If you run a fitness or wellness business, you have clients. And when you have clients, you need a check-in process. But what makes a good check-in experience? And is your current process everything it could be? In this workbook, we’ll dig into checking in and break down our top tips for designing the perfect check-in set up using WellnessLiving. 📚✨

WellnessLiving offers a suite of options for delivering a fast and seamless check-in experience for your clients and staff. Determining the best option for your business depends on factors such as the types of services offered, the technology and hardware you own, and your whether staff is available to oversee client check-ins.

Each check-in option is customizable to reflect your business or service-specific needs through Booking Policies and in-app settings.

Here’s a quick glance at our favorite available check-in methods and where you can access each.

Overview: The Self Check-In App can be installed and set up on a dedicated tablet in an accessible location, and can optionally be attached to a barcode scanner so that clients can scan in as they arrive. The app shares all of the benefits of and reflects the same settings preferences of the Self Check-In Web Kiosk, but allows staff members to remain signed in indefinitely, relieving any concern about automatic sign outs due to inactivity.

When to Use: The Self Check-In App enables clients to check in for any type of service, unlike the Attendance Web Kiosk which only supports check-ins for classes or events. Another key distinction is that the Self Check-In App requires clients to sign in before service selection, whereas the Attendance Web Kiosk requires clients to verify the service they are attending before checking in.

User Story: During peak hours at a fitness studio, clients arrive for a range of different types of services, from yoga to personal training. The front desk staff remain very busy during this time, handling a steady stream of client inquiries and transactions. That’s no problem for students arriving for classes and personal training sessions. They easily check themselves in to the appropriate service using the tablets with the Self Check-In App mounted near the front desk. The result: a hassle-free experience for clients and a more manageable workload for staff.

After installing the Self Check-In App on the iOS App Store or Google Play Store, complete the following:

Overview: The Self Check-In Web Kiosk is the web-based version of our new Self Check-In App. Like the new downloadable app, the Self Check-In Kiosk can be set up by a staff member on a tablet and can be attached to a barcode scanner in an accessible location so that clients can check in as they arrive. Unlike the new app, the Self Check-In Kiosk can alternatively be set up on a desktop computer or laptop, and it is accessed through the Desktop Staff Back Office. Staff can customize the Self Check-In Web Kiosk with the business logo and define check-in policies.

When to use: If you offer services other than classes and events, and you’d like clients to check themselves in by scanning their barcode or identifying themselves on a dedicated device, then the Self Check-In Web Kiosk is another great check-in method for you.

To set up the Self Check-In Web Kiosk, complete the following:

Overview: Clients can autonomously check themselves in to sessions on their personal device using the Achieve Client App, reducing the workload of staff and eliminating lineups at the front desk.

When to use: If you’d like clients to check themselves in without staff oversight on their own personal device, this is the check-in method for you.

User Story: A health clinic has a small waiting area and prioritizes patient safety, especially during flu season. They ask their clients to check in using the Achieve Client App while waiting in their car to let staff know they’ve arrived. When their appointment time comes, the receptionist gives the client a call to enter the clinic.

Overview: The Attendance Web Kiosk can be set up on a desktop or tablet device to facilitate clients checking in to classes or events. There are a variety of customizable settings available for the Attendance Web Kiosk, including whether clients can check in unpaid, whether drop-ins are accepted, the window of time before and after a service that a client can check in, and more. Staff oversight is optional.

When to use: If you offer classes or events at your studio and want clients to check themselves in on a dedicated device via the class attendance list, this is the check-in method for you.

User Story: A gymnastics club has multiple group classes running simultaneously in different parts of the gym. When students arrive, they look for their name under the class and check themselves in. Parents can easily check in their children without needing to find the child’s barcode or client ID.

To set up and use the Attendance Web Kiosk, complete the following:

Overview: When connected to a barcode scanner, QUICK Auto Check-In enables front desk staff to easily monitor check-in for clients using a key tag or the barcode found on the Achieve Client App. Upon scanning in, the client’s profile will pop up on the computer screen, allowing staff to verify the client’s identity. Additionally, staff can quickly reference any alerts, administrative notes, or celebrations on the client’s account, providing an extra level of personalization to each interaction.

When to use: If staff members need to access the client’s Profile Page upon check-in, then this is the check-in method for you. Staff can continue to access the Staff Back Office on the same desktop device in between client arrivals.

User Story: Even during peak hours, clients at a thriving body-building gym are greeted with a smile from front desk staff as they walk through the door. Clients are trained to open the Achieve Client App on their phones and scan their personal barcode at one of the scanners mounted by the desk. If a staff member needs to assist another person or step away for a moment, clients are still able to check themselves in using the barcode scanner. This ensures a smooth check-in experience for clients and staff alike.

To setup QUICK Auto Check-In in WellnessLiving, complete the following:

Overview: Front desk staff are able to manually check clients in using the Staff Back Office on a desktop computer.

When to use: If you prefer staff members to check clients in to services, this is the check-in method for you.

User Story: A massage studio has front desk staff that greets clients when they walk in. After checking the client in, staff are able to inform the massage therapist of the client’s arrival and review service details and administrative notes to swiftly prepare the room.

There are two ways to check in a client using the Staff Back Office on desktop – either from the Schedule page or the client’s Profile Page. When there are numerous concurrent appointments, it may be easier to check clients in directly from their Profile.

To check-in a client from the Schedule page, complete the following:

To check-in a client from the client’s Profile Page, complete the following:

Overview: Staff members are able to use the Elevate Staff App to check clients in, effectively eliminating lineups at the front desk and enabling them to tend to other needs around the studio uninterrupted.

When to use: If your business does not have dedicated front desk staff and you want other staff members such as class instructors or personal trainers to conveniently check clients in on their personal device, this is the check-in method for you.

User Story: A small Pilates studio offers private appointments and small group equipment classes with no more than 6 people per class. They don’t have a dedicated front desk staff, so they have trained their Pilates instructors to check in clients from their personal cell phones using the Elevate staff app.

After installing the Elevate Staff App, check clients in by doing the following:

Where to access: Click the App Drawer > Reports > Attendance > Check-Ins.

Overview: The Check-Ins Report provides a convenient overview of essential check-in details. Featuring customizable filters and views, this report presents client and service data, along with the check-in method employed. It serves as a simple method to monitor who visited your business within the specified date range.

User Story: At a class-based yoga studio, clients check in for their classes using kiosks located near the front desk area. Meanwhile, the instructor prepares the room and accesses an auto-updating Check-Ins report on a tablet. This report displays the list of clients who have checked in for the class, allowing the instructor to personally greet them as they enter the studio. If a client’s check-in attempt was unsuccessful, she can redirect them to the check-in kiosk to try again before class starts.