Onboarding Checklists

Overview

Onboarding moves a Club from signed SOW to go-live through a phased process that varies by Tier. Basic and Basic+ Clubs run on a four-phase software-only path; Pro and Autonomous Clubs add a Phase 3 hardware install with the Club's general contractor and subcontractors. Use the checklist that matches the Club's Tier — each one breaks down PodPlay's responsibilities, the Club's responsibilities, final verification, and the most common pitfalls that delay go-live.

Pick the Checklist for Your Tier

• Basic Tier Onboarding Checklist — Software configuration, optional Terminal/POS, staff training. Four phases, roughly five to six weeks. No App store submission, no on-site hardware install.
• Basic+ Tier Onboarding Checklist — Everything in Basic plus iOS and Android App store submission. Four phases, roughly five to six weeks. No on-site hardware install.
• Pro Tier Onboarding Checklist — Everything in Basic+ plus on-site hardware install of door lock controls, Terminal/POS, Scoreboards, and Replay cameras. Five phases, roughly four to five months. GC and subcontractor coordination required.
• Autonomous Tier Onboarding Checklist — The full PodPlay deployment: door lock controls, Scoreboards, Replay cameras, security cameras, and Automated Voice Downs, with a joint Slack channel and Customer migration support. Five phases, roughly four to five months.

What's Shared Across Every Tier

Every onboarding includes the same foundation regardless of Tier.

Phases 1, 2, and Final

• Phase 1: Initial Steps (7 Days) — Intake forms, introductions, and account provisioning.
• Phase 2: Training & Configuration (14 Days) — Software configuration, staff training, and environment setup.
• Go-Live Preparation (14 Days) — Final system checks, staff readiness validation, and pre-launch coordination.
• Post-Opening Support (Ongoing) — Continued monitoring, optimization, and dedicated support. Pro and Autonomous Tiers insert Phase 3: Hardware Install & Testing (60–90 Days) between Training and Go-Live Preparation.

Common Responsibilities

• Intake forms covering software configuration, design and branding, App specifications, Membership structure and pricing, and optional Terminal setup.
• Initial environment walkthrough, Membership presale coordination (if applicable), and go-live readiness calls with PodPlay CS.
• Staff completion of the relevant PodPlay Academy courses before go-live readiness calls.
• Final verification: dates solidified, system configured, staff trained, design artifacts placed.

New Club vs. Existing Club Migration

The same checklist applies whether the Club is brand new or migrating from another platform. Migrating Clubs add steps for exporting the existing Customer list, importing it into PodPlay, and notifying Customers when to switch to the new App. The CSV needs first name, last name, email, phone, and (if migrating Memberships) Membership name, price, billing cycle, and next charge date. Credit card data does not migrate unless the Club is already on Stripe. confirm this with the CSM in Phase 1.

Training and Support

The PodPlay Academy is the primary training resource and answers most questions Owners, GMs, and staff bring to onboarding. Take the relevant courses before live training sessions so the time with the Customer Success team is spent on Club-specific questions rather than fundamentals. To schedule a live training session, email [e-mail].

The PodPlay Academy has been hailed as one of the most thorough onboarding courses by Club Owners, General Managers, and staff. Many of the individuals who have shared their feedback have worked at the largest companies in the world (Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 organizations). If you are a Club Owner or General Manager and would like to hold a training session with the Customer Success team, reach out by email to [e-mail]. To make the most of the training session, take the PodPlay Academy courses first. They will answer many questions. If any questions remain, bring them to the training session.