10 Tech Tips to Drive Business Efficiency for Fitness Operators

In today’s fast-paced world, technology is transforming the way we do business. Fitness clubs and gyms can use technology to drive business efficiency, streamline operations, improve the customer experience, and enhance marketing strategies.

Read more: 10 Tech Tips to Drive Business Efficiency for Fitness Operators

By leveraging the latest tools and platforms, the fitness industry can automate time-consuming tasks, reduce costs and free up valuable resources to focus on growth and expansion. From mobile apps and wearable devices to cloud-based software and analytics tools, there is a plethora of technological solutions available that can help improve operational efficiency, increase member retention rates and boost revenue.

This blog explores effective ways fitness club owners can leverage technology to boost efficiency and achieve their goals to gain a competitive edge in the market. 

10 Tech Tips To Drive Business Efficiency

1. Use a Software System to Streamline Operations

While an obvious tip, using a member/club management system is one of the most important ways to increase business efficiency.

Implement a member/club management system to manage and automate memberships, class schedules, staff scheduling, emailing, accounting, and inventory in one place. This saves time, frees up staff, and improves efficiency. Accounts receivable features like recurring billing, online payments, and automatic invoicing simplify financial operations.

Automated reminders can help members and guests with emails and texts to send out notices and reminders help to improve retention, reduce no-shows, maximize productivity, improve the customer experience, and enhance staff time. One US operator implemented a text messaging system that resulted in a 90% reduction in no-shows and a 55% increase in customer retention. How’s that for increased business efficiency from one simple tool?

2. Add an Online Booking System

Explore new, ultra-secure ways to check members in and allow members to book workouts or classes in advance, reducing overcrowding and optimizing staff schedules. 

The latest technology can make a real impact on checking in members efficiently. For example, facial recognition technology can automate the member check-in process with no need for a physical membership card or manual check-in any more. It all makes for a very user-friendly but incredibly accurate, efficient way to make sure the right people are coming into your club at all times.

An online booking system allows members to also schedule their digital workouts or classes in advance and at times they prefer. 

3. Store and Manage Data Securely in the Cloud

Using cloud storage to store and manage data securely helps to reduce hardware costs and improves data accessibility. By using cloud-based storage, health club operators can reduce hardware costs, improve data accessibility and increase operational efficiency. 

According to McKinsey, Fortune 500 companies who adopt the cloud could realize more than $1 trillion in value by 2030, and not from IT cost reductions alone.

A US fitness chain saved 30% on hardware costs and increased data accessibility by 50% by implementing a cloud-based storage system.

4. Use IoT and RFID Technology 

IoT (Internet of Things) and RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) are two types of technology used to improve efficiency and management in various industries, including fitness clubs.

IoT (Internet of Things): Health club operators can use IoT (Internet of Things) devices to track equipment usage, monitor energy consumption and optimize facility management. For example, IoT devices can automatically adjust lighting and temperature based on occupancy, reducing energy waste and lowering operating costs. 

• What it is: IoT refers to the network of physical objects (things) embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the internet.
• How it works: Devices like fitness equipment, lighting systems, and thermostats can be connected to the internet to monitor usage, control settings remotely, and gather data.
• Benefits: In a fitness club, IoT can automatically adjust lighting and temperature based on occupancy, track equipment usage, and monitor energy consumption, helping reduce costs and optimize facility management.

RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification): Meanwhile, RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) technology can track equipment usage and optimize maintenance schedules, as well as detecting when equipment requires maintenance or replacement. It’s another great example of technology being used to increase business efficiency.

• What it is: RFID uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. These tags contain electronically stored information.
• How it works: RFID systems consist of a reader and a tag. The reader emits a signal that activates the tag, which then sends back the stored information to the reader.
• Benefits: In a fitness club, RFID can track equipment usage, schedule maintenance, and monitor member check-ins. This helps ensure equipment is well-maintained and only authorized individuals access the facility.

Both technologies contribute to a more efficient, automated, and user-friendly environment in fitness clubs.

5. Use AI for Personalized Recommendations

AI can analyze member data to provide personalized workout plans, nutrition advice, and targeted upsell opportunities. This increases member satisfaction and revenue while automating much of the process.

By analyzing member data and preferences, AI can provide tailored recommendations that meet each member’s unique needs: workout plans or nutrition advice, for example, but also upsell opportunities that – by being perfectly targeted – become an easy sell. 

Once your criteria have been set up in your AI, all this can be done automatically, with AI constantly analyzing your member base to identify the perfect solution for different groups of members, then serving each individual with the right offer at the right time. Cue increased member satisfaction and revenues, as well as increased business efficiency.

6. Optimize Marketing Strategies with Analytics Tools

Analytics tools help gyms understand member behaviors, preferences, and demographics, allowing for targeted marketing campaigns. This leads to better engagement and conversions.

