As 2022 approaches, we are expecting to see a number of fitness trends emerge and evolve from 2021 which will dictate what fitness business owners will expect from their management software. The right fitness business management software is designed to lessen the amount of time fitness business owners have to spend on day to day admin.
From creating a schedule for their classes to effectively managing their payments, fitness business owners are looking for specific attributes from their management software. We take a look at five key features that gym and studio owners will be looking for in their software in 2022.
A good platform for hosting online classes
Online classes are here to stay, and this is definitely a positive thing for both business owners and consumers. Online classes offered fitness instructors a lifeline during 2020 and 2021, but they also opened the door to new possibilities for anyone starting their own fitness business. Online classes are growing in popularity because it increases the number of clients who can attend a class as well as further the reach of the business’s target demographic.
Fitness business owners are not just searching for management software that can host online classes through integrations with apps such as Zoom. They also want to be able to sync those classes with their calendars. When members sign up for a class, being sent a link either to their email or as an in-app notification makes it easy for them to join their classes.
Create demand for on-demand
An extension of online classes, fitness instructors are finding that on-demand content is gaining popularity for a number of reasons. Sometimes a client can’t make it to class, online or in person. On-demand content is the perfect solution to this problem. Clients can take the class at their own leisure whenever and wherever they want.
On-demand content is also a great tool for maintaining customer engagement. Creating on-demand workout videos isn’t just a way of letting clients catch up with missed classes. It’s also a way of providing members with supplementary workouts. This keeps them engaged and gives them some autonomy over their own fitness goals.
More engagement through member apps
The majority of shopping and booking by consumers is done on mobile devices nowadays, so a member app is a really useful tool for management software platforms to provide. While good gym management software is important for the day to day running of a fitness business, it’s also important for a good customer experience. A part of that is making it as easy as possible for clients to access your schedules, to pay for their memberships, and simplifying your communications with them. A member app offers members all of that.
From a well-built member app, new clients can complete the full sign-up process and complete their memberships. They will be able to share all the details a fitness instructor needs, including personal details such as emergency contacts and medical history questionnaires or ParQs. Members can also sign any necessary waivers and forms, as well as upload their bank details to complete signing up for a membership or a drop-in class.
Secure payments
A really important part of any gym management software is its payment integrations. Avoiding ambiguity with clients or having to have awkward conversations after classes and sessions is a big factor for fitness business owners. A secure payment system can allow business owners to set up payments in a way that works for both them and their clients.
Whether it’s a recurring membership or a one-off payment for an upcoming drop-in session, removing any vagueness from the picture helps business to customer relations. Additionally, secure payment integrations allow business owners to see the flow of money from when the client pays to when it arrives in their account.
Reliable and robust reporting
A booking system with reliable reports is helpful for business owners to track their business’s development as well as keep up to date with their clients progress. A robust reporting system allows business owners to keep an eye on information about the popularity of certain class times or class types. It shows the most frequent customers, and it also allows them to keep track of any revenue changes.
Reports also help businesses to track signups, referrals, and purchases to give a clear overview of the customer journey. A part reports also play in that is highlighting when clients are slipping away. Reports will tell a business owner when there are significant drops in attendance, as well as no-shows and cancellations to help them see where they need to make improvements in their business structure.
Conclusion
When business owners look into management software for their fitness businesses in 2022, we expect their choices to reflect certain trends that first appeared in 2020 and 2021. With online classes growing in popularity, a reliable platform to schedule and host them is an important factor for business owners investing in software. Similarly, having a place to upload and share on-demand content allows them to maintain customer engagement.
Ways of improving business to customer relationships will also be a big consideration. A member app makes everything easier for both business and client from sign up to booking and similarly, having a clear payment system in place allows this process to flow smoothly. Finally, reliable and robust reporting allows business owners to keep track of every facet of their business. From information about class popularity to client behaviours, they allow a business owner to have a clear idea of what changes may be needed to take their business forward.
To learn more about how TeamUp fitness management software can help you successfully run your business, sign up for a free 30-day trial, here.