Autonomous Tier Checklist

Overview

The Autonomous Tier onboarding follows a five-phase process spanning roughly four to five months from SOW signature to go-live, covering full environment configuration, App store submission, on-site hardware install, integration testing, and post-launch support. This checklist captures the responsibilities for both PodPlay and the Club's team across each phase.

Onboarding Timeline

The five phases are sequenced to build momentum and keep deliverables on track.

Phase 1: Initial Steps (7 Days)

Intake forms, introductions, and account provisioning. PodPlay establishes the foundation and aligns on goals with the Club.

Phase 2: Training & Configuration (14 Days)

Software configuration, staff training sessions, and environment setup. The Club's team gets hands-on with PodPlay through Academy courses and live walkthroughs.

Phase 3: Hardware Install & Testing (60–90 Days)

On-site hardware installation, integration testing, and quality assurance with the Club's general contractor and subcontractors (AV, LV, Electrical, Locksmith).

Phase 4: Go-Live Preparation (14 Days)

Final system checks, staff readiness validation, and pre-launch coordination to ensure a smooth opening day.

Phase 5: Post-Opening Support (Ongoing)

Continued monitoring, optimization, and dedicated support as the Club gets up and running.

PodPlay Responsibilities

Customer Success

• Receive and process all intake forms
• Build and share the Club's PodPlay environment
• Set up a joint Slack channel for real-time communication
• Complete full environment configuration
• Solidify Membership presale dates (if applicable)
• Confirm and communicate Club open dates
• Share all relevant support materials and documentation
• Migration completed (if applicable)

Operations & IT

• Introductions to the Club's GC and all subcontractors
• Configure and ship all PodPlay hardware
• Confirm hardware shipping point of contact and address
• Conduct install coordination call with the Club's GC
• Perform quality assurance call with GC, Owners, and GM

Client Responsibilities

The following tasks belong to the Club's team. Completing these promptly keeps the timeline on track.

Intake Forms

• Software configuration details
• Design preferences and branding assets
• iOS and Android App specifications
• Membership structure and pricing
• Terminal setup (optional)
• Monitoring requirements

Introductions

• PodPlay CS to General Manager and staff — establish primary points of contact for software and training
• PodPlay Ops/IT to GC and subcontractors — connect PodPlay's technical team with AV, LV, Electrical, and Locksmith vendors

Key Meetings with PodPlay CS

• Initial environment configuration and system walkthrough
• Membership presale coordination (if applicable)
• Go-live readiness calls

Key Meetings with PodPlay Ops/IT

• Install coordination and support call with the Club's GC
• Quality Assurance call with GC, Owners, and GM
• Send the GC the Installer Completion Form

Final Verification

Both checks must clear before go-live.

Software Check

• Dates solidified (presale and open date / go-live)
• System configured (access to Dashboard)
• Staff familiarity confirmed (staff has completed the Academy courses)
• Design artifacts placed (QR codes, signs, and posters)
• Migration complete (Customer Profiles and Membership info)

Hardware Check

• Club access granted to door lock controls with the ability to add more users
• Scoreboards (buttons and kiosk) working
• Replay and security cameras working
• Automated Voice Downs installed and working

Common Pitfalls

These are the most frequent causes of slipped go-live dates on the Autonomous Tier. Flag any of these early during weekly check-ins.

• Intake forms returned incomplete or late. Missing software configuration, branding assets, or Membership pricing blocks environment configuration. PodPlay CS will flag gaps as forms come in. Fill out the intake forms in a timely manner so your environment can be spun up rapidly.
• App store submission delays. Apple and Google reviews can take one to two weeks, longer if the App is rejected and resubmitted. Your Club's environment must also be up and running (not live for bookings) before an App can be submitted. Apple rejections most often hit on Terms of Service and Privacy Policy not being available on the Club's website, so prepare those before submission.
• GC/Installer not responding in an orderly fashion. Without proper coordination, PodPlay Ops/IT cannot close out the QA call and sign off on hardware. Your GC is your backbone during installation, ensure they're fit for your needs.
• GC schedule slips delaying Phase 3 install. Construction overruns push the install window, which compresses Phase 4 testing. Build buffer into the open date and ask the GC for written schedule confirmation before hardware ships.
• Hardware shipment delays. Carrier delays, peak-season backlogs, and incorrect shipping addresses add days to Phase 3. Confirm the shipping point of contact and address early in Phase 1 and track the shipment from PodPlay Ops/IT directly.
• Subcontractor handoff gaps. AV, LV, and Electrical vendors arriving out of sequence stall hardware install. Get all four vendor contacts to PodPlay Ops/IT as early as possible, not after the hardware arrives.
• Site infrastructure not ready when hardware arrives. Missing power drops, network runs, or mounting prep means hardware sits unboxed until the GC catches up. The install coordination call covers this, make sure the GC attends and follows through.
• Terminal/POS setup decisions deferred. Terminal setup is optional on the intake form, but if the Club plans to use it, the decision should be made early enough to ship and connect the Terminal before go-live readiness calls.
• Academy courses not completed before go-live readiness. Staff who haven't taken the courses come to the Club's Grand Opening with questions that should already be answered. Set a hard deadline two weeks before opening.
• Membership presale dates pushed late. If the Club is running a presale, the dates need to be locked early so the environment, communications, and pricing are aligned. Late changes mean re-doing marketing collateral.
• Open date communication delays. Customers need lead time before the Club opens. Confirm the open date with PodPlay CS as soon as it's firm so support materials and Customer-facing communications go out on schedule.
• Design artifacts not placed before opening. QR codes, signs, and posters need to be on-site and visible on day one. Print and ship lead times can stretch; order during Phase 2.
• Membership structure decided too late. Late changes to pricing or perks cascade through the environment configuration and Customer-facing materials. Lock the structure as early as possible.

Both checklists, PodPlay's and the Club's, are tracked in the shared project timeline within the onboarding deck. Anything needing attention is flagged during check-ins. The Autonomous Tier includes the full hardware suite (door lock controls, Scoreboards, Replay cameras, security cameras, Automated Voice Downs). Phase 3 timing depends on the GC's construction schedule and subcontractor availability.

Staff Training Before Day 1

This recommended set-up on its own won't make day 1 smooth. Staff also need to know how to handle the most common situations before the doors open, and the PodPlay Academy is the fastest way to get them there. In the two to three weeks before opening, every staff employee who will sit or stand at the front desk complete the Manager and Staff course in the PodPlay Academy. Prioritize the modules covering:

• The Customer's Experience
• The Overview Page
• The Customer Page
• Reviewing Purchases

A few days before opening, your General Manager or Manager of the staff employees should run a short dry run against your live environment. Simulate a few Reservations, an Event check-in, and a Membership signup. This surfaces gaps before any real Customers walk in.

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 feedback 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 your Club's leadership and managers, 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.