(Editors' Note: This sponsored article is part of Club Industry's report, "The Changing World of Personal Training." To download this free report, go here.)
Is your business fit for purpose? Are you utilizing online business solutions to maximize success? Digital tools are set to transform training for the better in the future. Here are the five areas in which these tools will be helpful.
1. Virtual personal training. Less than 10 percent of club members invest in a face-to-face personal training services with many choosing to gain training support from the growing array of third-party apps. Savvy club owners should be offering an online personal training service to increase penetration and drive new revenue.
Clubs using centralized digital programming can increase personal training engagement with members—and not just those regularly in the club but also those at home, traveling on business or on holiday. Consuming programming online allows clubs to analyze which programs and virtual workouts are most in demand. That, in turn, can unlock new revenue stream opportunities.
2. Digital programming. Access to a digital library of exercises can enable clubs to provide template workouts, advice on exercise techniques and programming innovation, all available to personal trainers and members at the click of a button. This not only enhances the personal training and member experience, but it is also much more efficient than paper-based programming systems, enabling gym floor staff to spend more time interacting with members than working on administration.
3. Online bookings and payments. Manually keeping track of subscriptions, session credits, no shows and cancellations is hugely time consuming. Today, a single online system can automate personal training bookings and payments, including multiple subscription and personal training models, auto-renewals and push notifications to keep clients motivated and informed, allowing personal trainers to spend their time delivering other areas of the business.
Online booking solutions create operational transparency and streamline internal processes. Centralized reporting tools also enable real-time performance analysis enabling club owners to make operational and programming decisions based on evidence rather than gut feel.
Simplifying the payment process gives studio owners more time to focus on delivery while members have an efficient and convenient means of purchasing sessions, keeping track of bookings and viewing training programs.
4. Personal training marketing and education. Retaining great personal trainers continues to be a challenge for many operators. More needs to be done to support personal trainers to build successful, financially viable businesses. A successful personal trainer will have little reason to seek an alternative location. Yet, little support is offered in terms of business training, marketing and further education, either at point of qualification or during employment.
Clubs offering personal trainers a digital solution to help them efficiently manage client portfolios and enhance the service they deliver is a step in the right direction. A digital platform can also provide education and program inspiration, helping personal trainers to deliver on-trend and innovative training plans for clients.
5. Trainer performance. If a club has operational transparency, digital solutions can allow it to track and assess the performance of the club overall and individual staff in real-time, providing an opportunity to anticipate potential pitfalls before they arise.
Setting key performance indicators through an online system and measuring them weekly will give clubs the best chance of anticipating challenges before they are problems.
Digital innovations and technological advancements are a fantastic tool for clubs and studios to integrate in order to support staff in delivery and time efficiency and to enhance member experience.
BIO
Rob Lander, founder and CEO of Fisikal, started as a personal trainer 25 years ago working with celebrities, athletes and high-end clients in London. After maxing out at 50 sessions per week, with little time to focus on his diary and the financial side of his business, Lander sought technology to leverage his time more efficiently, automate his diary, remind clients of appointments, keep a record of all sessions and finances, and support his many clients with programs and behavioral change reminders. The idea evolved into a plan, and Fisikal was born. Now, with clients all over the world from health clubs, studios, personal trainers, fitness education companies and fitness product manufacturers, the Fisikal product has expanded and enhanced its features and now offers more than 50 pick ’n mix modules to create bespoke solutions that increase business efficiencies and enhance client experience.