Being efficient with your time and your members’ time should be synonymous. By creating better scheduling efficiency, you’re meeting member expectations when it comes to helping organize their busy lives. Let’s look at several ideas on how that can affect your bottom line when it comes to member scheduling.
Lost revenue through the Internet
People do most of their business online these days. Eighty-six percent of the U.S. population uses the internet. Seventy-two percent of those people make purchases using a mobile device, which generates 68 percent of all web traffic. This includes purchasing and scheduling classes or training sessions. Furthermore, clubs must realize that they are not just competing with other clubs for member revenue, but with all online purchases a member or prospective member can make. Having a strong online scheduling presence, including the ability for member purchases through a robust gym mobile app, can make a difference with class size and training revenue.
Time is money
People generally know what they want and when they want it. When it comes to the Internet, people are developing a shorter attention span that translates into losing patience and moving on. These days, gym members expect immediate gratification when it comes to scheduling classes and training sessions. Having quick and efficient online scheduling software to use by instructors, trainers and members not only keeps your day on track, but also keeps everyone on the same page and at the same time. Having push notifications is also a major convenience for appointments and helps to keep members and staff up to date. By having fast online check-in, a simple click saves valuable time with instructors and trainers that can be better served working with their members.
What are the possibilities for the future
Beacon technology is promising many future benefits for the fitness industry. What if clubs were able to track member usage patterns in the gym through their mobile devices and determine which equipment was being most utilized, or under-utilized? Clubs would be able to make necessary adjustments to their future purchases, maintenance and areas of approachment for trainers to sell sessions.
Other future enhancements with beacon technology for health clubs may include a member journey experience: welcome/goodbye notifications when members enter and leave the facility; automatic emails and notifications triggered by beacons and other devices within the facility; progress and statistics reporting; motivational emails automatically sent at the right moment; and the member having their own health team network to communicate with through a closed chat. Don’t be surprised to see these possible advancements.
Conclusion
Let’s face it, when you’re competing for your members’ purchasing ability, time is indeed money. It seems like the world is speeding up and technology is setting the pace. Being responsive to your members requires being available anywhere, anyplace and anytime when it comes to purchasing, scheduling, or for that matter any other area in your business. Staying in front of your members with the right technology requires that you keep current with the latest gym software trends and advancements. Be sure to check-in with a gym management software representative about more possibilities with an efficient scheduling software system that meets your members’ expectations.
Stephen Wilson is the marketing manager of ASF Payment Solutions. He can be contacted at 800-527-6898, or by email at steve.wilson@asfpaymentsolutions.com.
