How to make an Apple Wallet pass: for non techies

We all remember the panic of fumbling through a bag for a printed boarding pass while a queue of impatient travellers builds up behind us. The shift to digital wallet passes for air travel didn't just save paper, it’s fundamentally changed how we move through airports.

While we’ve grown used to this convenience for flights, the use of the wallet pass can extend far beyond the departure gate. Whether it's for loyalty programmes, memberships, or access credentials, digital passes are shifting how businesses interact with their customers.

The good news is that you don’t have to be a techie to create a wallet pass either. Whatever your level of knowledge, there are resources out there for businesses that want to include wallet passes within their services.

Why businesses need digital passes

There are a whole host of wallet pass benefits both to businesses and customers. We’re talking more than just physical card replacements: wallet passes can do so much more to improve customer satisfaction and reduce admin burden for businesses.

For businesses:

• Direct communication: You can send updates and messages straight to the lock screen.
• Instant updates: If a membership tier changes or a venue moves, the pass updates immediately without you needing to post a new card.
• Reduced waste: It cuts out the cost and environmental impact of printing and distributing plastic.
• Location awareness: You can set the pass to appear on the screen when the customer is near your building.

For customers:

• Less clutter: It removes the need to carry a bulky physical wallet.
• Zero maintenance: They don't need to request a replacement if they lose a card or their status changes.
• Instant access: It works directly from an iPhone or Apple Watch.
• Contextual: The pass appears exactly when they need it, so they aren't digging through apps to find it.

Getting started: wallet passes for non-techies

Before we rush into the technical side of things, we need to pause and look at the strategy. A digital tool is only as good as the problem it solves, so we need to be clear about what we are building and why.

1. Define your pass purpose

Begin by determining exactly what you want your pass to accomplish. There are several business scenarios where wallet passes can be of benefit, these include:

• Loyalty cards: Track points, rewards, and customer status.
• Membership cards: Provide identification and entry privileges.
• Event tickets: Grant entry to specific venues or experiences.
• Access cards: Enable guests and users to open doors and enter rooms with just the tap of a phone.

If you’re replacing existing physical cards, keep in mind that a pass can do much more - and you should look to embrace capabilities of the wallet pass to create something much better - a better experience for your users.

2. Map out the customer journey

It’s always good to put yourself in your customers' shoes to understand how they can use the wallet pass to interact with your brand throughout the day. It may well bring to light some more use cases for wallet passes, or new ideas for improving the customer experience:

• How will they initially obtain the pass?
• How will they know what to do when they have the pass?
• What information should be immediately visible?
• When should updates or notifications occur?
• How will the pass integrate with your existing loyalty or access systems?

The goal should be creating a seamless experience that both makes life easier for the customer and reduces the admin burden for your business.

3. Plan in the integration points

Most passes connect to existing business systems. If you’re already using cards, then this step will be quite straightforward. If you want new pass functionality, you’ll have to think where that data comes from and is stored. Possible platforms that can interact with your wallet passes:

• Customer relationship management (CRM) databases
• Management platform software
• Marketing automation platforms
• Booking and reservation systems

Each integration point requires careful planning to ensure data flows properly between systems including what needs to be updated on the pass and when.

4. Design your pass experience

This is where form meets function. A wallet pass represents your brand, but it also needs to work at a glance. We appreciate good industrial design, objects that just work. Stick to your brand colours and logo, but keep the front of the pass clean. Put the essential information where it can be seen instantly, and hide the secondary details on the back of the pass.

Your design should:

• Prominently feature your brand identity: think logo and brand colours.
• Feature clear RGB colour schemes.
• Include only essential information on the front (detailed info can appear on the back)
• Incorporate scannable barcodes or QR codes when necessary.
• Follow Apple's Human Interface Guidelines for passes.

Finding the right development partner

We get it, you’re all excited about wallet passes (we are too!) and you need someone to just get on with it. As a non-techie, you'll likely need to partner with specialised developers to create your Apple Wallet pass dream.

Whether you own some shops and want to digitise your loyalty programme or you manage a members-only club and want to streamline access control, Apple Wallet passes offer a new and modern digital solution.

How to get started

If you would like to issue wallet passes in your office, hotel, venue, or university, we would love to discuss your project.

Book a Demo Today

Get in touch with PassFlow and let us know what you need. We can discuss how to get these passes working for your business without the headache.