CoverMe Fitness app launches to revolutionise group exercise cover

THE LAUNCH of a new on-demand group exercise class cover app is set to revolutionise the fitness industry, allowing operators to source the best freelance exercise instructors and keep member experience high.

CoverMe’s algorithm works by matching inspirational, qualified and insured freelance instructors, vetted by CoverMe’s own in-house team, with gyms and studios to minimise timetable disruption, factoring in skills, proximity and availability – all in real time – so managers can source and book class cover in less than 30 seconds and three simple steps.

The innovative technology was first created as a prototype back in 2018 and has since attracted the attention of industry heavyweights including The Gym Group founder and executive chair John Treharne, and Emma Barry, global fitness authority and co-founder of Good Soul Hunting, who have both joined CoverMe as non-executive directors.

Emma said: “The advancement of technology puts everything at our fingertips 24/7: food, fashion, and fast cars.

“And now the same is true for group exercise instructors – CoverMe is the ‘Uber’ of class subbing.”

CoverMe’s head of sales Nik Leeke added: “Any club manager will tell you that one of their biggest headaches is finding high-quality freelance cover when instructors are sick or absent.

“This can take up hours of precious time each week and usually has an unsatisfactory outcome, with another member of the team forced to stand in at the last minute or cancelled classes. Either way, it leads to dissatisfied members.

“CoverMe is more than an app, it’s a real-time community, streamlining cover provision quickly, reliably and safely.

“There’s no more desperately scrolling through contacts or calling in favours to cover classes; we make sure slickly choreographed, big-impact, big-fun group exercises classes actually happen, so the in-house team’s time can be spent growing the business and looking after the member experience, which all contributes to a more positive NPS score.

“We know that members who take part in group exercise are 20 per cent more likely to be loyal than those who only use the gym, so keeping group exercisers happy is key for retention.

“We also know that instructors are critical to the group exercise experience, yet finding cover for them is one of the few areas of the fitness industry that has yet to benefit from technology.

“Most managers still rely on outof-date ways to source cover, such as WhatsApp groups and archaic paper lists, which are hugely time-consuming, inefficient and very likely breach GDPR.

CoverMe aims raise standards in the industry.”

On joining the app, all instructors’ qualifications and insurance certificates are verified, so managers can be assured their group exercise cover is certified, insured and of the highest quality.

The app’s unique QR code system enables instructors to scan in at the club, meaning managers can track exactly who is in the building and when, and can produce class cover reports and generate automatic, accurate invoices to save further time and administration. CoverMe can also be used to manage, engage and retain existing talent and to source new talent to lead permanent classes.

In an ongoing pilot study at a club with 150 live classes a week, jobs were posted within 72 hours of the CoverMe app going live with 95 per cent of cover roles accepted in less than 20 minutes of posting.

On average, 97 per cent of group exercise classes that require cover, get cover.

John Treharne, former CEO The Gym Group, and non-executive director of CoverMe, added: “This is a fantastic concept and exactly what all class operators need to enhance efficiency, member satisfaction levels and avoid the frustration of classes being cancelled or changed at short notice.”