How to replace plastic membership cards with digital cards

Write down where you use cards today: at the bar, on club nights, for member discounts or for access to particular sessions. Ask the staff doing those checks what slows them down. A member number printed on a phone may look familiar, but it does not tell staff whether the membership is still active.

Separate membership checks from event admission. A club member might still need to have booked for the annual dinner, and a non-member guest might legitimately be on the list. Decide which check the door team needs on each occasion. Do not make staff infer that from a card colour.

Give one committee member responsibility for the working list. Resolve duplicate entries, former members and unclear membership categories before inviting people to claim a card. Decide who can approve a join request and who handles a disputed status at the door.

• Confirm which record belongs to each existing member.
• Check names and membership status against the club’s own records.
• Agree how membership changes reach the person managing cards.
• Choose a named contact for members who cannot sign in.

The launch is also a good moment to decide what staff actually need to see. Keep routine door checks focused on identity and membership status rather than opening the full membership directory.

Choose a handful of members with different phones and levels of confidence. Include someone who normally needs help with new apps. Test the complete journey: join or claim access, obtain approval, sign in, open the card and present it to the person checking membership.

Do this at the real entrance. Check lighting, the camera and the network connection. Test what happens when a member presents an old card after a replacement has been issued. Agree a manual escalation process for a flat battery, a missing phone or a record that needs investigation.

Do not assume a digital-card launch must coincide with renewal day. A smaller rollout gives the committee time to correct confusing instructions. Explain whether joining the new app changes membership status or simply gives access to an existing membership.

1. Tell members why the card is changing and when they can start using it.
2. Give them the club’s approved joining instructions and the contact for help.
3. Check and approve requests against the existing membership list.
4. Help members sign in and find the card before they reach the queue.
5. Record unresolved cases and follow them up before the next busy event.

Choose a transition period explicitly. If you continue accepting plastic cards, tell staff what supporting check to make and when that temporary arrangement ends. Keep an agreed alternative for members who cannot use a smartphone.

Replace every bracketed item before sending. Keep this message separate from an event promotion so members can find the instructions later.

Count how many members could open their card without help, how many requests are still unresolved and what caused delays at the door. A successful launch is a process staff can repeat, not simply a large number of invitations sent.

Keep the support contact visible and explain what to do after changing phones. Review committee permissions at handover so issuing and checking cards does not depend on one departing volunteer.

Comnly provides digital membership cards linked to club membership records. Share the club join link or QR sign-up poster, review requests and help approved adult members download the iOS or Android app and sign in. Members can use their in-app card, with wallet export as an optional convenience. Live membership-card checks need an internet connection.

Use the free card maker to show the committee a design first. Its download is a preview, not a credential. The app also supports club push notifications, so onboarding can help members find both their card and the updates they came to the club for. See the member communication guide for planning those updates.