Using Customer Tags Effectively

Client tags are colored labels you can attach to customer profiles for instant visual identification. Rather than reading through notes or reviewing purchase history to understand who a customer is, tags let you see at a glance that someone is a VIP, a wholesale buyer, or a customer who needs special attention. This article covers everything you need to know about assigning tags, building a tag strategy that works for your team, and maintaining tags over time so they remain useful.

What Are Client Tags?

A client tag is a short text label with a custom background color. Tags appear as small colored badges on the customer profile, giving your staff immediate context about the customer without needing to dig through records. Tags are internal only — they are never printed on invoices, receipts, or any customer-facing documents, so you can use candid labels like "At Risk" or "Difficult" without concern.

Tags are created and managed through the CRM Settings area, and then assigned to individual customers through the Customer form. A single customer can have multiple tags, and the same tag can be applied to as many customers as needed.

Assigning Tags to a Customer

To assign tags to a customer, follow these steps:

1. Open the Customer form by double-clicking a customer from the customer list, or by searching for the customer name.
2. Navigate to the Customer Info tab (this is the first tab and is selected by default).
3. In the CRM Settings group on the right side of the form, click the Tags button.
4. The Tag Assignment dialog opens. It displays a list of all active tags, each with a checkbox and a preview of the tag's color.
5. Check the box next to each tag you want to assign. Uncheck any tag you want to remove.
6. Click Save to apply your changes.

Once saved, the assigned tags appear as colored badges on the customer profile. Every staff member who opens this customer record will see the same tags, ensuring consistent communication across your team.

Assigning Multiple Tags

There is no limit to how many tags you can assign to a single customer. For example, a customer could be tagged as both "VIP" and "Wholesale" if they are a high-value business-to-business account. However, keep in mind that assigning too many tags to a single customer can reduce clarity. If a customer has seven or eight tags, the visual impact is diluted and staff may stop reading them. Aim for one to three tags per customer for maximum effectiveness.

Recommended Tag Strategies

The tags you create should reflect the classifications that matter most to your business. Below are several proven tag strategies that work well across a variety of industries.

VIP Customers

• Tag Name: VIP
• Suggested Color: Gold (#FFD700)
• Purpose: Identifies high-value customers who deserve premium service.
• When to Assign: Customers with large purchase histories, repeat buyers who generate significant revenue, or accounts that are strategically important to your business.
• How It Helps: When a staff member opens a VIP customer's profile and sees the gold badge, they immediately know to provide top-tier service, prioritize requests, and handle any issues with extra care.

At Risk Customers

• Tag Name: At Risk
• Suggested Color: Red (#FF4444)
• Purpose: Alerts staff to customers showing signs of disengagement.
• When to Assign: Customers whose purchase frequency has declined, those who have filed complaints, accounts with overdue payments, or customers who have not been contacted in a long time.
• How It Helps: The red badge serves as a visual alarm. It tells your sales team that this customer needs proactive attention — a follow-up call, a special offer, or simply a check-in to address any concerns before the customer leaves.

New Customer

• Tag Name: New Customer
• Suggested Color: Green (#4CAF50)
• Purpose: Identifies recently acquired customers who may need extra guidance.
• When to Assign: Customers who have been added within the last 30 to 90 days, or customers who have placed only one or two orders.
• How It Helps: New customers form their impression of your business during the first few interactions. The green badge reminds staff to provide onboarding-level service: explaining processes, offering tours, and ensuring a positive first impression. Remove this tag once the customer is established.

Priority

• Tag Name: Priority
• Suggested Color: Orange (#FF9800)
• Purpose: Flags customers who need immediate or special attention right now.
• When to Assign: Customers with pending large orders, escalated issues, time-sensitive requests, or ongoing negotiations.
• How It Helps: Unlike "VIP" which is a long-term status, "Priority" is a temporary flag that signals urgency. Staff seeing an orange badge know to handle this customer's needs before routine tasks. Remove the tag once the urgent situation is resolved.

Wholesale

• Tag Name: Wholesale
• Suggested Color: Blue (#2196F3)
• Purpose: Distinguishes B2B customers who may have different pricing, payment terms, or service levels.
• When to Assign: Business customers who buy in bulk, resellers, or accounts with negotiated pricing.
• How It Helps: The blue badge instantly tells staff that this customer operates under different rules than a typical retail customer. Pricing, discounts, minimum order quantities, and payment terms may all differ. Staff can adjust their approach accordingly.

Creating Custom Tags for Your Business

Beyond the strategies above, think about what specific classifications your team needs. Here are additional ideas:

To create a new tag, go to the CRM menu and select Manage Client Tags. Click Add, enter the tag name, select a color, and save. The tag immediately becomes available for assignment on any customer profile.

Best Practices for Tag Management

Tags are only useful if your team maintains them consistently. Follow these best practices to keep your tagging system effective:

Keep the Number of Tags Manageable

Aim for 8 to 12 active tags at most. If you have 25 tags, staff will forget what half of them mean, and the system loses its value as a quick-reference tool. Each tag should represent a classification that staff encounter regularly.

Use Distinct Colors

Avoid using similar shades for different tags. If both "VIP" and "Priority" are orange, staff will confuse them. Choose colors that are visually distinct from one another. The recommended colors in the strategies above were chosen specifically to be easy to tell apart.

Review Tag Assignments Quarterly

Set a reminder to review your tag assignments every quarter. Customers change over time: a "New Customer" from six months ago is no longer new, an "At Risk" customer may have re-engaged, and a "Priority" flag from a resolved issue should have been removed. Stale tags create confusion and erode trust in the system.

Train All Staff on Tag Meanings

Every employee who interacts with customers should know what each tag means and what behavior it implies. Document your tag definitions and review them during onboarding. If a new hire sees a gold "VIP" badge but does not know it means premium service, the tag has no effect.

Remove Tags When No Longer Relevant

Tags should reflect the customer's current status, not their history. If a situation has changed, update the tags accordingly. A customer tagged "At Risk" who has since renewed their account and placed several orders should have that tag removed.

Important Notes About Tags

• Tags are visible only within AccuArk on the customer form. They are never shared with customers, never printed on documents, and never included in emails.
• Tags are organization-wide. All users at all locations see the same tags on a customer profile.
• Tags are free-form labels, not data filters. You cannot currently run a report filtered by tag. Tags are designed for visual identification, not for querying.
• Deleting a tag from CRM Settings removes it from all customers who had it assigned.

What to Read Next

• Managing Client Tags — How to create, edit, and delete tags in CRM Settings
• Customer Profile & Information — Overview of the Customer Info tab where tags are displayed