Before you invest in gym management software, you need to set the objectives of your gym management system. You want to find a tool that directly helps your business and allows you to scale and grow. If you don’t know the objectives, you could end up investing in expensive software that isn’t the right fit for your business and won’t help you meet these ambitious goals.
There are massive advantages to having the right fitness management software and lots of options to choose from as a gym owner. You can reduce hours spent on admin, collect fees, send out invoices, automate emails, and increase member retention by using your software to engage members seamlessly. Here, we discuss nine objectives of gym management systems and how to choose the right software solution for your fitness business.
Skip ahead to:
- What is Gym Management Software?
- Streamline Your Business With a Gym Management System
- 9 Objectives of Gym Management Systems
- How to Choose the Right Gym Management Software for Your Business
What is Gym Management Software?
Gym management software is designed to simplify the running of a fitness club. From online gym scheduling and automated billing to administrative tasks, the software pulls all data into one place so that you can run your business more efficiently.
Without gym member management software, all tasks will need to be carried out separately. For example, you may manage billing through one piece of software, keep track of administrative tasks somewhere else, and use a spreadsheet for financial forecasting. You may have member management information online or offline in the office. Either way, there is no one centralized spot where you can find all the information about your business. Gym management software is designed to streamline operations so that all of these tasks can be in one place.
In a world where technological advances occur so quickly, it can feel like a challenge to keep up. However, gym and fitness clubs can maximize business potential through gym management software. This type of software has gone beyond just processing membership payments and additional admin tools. It can help you manage all facets of the business, retain and engage members, and, most importantly – grow.
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If you can streamline your business, you can work more effectively. This means there is less time-wasting, and you put the right resources into a task. Having multiple tools or manually completing administrative tasks across various locations will impact efficiency in the long run. Larger gyms, fitness studios, and franchises tend to have more departments and bigger teams.
When you have a constant exchange of information, it can increase the amount of time you need to spend on a task. The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter how small or large your business is; you can streamline project workflow and reduce time-consuming tasks. Over time, this will save money.
9 Things Gym Management Systems Can Do For You
Modern gym management systems may exceed what you will actually need, which is why it’s essential to know your objectives before searching for the software you’ll choose. By having a clear picture of what you want and can achieve through gym management software, you can find the best solution for your needs that will benefit multiple areas of the business.
1. Member Management
A key objective of gym management systems is to simplify the entire member management process. The bloodline of any health club is a happy and sustained membership base. You can break the objective of member management into two categories: acquisition and retention. Gym management software should help you both market your business to new gym members and retain those you already have. Using gym software for member management will simplify all aspects of the process, such as check-ins, online registration, payments, and database management.
2. Gym Scheduling and Class Bookings
You should be able to easily schedule classes and manage all bookings and any other events you’re hosting. A gym management system should link class bookings to your client-facing app so that your members can manage their classes and book time slots with their favorite instructors both online and offline. When investing in gym software or upgrading your existing system, this is a non-negotiable feature that will add to your value offering. Over time, it increases your member retention and attracts more customers who expect flexibility and complete convenience.
3. Manage Billing
Managing a gym tends to involve a ton of administrative tasks like contracts, invoices, billing, membership cancellations, and payments. Gym management software should consolidate all billing management into one location. When you can see an overview of your gym’s finances, it can ease stress and save money in the long term. Finding out how to get the most out of your gym management software will mean that you can use it throughout the member journey. It will help cover everything from creating and signing contracts to automated billing and membership renewal reminders. A key objective of this type of software is to ease the workload on your team so they can focus their efforts on your members rather than being tied up in administrative tasks.
4. Member Retention
The right gym membership software solution will provide powerful tools to engage members and increase retention. By automating communication and interacting with members regularly, it increases the overall customer experience. Think about how you want to engage with your members; whether it’s push notifications as a reminder to get into the studio or automated email promotions, you want to choose membership management that aligns with your goals. The examples above, such as email automation, push notifications, and member activity tracking, are crucial as they enable you to:
- Monitor member data and activity so that you can step in and engage with at-risk members before they leave.
- Reduce member churn while boosting the overall customer experience.
- Consistently engage members by getting in front of them – even when they’re not at the gym.
5. Email Marketing
By using your gym management system for email marketing, you can keep clients engaged. Automation and personalization are key to increasing engagement while at the same time easing the number of resources you need to run email campaigns. Segment your audience and target your email list with content that is relevant and valuable. You can create monthly newsletters, nurture campaigns, or send out quick updates whenever you need to inform your members of your latest news.
6. Data-Driven Decision Making
A modern business needs to make data-driven decisions. If you want to succeed in the digital era, leverage your data. You have never had access to more data than you do right now. When organizations realize the full power of data, they can make better decisions every day. That means increased efficiency, speed, and quality of service. Collecting, understanding, and reporting data are all very different stages. You can’t justify a higher budget or readjust your class schedule if you don’t understand the data. That’s why it’s important that the proposed system can provide reports across the business in an easy-to-digest format.
