It’s an industry fact: if you want to run a successful health club you’re going to need club management software. Whether it be a simple system or a comprehensive one with a ton of functionality, it is vital for; operations, organization, sales, revenue management, IT leverage…the list goes on and on. However, many gym owners are unaware of the functionality they actually need when assessing club management software options. So our team created a list that you can use to check off when evaluating a club management software vendor.
Feature
Why
24/7 accessibility to the system from any location with an internet connection. No license fees means lower up-front costs. SaaS providers manage all updates and upgrades. SaaS also allows for customization capabilities to meet specific needs. Also, be sure that the provider is hosted on a secure and reliable cloud provider, like Amazon or Microsoft. If they are not SaaS, cross them off your list immediately.
Every health club has a unique business model, therefore, it important that the system you are choosing has the ability to integrate with multiple pieces of software. If not, your business will operate in a very disjointed fashion, which can lead to inaccuracies in day-to-day operations.
Members bank online, shop online and even date online! Don’t they expect the same service convenience from your business? Be there when they need you but let them do more by themselves when they want. Allow members to manage their own account with no impact on their enjoyment time and let your staff can focus on other responsibilities.
You could have a billing software separate from your club management software, but having an integrated billing solution lowers your costs and lessens your risk – relieving you and your staff of cumbersome operational and bookkeeping tasks. Look for automated tools like a Credit Card Automatic Update Service (CCAUS) which updates members’ credit card numbers when they receive new or replaced cards so your staff doesn’t have to track them down and you maximize each billing run. Also make sure the provider is PCI (Payment Card Industry) certified.
An accounts receivable program frees up your time to operate with financial confidence and leverages consumer friendly technology for more efficient & more successful member account outreach. The key word here is consumer friendly. Research the software company beforehand to ensure that the member experience & ultimately your facilities reputation is not being affected by collection practices.
Collect data so you can analyze member behavior and trends, and then make decisions based on that data to further improve the member experience. Also make sure the system has a custom report writer so you are not constrained to extracting only standard reports.
You’re not just in the fitness business, you’re in the revenue business. So having an accounting tool like this integrated into your software will make it easier to stay on top of your finances.
Make sure that the club management software provider has a training offering so you can learn the system and manage it with ease. Support services are also critical so if issues arise, you can get them straightened out immediately.
Print this out and keep it handy so you can be sure you’re getting a good club management software system with the necessary functionality to help grow your business.