Analytics tools can help gyms and fitness clubs track and analyze customer data to optimize marketing strategies. By understanding members’ behaviors, preferences and demographics, gyms can create targeted marketing campaigns that drive engagement and conversions. Once again, technology increases business efficiency by delivering accurate, actionable insights in a time-efficient way.

7. Embrace Virtual Group Exercise Technology

Virtual group exercise platforms offer world-class workouts 24/7, complementing live classes and ensuring members can exercise at any time. Uploading self-produced content can further enhance member satisfaction and engagement.

Since Wexer was first created over a decade ago, we’ve helped clubs cost-effectively deliver world-class group exercise around the clock, complementing live instructor-led classes and ensuring members get the experience they want, even at the most off-peak times – time slots when live instructor-led classes simply aren’t financially viable. 

Our platform is therefore an invaluable tool for clubs looking to increase business efficiency, with 1,600+ expert-led workouts available at the touch of a button to boost member satisfaction in an affordable way, 24/7. And let’s not forget that, with Virtual Connect, you can now upload and stream self-produced content featuring your own in-house trainers too: film classes you’re running anyway and upload them to our platform so they can be enjoyed again and again. 

8. Improve Member Retention with Digital Tools

Mobile apps and digital communication tools can boost member retention by offering workouts anytime and anywhere, class scheduling, and workout tracking. Apps also facilitate communication and provide personalized recommendations based on member data.

Our digital fitness technology can be harnessed to increase business efficiency in other ways, too. For example, customer retention journeys can be very time-consuming when reliant exclusively on human manpower. The customer journey can be enhanced by combining human touchpoints with digital touchpoints and automation to create a huge boost in efficiency.

Utilize A Mobile App

A mobile app can be an excellent tool to improve member retention with devices that provide workouts any-time, anywhere. With Wexer’s SDK and API solutions, you can embed world-class on-demand workouts into your app. You also will have access to data about customer usage patterns and programming utilization. This allows you to offer more personalization and better recommendations for members. Encourage your members to connect a wearable and the richness of that data is magnified still further. 

App features like class scheduling and workout tracking are other tools to keep members engaged and committed to their fitness goals. Allow them to also access their accounts and make payments and all of a sudden both customer experience and business efficiency are dramatically improved.

And of course, it isn’t just about operational streamlining. A good app also facilitates communication between member and gym and can be automated based on specific triggers to further drive business efficiency.

And, of course, those channels of communication can be harnessed to drive even greater member satisfaction when used by personal trainers with direct communication and interaction with their customers outside of the club, offer advice and updates to programmes, even utilize video-based sessions. This is a highly efficient way to enhance personalization and quite feasibly for a premium price tag with no in-person contact every time.

Post Digital Communication

Health club operators can post digital schedules and communication to provide members with real-time updates on class schedules, promotions and facility information. Of course, digital signage comes with a higher upfront cost, but over time printing costs are reduced or eliminated. Meanwhile, communication with members is improved, as messages can be instantly updated for up-to-the-minute news and advice.

A quick google search shows that in 2016, one large chain of US health clubs implemented digital signage in its facilities, resulting in a 20% increase in class attendance and a 50% reduction in printing costs.

9. Use Social Media for Marketing and Customer Engagement

Social media platforms are cost-effective tools for promoting services, connecting with customers, and increasing brand awareness. They allow for real-time engagement and feedback, which can improve products and services.

Health club operators can use social media platforms to promote their services, connect with customers and increase brand awareness. It’s a highly cost-effective way to reach a wider audience and engage with customers in real-time. Customers can also get involved in doing your marketing for you, sharing photos and reviews and spreading word of mouth.

Of course, you will need a human to oversee your social media accounts, making sure they’re populated with great posts as well as responding to any feedback, positive or negative. Still, with platforms that allow you to streamline the simultaneous management of multiple social media accounts, this remains a great tool to quickly and easily get content out into the market.

Better still, you’ll also gather and analyze all this data to inform decisions that improve your products and services and increase business efficiency even further.

10. Improve Staff Efficiency with Professional Development

Continuous Professional Development) (CPD) is key to a strong business performance, ensuring your business is powered by a team whose skills and knowledge are optimized at all times. 

Online training platforms are a great way to deliver this, with modules available on a diverse range of topics that can be accessed at any time, from any location. It’s a highly effective way to increase business efficiency and enhance customer service.

These are just a few ways gyms can use technology to increase efficiency. By leveraging the latest tools and platforms, it’s possible to optimize operations, enhance customer experience, and drive revenue growth. Wexer is committed to supporting customers in creating powerful digital strategies to drive their businesses forward. Get in touch to find out how we can help you improve efficiency with the right digital touchpoints.

Wexer prides itself in supporting customers in the creation of powerful digital strategies to drive their businesses forward. Get in touch now to find out how we can help you improve business efficiency by implementing the right digital touchpoints across your business. Email us: INFO@WEXER.COM