Do you know that 40% of members cancel their gym subscriptions yearly?
That’s more than one-third of the revenue, which is astounding but frightening for gym owners. What’s more worrisome is that most gyms don’t realize this decline until it’s too late. But the good thing is that you can improve your membership retention rate with good gym software.
This article discussed the ways you can improve member engagement using gym software. Such technological tools help you assess the situation and provide a way forward.
How does good gym management software improve member engagement?
In essence, gym software is a comprehensive management tool for owners, managers, and receptionists. A credible gym management software provides valuable insights about your business to ensure you make data-driven decisions. Thus, it helps gym owners streamline the company to offer better services to gym members while improving services and processes.
10 Tips to Improve Member Engagement with Gym Software
Gym software, as a complete solution for fitness centers, streamlines the booking and membership process. But there’s more to it than meets the eye besides an intuitive dashboard, easy onboarding, and data insights. The software provides the feature to support and enhance membership retention.
Below are some valuable ways to utilize gym software to increase member engagement.
Ensure Staff Availability
Most gym businesses enlist membership packages to engage the audience and cater to their requirements. However, they forget to cater to their customers’ needs once they get gym memberships. Regarding gym members’ satisfaction, the availability of trainers and staff is one crucial aspect. They expect gym management to guide them to achieve their desired fitness goals.
You need good gym management software with scheduling capabilities to cater to this challenge. Also, having this feature ensures that staff members are present when needed, especially during busy hours. Additionally, the scheduling feature allows members to book gym appointments at their convenience for consultations, group classes, and personal training courses in London.
Book Personal Training Sessions Anytime
Only some people are fans of group classes at the gym. Some people like personal training sessions to achieve their yearly fitness goals. But things might get tricky as such gym members often have busy schedules and need dedicated time slots. Keeping track of their bookings might be challenging, but not with management software.
Excellent scheduling software for the gym ensures there are no double bookings. In addition, you can offer flexible schedules to gym members with premium subscriptions. You can also create a training schedule outside of regular gym hours with your trainers’ consent if needed.
Utilize an Online Booking System
Gym owners book appointments on the phone to facilitate scheduling, but what about online booking?
If you aren’t catering to your customers’ needs online, you are already missing out. The world is moving online, and today’s customers like booking gym classes online. Market research has shown that about 67% of people like to book appointments online.
As a gym owner, you can easily capture this audience using fitness software with a user-friendly interface. So, you can allow potential customers and gym visitors to book workout slots, personal training sessions, or classes. On one hand, the convenience will keep your members engaged, and they can participate in classes. On the other hand, they can choose a time slot that suits them, eliminating scheduling conflicts.
Offer Customized Membership Plans
The gym provides different membership plans, and customers must pick one that suits them the most. Unfortunately, gym members are not accessible to customize their plans as per their fitness needs. But with gym software, you can allow your members to create customized membership plans.
Of course, we aren’t forcing you to go out of your way or put the burden on your staff. All you need to do is facilitate members and tailor your services to their needs.
For example, you can increase their training time, provide special equipment access, or offer unlimited classes. Since every gym member has unique fitness goals, they would love what you are offering. And with gym management software, managing individual needs and scheduling won’t be an issue. On the bright side, offering personalized plans will keep your gym members engaged and motivated to achieve their goals.
Provide Credentials for Access Control
Security is a key deciding factor for choosing or retaining a gym membership. People want to feel secure and demand paramount safety when utilizing gym equipment. To address this issue, you can employ a crucial fob system for the gym. However, the real problem is ensuring your gym members have free access.
So, if you’ve got software for the gym, check if it has an access control feature.
You can allot time slots to members and manage scheduling using gym software with door access. This provides a sense of security and ensures your gym isn’t overcrowded. For this purpose, you can assign controlled access to customers within a specific time frame. And if you offer premium gym subscriptions, you can have 24/7 access to such members.
You can engage with discounts and Coupons.
Discounts and deals are a great way to engage potential clients and keep existing ones interested. Businesses use promotional codes to strengthen customer retention rates, and you can do the same. However, the trick is to offer discounts to increase sales without hurting the revenue.
A good gym management software can automate the distribution of special offers and promotions to members. It can generate special discounts for new members and coupons to encourage them to try new classes.
Reward Your Loyal Members
There’s no better way to enhance member engagement than having a loyalty program. Your gym management software can help you with this task, increasing membership usage.
Do you know 67% of members never use their gym subscription?
This is a vast number, which clarifies why gyms keep losing members. But by using the software for the gym, you can track your members’ attendance, activities, and class participation. You can offer discounts to keep them engaged while providing perks to your regular visitors. The ideal way is to show merchandise discounts, exclusive classes, or free gym sessions to long-term members.
Offer Multiple Payment Options
Gyms prefer cash, but it’s no longer an effective way of payment after the pandemic. Additionally, customers who book classes online need additional payment gateways such as PayPal or Stripe.
Your gym can provide payment freedom to members by integrating multiple digital payment methods. A good management software for gyms allows you to accept debit and credit cards, as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay. This enables you to offer a contactless payment method, which can also help you attract a broader audience to the gym.
