How do I check a tattoo studio’s aftercare and touch-up promises to clients?

Start with what clients are told. Ask for the aftercare sheet, the consent form and any wording about touch-ups, refunds or healing problems. Compare it with what artists actually say at the end of a session. If the paper and the practice differ, the practice is what clients remember.

Next, find out how touch-ups really work. Who does them, when, and at whose cost? Are they booked into the schedule, or squeezed in? If artists are paid by commission, ask whether a touch-up earns them anything. An unpaid fix can turn into a quiet grievance, and a freely given one can take chair time from paying work.

Then look for evidence. Ask for any record of complaints, infection concerns or disputes, and how each was settled. Read reviews for patterns about healing and follow-up. Ask what happens if an artist leaves, because a client may expect their former artist’s promises to be honoured by the studio. Decide in advance which of those promises you will keep as the new owner. Finally, think about reputation after the sale. Clients who feel a promise was broken tend to say so publicly, so plan how you will treat existing touch-up requests during the first weeks, and tell the artists so they can answer clients consistently.

Key takeaways

• Compare the written aftercare wording with what artists actually tell clients.
• Find out who performs touch-ups, when, and whether they are paid for it.
• Review complaints and ask which promises transfer when an artist leaves.