…unless it’s absolutely necessary – let’s explore the specific cases where it makes sense and what the best approach actually is.
Fewer Restrictions, More Value for Everyone
It may seem like a good idea to block certain customers from booking specific activities to prevent mistakes or confusion. However, our experience—gained from working with hundreds of different businesses, from sports centers to driving schools, from professionals to pet care facilities—shows that technical restrictions bring more disadvantages than benefits.
Every operational restriction leads to:
🔓 A significant loss of opportunities and flexibility
🔄 Increased complexity in daily management
🚫 Frustration for customers who feel excluded
Whether you’re using credits or subscriptions, the best approach is to allow all customers to book any activity available in your schedule.
Now, let’s see how using credits for all activities can be particularly advantageous.
The Benefit of Using Credits for Everything – From Lesson Packages to Credit Packages
When customers can freely book any activity, with no access barriers, the entire structure benefits.
📈 Higher average spending
Customers who know they can use their credits for any activity are naturally inclined to purchase larger packages.
It’s a simple psychological mechanism: More freedom of choice = Greater perceived value.
Additionally, larger packages can be incentivized with small discounts, increasing your immediate revenue without compromising service quality.
🤸 Higher participation
Customers with flexible credit usage are more likely to explore different activities.
Even those who join with a fixed idea (e.g., only attending evening classes) might try something new simply because they have time and find another session interesting.
This spontaneous behavior creates a more dynamic and engaged community.
📣 Built-in promotion
Whenever you introduce a new activity or service, it will be immediately visible to all your customers.
If their credits can be used across all services, they will be the first to notice and try it, often out of curiosity.
Example: A new class, a workshop, or even a special event (such as a themed dinner or a seminar) can be booked effortlessly because the credits they already purchased are valid for all activities.
😊 Happier customers
Freedom matters. If a customer tries a session and doesn’t enjoy it—maybe due to personal preferences or instructor compatibility—they won’t feel like they wasted money.
They can simply try something else, reducing frustration and lowering the risk of customer churn.
🔁 Better customer retention
When customers feel in control, they build trust in your business.
If they know they can switch between activities based on their schedule, preferences, or skill level, they develop a stronger connection with your service.
Flexibility fosters trust, and trust leads to long-term loyalty.
Read here an in-depth article on why selling credit packages is a winning strategy
And If I Really Need to Restrict Access?
There are cases where restrictions make sense, but they must be genuinely necessary and well justified.
Common examples include:
- An advanced course where safety is a concern for those without the required skills.
- A practical exam (e.g., in training or driving schools) reserved for those who have completed a set number of theory lessons.
- A limited-availability service designed for a specific group (e.g., VIP customer consultations).
In these cases, instead of technical restrictions, you can use clear communication and soft barriers, such as:
- Clear titles (e.g., “Advanced – For Experienced Participants Only”)
- Distinctive emojis, with a legend in the activity description:
- Advanced 🔴 | Beginner 🟢
- Swimming Advanced 🐬 | Swimming Beginners 🐟
- Advanced Marketing Course 🦋 | Beginner Marketing Course 🐛
This “gamification approach” makes information more engaging and intuitive, turning booking into an interactive experience.
- Instructor oversight – already a common practice in many centers.
- Customer level-based nicknames
The Nickname field in BookyWay is searchable and included in reports. Using it for category assignments can be incredibly useful.
Only in cases where groups are truly separate in every aspect, it is advisable to consider creating multiple BookyWay accounts.
👉 Click here to learn how to do it
Trust is more powerful than restrictions
Empowering customers works better than limiting them.
Customers who purchase a service generally respect its intended use. If someone with a beginner subscription books an advanced class, it’s usually due to unclear naming, not bad intentions.
That’s why we recommend:
- Short, clear names (e.g., “L1 Pilates” instead of “Group Pilates Class Level 1”)
- Emojis and visual markers to enhance clarity
- A booking system that informs rather than blocks
Want a free 30-minute consultation?
If you run a business that requires bookings and/or payments via app and want expert advice on how to maximize efficiency and attract more customers, email lucazivelonghi@bookyway.com
📌 About the author:
Luca Zivelonghi, co-founder of BookyWay, leads seminars (both in-person and online) on customer acquisition and retention strategies through booking & payment systems combined with marketing, branding, and SEO techniques.
For 27 years, he has specialized in advertising campaigns, product launches, and marketing projects for major multinational companies.
View his full profile here
