 28d cycle · $450 LTV" |
| Suggested actions | Inline in expanded row | In client profile | In client profile |
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Client does not appear in the retention view | The client needs at least 3 completed visits for cadence tracking. Check their booking history — are past bookings marked Completed (not just Confirmed)? |
| Overdue count seems wrong | Cadence is computed from the client's personal visit pattern, not a fixed interval. A client who visits every 8 weeks is not overdue at 5 weeks. Open their profile to see their exact cadence. |
| Attention banner is not showing | The banner only appears for owners and managers. If you are logged in as a team member, you will not see it. Cadence items also require PRO. |
| "Unlock client retention insights" message | The cadence-based retention view requires a PRO subscription. Segment chips (New / Regular / VIP), birthday counts, and new client follow-up counts are available on all plans. |
| Staff filter shows no results | The selected staff member may not be any client's preferred provider. Clear the filter to see all clients, then check whether that staff member has completed enough bookings. |
| Client is still showing as Overdue after rebooking | Cadence status updates when the booking is marked Completed, not when it is created. The client will move to On Track after their appointment is completed. |
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Last updated: March 2026