The love of physical fitness isn’t anything new, but the way we’ve integrated exercise as part of our regular routines has evolved quite a bit in recent years. If you run a fitness studio, gym, or health club, you’ll likely have to admit that your members are more tech-savvy these days. As such, your facility needs to keep up with the times and embrace the technological tools available to you. If you do, you can improve retention rates and increase membership. But if you don’t, you may struggle to compete in a saturated marketplace.
Roughly 36% of all regular exercisers participate in some kind of fitness class. These days, the most common way to reserve a spot in one of those fitness classes is to do it online or even through an app. Members want the option to instantly book via their mobile device, which means you need to make it easy for them to take a class with you. Ensuring that your website is mobile responsive, speedy, and consistent will ensure members can secure their spot with ease, while having a dedicated app for your fitness studio can allow you to streamline the entire membership process. If you can provide a secure, exclusive portal for payment, reservations, and member information, you’ll be able to meet your clients’ needs — no matter where they are at a given moment.
Of course, you’ll want to invest in fitness studio software to make it easier to access member information, increase ease of payment on-site, and amp up your digital marketing strategy. Having a fitness studio or gym management system can promote convenient check-in, allow for instantaneous updates, and keep employee schedules straight. Not only will this allow your business operations to thrive, but you’ll impress your members with how simple and efficient these otherwise tedious processes might be. While a traditional, old-school gym might rely on paper records, your staff can quickly consult a tablet or computer screen to pull up information in seconds. Having fitness studio software leads to better organization, better customer service, and a better workout experience overall.
Although having a health club software system is essential, you’ll also want to make good use of digital apps that just about everyone uses on a daily basis. Harnessing the power of Facebook and Instagram, for example, can allow you to reach new audiences and promote a sense of community for existing members. It can also allow you to increase your presence online and show your legitimacy, both in terms of customer reviews and interactions with users on these platforms. Don’t forget about apps like Spotify, either. In fitness classes, a good playlist is a must. Spotify makes it easy to curate incredible music playlists and even allows you to collaborate with others on their creation. Many studios theme their classes around their playlists, which can allow you to attract new members and get existing members hyped about coming to class. Instead of playing the same, worn-out CD in every class, you can make each visit new and exciting with this app.
In addition to utilizing the right apps and having fitness studio software at your disposal, you’ll also want to ensure that members can stay plugged in during their workouts. You should have free WiFi available to promote overall satisfaction and ensure that your instructors and members can access the digital tools they need at any time. You may also want to consider adding fitness equipment that’s equipped with Bluetooth to make certain members can stream their music while they work up a sweat. These offerings are pretty basic necessities for today’s members, which means that not having them can be a big detriment to your club or studio. Ultimately, whatever the costs are up front will likely pay for themselves over time with the added memberships you’ll bring in.
As you can see, today’s gyms and studios need to embrace technology, rather than shy away from it. Apps, internet access, and fitness studio software can ensure both members and staff have an overwhelmingly positive experience at your facility. To learn more about our software, please contact us today.