Send Notifications about New Classes
Nobody loves a dull, mundane schedule, as it can lead to gym anxiety and procrastination. To curtail this, you must regularly introduce new classes or training sessions for gym visitors. But how do you engage those who are already skipping gym appointments?
Well, this is where you can entice them by sending notifications using gym management software. To intrigue their interest, you can send personalized emails or push notifications to registered members. If you are adding something fun, don’t forget to engage customers who have canceled your memberships. They might return to your gym if you add new yoga sessions or Zumba classes.
Automation Improved Customer Satisfaction
Regarding member engagement, everything revolves around user experience and membership satisfaction. Automation is the solution to avoid complexities and improve customer satisfaction to enhance member engagement.
With membership management software, you can automate membership registrations and class bookings to mitigate scheduling errors. Furthermore, you can streamline operations and billings, ensuring a smooth membership experience. This, in turn, fosters higher customer satisfaction and enhances overall gym revenue.
3 Key Features to Look for in a Good Gym Software
Now that you know the benefits of gym management software, let’s discuss choosing a good one. It’s not rocket science, but still, you must consider a few key features.
Mobile-Friendly App
The world is moving from desktop PCs and websites to smartphones and applications. It’s good to have an interactive, dynamic gym website, but users prefer using mobile apps for scheduling. So, your software must have a dedicated app version for customers to book sessions quickly.
Furthermore, gym software with an app allows members to monitor their progress and track class schedules. This convenience can set up a communication channel with your audience.
Attendance and Progress Trackers
Intelligence reporting is another feature to look for in software for the gym. Using the analytics board, you can analyze the monthly performance of customers and your staff. As a result, you can identify which gym equipment or classes are more popular among visitors. This can also help you formulate a comprehensive marketing strategy to reward or motivate your members.
Automated Billing and Payment
Lastly, invest in software that accepts multiple payment options and has an automated billing feature. This will help you reduce administrative overhead, ensuring your staff gets more time to attend to customers. At the same time, the availability of multiple payment methods provides smooth transactions and improves member satisfaction.
Final Note
The success of a gym largely depends on how well it engages its members and keeps them satisfied. One way to achieve this is by using specialized gym software that enables you to offer online bookings, multiple payment options, and discounts for eligible members. Additionally, you can improve security and promote new classes with gym management software. By implementing these tools, you can enhance customer satisfaction and attract new members to your gym.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is gym management software?
Gym management software is a digital platform that streamlines the operations of a fitness center, enhancing member engagement and simplifying administrative tasks.
How does gym management software improve customer experience?
By offering features like online booking, personalized scheduling, and automated notifications, gym management software creates a seamless and customized experience for gym members.
Can you help with member retention?
Yes, it can significantly improve member retention by providing tools for personalized communication, loyalty programs, and convenient payment options.
What features should I look for in gym management software?
Look for features like mobile app integration, attendance and progress tracking, and automated billing and payment systems.
How does gym management software support gym marketing efforts?
It supports marketing by providing data insights for targeted campaigns, managing promotional offers, and facilitating communication with current and potential members.
Is gym management software suitable for small gyms or large fitness centers?
Gym management software is scalable and can be tailored to fit the needs of both small gyms and large fitness centers.
How can gym management software enhance the security of a fitness center?
With features like access control and secure payment processing, gym management software ensures a safe and secure environment for members.
Can gym management software integrate with other tools I use for my business?
Most gym management software solutions offer integration capabilities with various business tools for a more cohesive management system.
How does gym management software handle scheduling conflicts?
Advanced scheduling features prevent double bookings and allow easy rescheduling, ensuring a smooth experience for staff and members.
What kind of support can I expect with gym management software?
Most providers offer customer support services, including training, troubleshooting, and regular updates to the software.
How does gym management software facilitate online booking?
It provides a user-friendly interface that allows members to book classes, sessions, and appointments online at their convenience.
Can gym management software track the attendance of gym members?
Yes, it can track attendance patterns, which helps in understanding member behavior and planning retention strategies.
What payment options can be offered through gym management software?
It can integrate with various payment gateways to offer multiple payment options, including credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and online banking.
How can gym management software help in managing gym classes?
It allows for easy scheduling, booking, and management of gym classes, enhancing the overall organization of class offerings.
Can gym management software be accessed on mobile devices?
Yes, many gym management software solutions come with mobile app versions for convenient access on smartphones and tablets.
How does gym management software contribute to a gym’s revenue growth?
By improving member engagement and retention, streamlining operations, and enabling effective marketing strategies, gym management software can contribute to revenue growth.
What is the role of gym management software in member engagement?
It plays a crucial role by facilitating communication, offering personalized experiences, and ensuring members have easy access to gym services.
How can you help with gym promotions and discounts?
It can automate the distribution of promotions and discounts, track their usage, and measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
Can gym management software provide insights into gym performance?
Yes, it offers reporting and analytics tools that provide valuable insights into various aspects of gym performance and member engagement.
How does gym management software help with staff management?
It provides scheduling tools, tracks staff attendance, and helps allocate resources efficiently, improving overall staff management.
