Affinet Letters help clubs issue traditional Letters of Introduction more efficiently. The service still generates a formal PDF letter that can be emailed, printed or retained for clubs that require a conventional document. Alongside that letter, Affinet can also issue an Apple Wallet or Google Wallet pass with visit details and QR-code verification.
This means the club keeps the familiar Letter of Introduction process, but gains a clearer digital workflow around it: members request letters through the reciprocal directory, administrators approve them securely, the PDF is generated automatically, and the member can carry a matching Wallet pass on their phone.
How does a member request an Letter?
The member starts from the club’s reciprocal directory, or a QR code in the printed Atlas. They choose the reciprocal club they want to visit, enter the required visit details, and submit a request.
The request can include the intended visit dates, visitor details and any other information the home club needs before approving the letter. Personal information is handled securely and used only for the purpose of managing the request and issuing the Letter of Introduction.
How does the home club approve the request?
The home club remains in control of the process. When a request is submitted, the club administrator receives a secure approval link.
From that link, the administrator can review the request and either approve or decline it. The club can check that the member is eligible, that the visit dates are appropriate, and that the request complies with the club’s reciprocal visiting policy.
Affinet removes the need to manually prepare each letter, but it does not remove the club’s authority over whether a letter should be issued.
What does the member receive?
Once approved, the member receives the Letter of Introduction digitally.
Affinet can provide the letter in several forms:
- a digital Letter of Introduction sent by email
- a PDF version for clubs that still require a traditional document
- an Apple Wallet pass
- a Google Wallet pass
- a QR code or reference code for verification
The Wallet pass is the important change. It allows the member to carry the approved visit credential on their phone, alongside boarding passes, tickets and other digital passes. It can show the member’s name, home club, destination club, visit dates and verification code.
How do Wallet passes improve reciprocal visits?
Wallet passes make the Letter of Introduction easier to carry, easier to present and easier to verify.
A printed letter can be lost, forgotten or out of date. An email can be hard to find at reception. A Wallet pass is immediately available on the member’s phone and can present the key visit details in a simple, recognisable format.
For the member, this makes the visit feel more modern and less administrative. For the host club, it provides a clearer way to check that the visit has been approved.
How does the host club verify the letter?
The host club can verify the Letter of Introduction by scanning the QR code on the Wallet pass or by using the reference code shown on the member’s letter.
The verification page shows whether the letter is valid, expired or revoked. This means front-of-house staff do not have to rely only on a printed document, forwarded email or verbal explanation from the visitor.
No special app is required by the host club. The verification process is designed to be simple enough for reception, concierge or front-desk staff to use during check-in.
What can the home club control?
The home club controls whether letters are issued and can manage the conditions under which they remain valid.
That can include:
- approving or declining first-time requests
- setting membership validity or expiry dates
- defining visit dates
- revoking a letter if circumstances change
- preventing letters from being issued after membership has lapsed
- keeping a record of reciprocal visit activity
- exporting future visits to the club calendar
If a letter is revoked or expires, the verification page reflects that status. Where Wallet pass updates are supported, the pass can also reflect the changed status.
What happens for returning visitors?
For returning visitors, Affinet can make future requests faster.
After an initial approved request, a member may be able to use a validation code or pass key to request future letters more easily, provided their membership remains current and the home club’s rules allow it.
This reduces repeat administration without giving up club control.
What does Affinet set up for the club?
Affinet configures the letter process using the club’s requirements and presentation.
That can include:
- club branding
- letterhead
- signatory name and title
- approval contact
- email wording
- Wallet pass presentation
- QR-code verification
- membership validity rules
- dashboard access for managing requests and revocations
- embed code preparation
- A printed vesion of the listing, the Reciprocal Atlas
There is no separate software for the club to install. The club's list is streamed through the reciprocal page much like a social media stream.
Members request letters through the listing, and administrators handle approvals through secure links and the Affinet dashboard.
How is member data handled?
The Letter of Introduction process involves personal information, so the data should be limited, protected and retained only as long as needed.
Affinet uses the member data to manage the request, generate the letter, create the Wallet pass and support verification by the host club. After the visit, personal details can be anonymised while visit metadata is retained for reporting, such as the home club, destination club and visit dates.
This allows clubs to understand reciprocal activity without keeping unnecessary personal data.
Why is this better than a traditional Letter of Introduction?
A traditional Letter of Introduction confirms that a member is eligible to visit another club, but the process is often slow and manual.
It may involve email threads, signatures, attachments, staff checks and uncertainty at the host club.
Affinet keeps the purpose of the traditional letter but makes the process more usable. The member can request the letter from the directory, the home club can approve it securely, the member can carry it as a Wallet pass, and the host club can verify it by QR code.
The Letter of Introduction remains a club-issued credential. Affinet simply makes it easier to request, issue, carry, verify and manage.