Class passes online: what a pass system can do for your studio

An online class pass is a bundle of prepaid sessions from which the booking system deducts one per booking, while keeping track of the expiry. In GrabTheSlot it comes with the Session passes add-on (price on the Add-ons page). The pass belongs to the client’s e-mail address — no account needed.

Which passes can you set up?

Any session-count pass: you set how many sessions it’s worth, how long it’s valid, what it costs and what it covers. You save this once as a pass template and issue passes to clients from it.

A few examples of what you can set up this way:

• General pass: 10 sessions for 90 days, for any class.
• Pass for certain classes: 8 sessions, but only for small-group training and Hot Pilates — not personal training.
• Service pass: 5 sessions of the 60-minute massage.
• Trial pass: 2 sessions for 14 days, for new clients.

A template can be switched off if you don’t sell it out of season, and archived; passes already issued stay valid.

How does a client get their pass?

You issue it in the admin to the client’s name and e-mail address, and the client gets a confirmation by e-mail — with the QR check-in add-on, including the pass QR code. You sell the pass the way you always do — at the desk, by bank transfer — and the system does the tracking and redemption.

If a client already has a pass from a previous system or on paper, you can add that too: you enter how many sessions have been used (say 3 of 8, leaving 5) and the original expiry date. Such a carried-over pass is recorded at 0, because the money came in earlier — so revenue isn’t counted twice.

How does a client redeem their pass?

Automatically when booking online; when the client arrives without a booking, you deduct the session — by hand in the admin or, with the QR check-in add-on, by scanning the pass QR code. Either way, exactly one session is deducted.

When booking online, the client enters their e-mail address and the system checks automatically whether they have a pass valid for this booking. If so, the booking goes on the pass: the client sees this before booking, with the number of sessions left, and can remove the pass if they don’t want to use it. This works for services, classes and resources (courts, rooms). If you require online payment, it’s waived for bookings covered by a pass.

On arrival without a booking, the client gives their name or e-mail address and you click “Deduct one session” (“−1”) next to their pass on the Passes page — that always works, even without QR. With the QR check-in add-on you scan the pass QR code on the Pass check-in page with your device’s camera instead (or type the pass ID). The system shows whose pass it is and how many sessions remain; the session is deducted after a confirmation step, and if the client already booked with the pass today, the scanner warns you so nothing is deducted twice. This also covers bookings you create yourself in the admin.

If a client has several passes (say a class pass and a massage pass), the system always uses the one valid for the booking, and among those the one that expires first. One booking covers one person: with a pass, the client books only their own spot.

Does a fixed weekly spot work with a pass?

Yes: with recurring enrollment the client automatically has a spot at every session, and each booked session deducts exactly one from their pass. This needs the Recurring enrollment add-on.

The client can enroll themselves on the booking page (“Every week — subscribe”), or you add them on the class page and pick their pass — only their passes valid for that class are offered. When the pass runs out, the enrollment pauses, the client gets an e-mail, and their already booked sessions stay. It continues with a new or topped-up pass.

The recurring booking for services (for example 8 weeks ahead at the same time) works differently: nothing is deducted in advance; the session is deducted on arrival — by hand in the admin or, with QR check-in, by scanning.

What happens on cancellation and expiry?

On cancellation, the pass template decides whether the session comes back; before expiry and at the last session the client gets an automatic e-mail.

• Cancellation. If enabled in the template, the session comes back when a booking is cancelled — for the client’s own cancellation only within the cancellation deadline. Sessions deducted in advance by recurring enrollment always come back.
• Expiry. Five days before expiry, the client gets a reminder if sessions are left.
• Used up. When the last session is used, they get a message too — a good moment for the next pass.
• Notice at booking. You can add your own text for bookings with and without a pass (e.g. “without a pass you pay on site”); the client sees the matching one before booking.

How do you keep track of sold passes?

In one list: client, pass, remaining and total sessions, expiry and status (active, used up, expired, cancelled). No separate spreadsheet needed.

From the list you can deduct a session, open a pass’s QR code (with QR check-in, if the client lost the e-mail), change remaining sessions and expiry afterwards (a typo, an extension for illness, goodwill) and cancel a pass. The client isn’t e-mailed about changes automatically, so let them know.

Common mistakes with class passes online

• Restricted, but nothing selected. Such a pass can’t be redeemed anywhere. GrabTheSlot flags this when saving; select the right classes or choose “Any”.
• Different e-mail addresses on pass and booking. The system won’t link them. Ask the client which address they book with.
• Adding old passes at full value. You give away sessions. Enter the sessions already used instead.
• Recurring booking for weekly classes. The series ends and the pass isn’t deducted in advance. Recurring enrollment is meant for classes.

When is an online class pass not the right fit?

If almost all your clients train on a monthly unlimited membership, a session-count system isn’t your model. GrabTheSlot currently handles session-count passes; time-based (monthly unlimited) and weekly-quota memberships are not supported.

• If clients need to buy the pass online. You issue the pass; there’s no online pass purchase on the booking page.
• If several people share one pass. The online pass belongs to one e-mail address, and one booking covers one person.
• If almost everyone buys single tickets. With only a few passes a notebook is enough; a system saves time once tracking the passes is work in itself.