7. Financial Insights
To make well-informed financial decisions, you need to know the inner workings of your business. A gym management system can offer you financial insights by producing reports and tracking your cash flow. It’s essential that you know how much money is coming in and out of your business, whether that’s monitoring multiple revenue streams or knowing the recurring revenue coming in every month. No need to compare confusing spreadsheets using a manual system; your management software should produce clear reports that allow you to track all transactions easily. When you have access to better insights, it takes the guesswork out of a lot of decisions. You’ll have the information you need to make the best decisions for the business and drive growth.
8. Improve Member Experience
An incredible member experience is an essential part of running a successful fitness business. You could have great equipment and an impressive facility, but it’s your member experience that will set you apart from the competition. It’s what makes your business unique and retains members over time. To create the best experience possible, it’s important to streamline the customer journey and empower your members. That means booking, paying, and interacting with your brand should be as easy as possible. Members need to be able to book classes, pay for memberships and manage their gym schedule. Without this, the member experience will suffer. Nowadays, consumers expect a tech solution to streamline the ongoing relationship with your business.
9. Reduce Costs
Putting your time and resources into the right part of the business can reduce time-wasting and costs. Administrative tasks take up a lot of time for gym owners and managers. A gym management system should free up a lot of time so that your team can focus on what they do best; selling gym memberships, creating a great member experience, and producing fantastic member results. When you make decisions driven by data, you will likely invest your money and time much more effectively.
The Fitness Founders Podcast has an interesting episode on the new rules of engagement for the fitness industry. Ian Mullane, the CEO of Keepme, talks about how data-driven personalization can increase member retention and the importance of consistency in the member journey.
How to Choose the Right Gym Management Software for Your Business
Depending on your type of business, you may have different objectives for a gym management system. Fitness software solutions tend to include a range of features. To choose the right management system, you need to align your objectives with the features. By investing in a new system that supports your business goals, you can streamline business operations and grow your membership base.
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Mobile App Integration
Mobile app integration is an essential feature to look for in your gym management software. This allows members to book classes, make payments, and manage their membership through the app. The mobile app is an important feature to have alongside your online and website portal. This gives members the option to choose the booking feature that they use the most. Older generations may prefer to book online or in person, while younger members may only use your app. Think about features like app self-check-in services and app store integration to improve the member experience. Mobile apps should work on various operating systems and devices like Android, iPhone, and Windows.
Automated Services
Automation is suitable for both marketing and member retention. Use automation to welcome new members, send class booking reminders, and encourage inactive members to book classes. Automation helps to keep your members engaged without using your team’s time and resources. You can automate emails and push notifications to keep members updated. Automation tends to work by setting up certain behavior triggers. For example, when a new member signs up to your digital fitness platform, they would receive a welcome email and even a short how-to video on what to expect from their first class.
Point of Sale and E-commerce
Think about point of sale and e-commerce features. You need a fully customizable point of sale that suits your needs. Members are likely to make payments in-app, online, and in-person. If you’re selling digital memberships, online workshops, and branded merchandise, you need a system that features substantial point-of-sale features that support your business. Your point of sale should be designed around your members. If the majority of members book and pay through your app, you should have a system in place that makes the process as seamless as possible. A user-friendly payment process is essential for meeting member expectations.
Accessibility
When choosing a gym management system, you will need to think about accessibility. This includes whether you can access the system online, offline, or a combination of the two. Can you access member management through a website and mobile? Some fitness software solutions don’t include custom-branded mobile apps or it’s an added cost. You want to maximize accessibility for staff and members. It should be easy to make a booking as a member as well as produce a financial report as a manager.
Marketing Components
The main objective of gym management software is to save time, money, and resources. Look for marketing features like email marketing, automation, lead capture tools, Facebook Pixel and social media integration, and a booking system. Marketing capabilities are a big driver for purchasing gym management software. It can form a large part of your member acquisition and marketing strategy. You can utilize marketing features within your software to save time while increasing brand awareness and marketing your business efficiently.
Scheduling Features
Scheduling features are essential. By combining accessibility with scheduling features, you should find a software solution that allows members to book classes from various devices. Your software choice should make your life easier. Scheduling is a big consideration when choosing gym management software. The scheduling platform should include a simple user interface, and be easy to access in-person, online, and in-app. It should offer customization to include different times, classes, and instructors and flexible payment functionality.
In Summary
It’s important to align your objectives to your fitness software solutions. Investing in a gym management system or upgrading your current system is a large expense and should entirely match your business goals and mission. The right member management software streamlines your business and allows your gym to grow efficiently. By using a solution that is completely accessible and features scheduling, marketing, and automated capabilities, you can find a product that is perfectly aligned with your business.
Victoria Thomas, the founder of JourneyFit, can explain the benefits of a gym management system to you in the video below
Ready to take the next step in your fitness business journey and get a gym management system that works for you?
