S o f twa r e
Getting
PART ONE
Upgraded photo: GaudiLab/SHUTTERSTOCK
The pandemic brought business as we knew it to a standstill. But not for long. Software companies were quick to provide solutions to help clubs adapt and now these are here to stay. Suppliers tell HCM how the pandemic is changing the industry for the better
The pandemic forced the hand of a lot of operators who had previously thought their members would not like booking online photo: ezrunner
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Shez Namooya EZRunner The pandemic forced numerous brands to fast forward their digital/ on-demand programs. The biggest opportunity the pandemic created – if I could describe it like this – was the mindset of ‘what have you got to lose’ for health clubs. The one thing I have always read is that ‘it’s better to fail than to never try’. Even when you fail, you learn. The pandemic forced the hand of a lot of operaors who thought their members would not like booking online, or would not be comfortable booking their swimming lanes or classes. Certain brands had already made their mind up that their membership base would not be comfortable using apps. The
Issue 11 2021 ©Cybertrek 2021
key is, you don’t really know until you try. Brands would say members preferred interacting with staff. While that may be true on some level, for customers, managing their gym use online proved far more convenient. What brands discovered was that member satisfaction increased. Members were now in control of when they could book certain activities, book swimming lanes and be almost guaranteed a great experience as clubs would use their software to control the capacity. Think about how you watch TV, you choose what you want when you want – very much the Netflix generation – convenient and simple. As a business we saw a huge demand for more options online. It showed that you do not lose the human interaction.
