Fitness clubs, studios and gymnasiums are back with fitness enthusiasts looking for better member engagement and experience. The pandemic enforced the need to look for new and safer ways for people to continue their fitness journey. While it did seem that the trends influenced by the pandemic were there to stay, fitness enthusiasts are now going back to their clubs. Though, one trend, which is fitness through the digital medium, is stronger than ever before.
Fitness clubs need to provide a hybrid model much like work from home / work from office. However, many challenges still remain, the primary among them being member retention. And one of the most important variables to retain members is to determine the customer journey.
Putting everyone in the same pipeline of retention marketing programs won’t offer you much success. Fitness clubs need to understand that every customer has a unique journey.
A holistic view with an API-based approach
Despite various digital experimentation, many fitness clubs have reported missing their retention targets. In such circumstances, fitness-specialized Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) come to your rescue. You can choose from a host of APIs that monitor running, walking, cycling and GPS as well as nutrition and community-based APIs.
Integrating these APIs into your apps allows members to track their progress within your offering, providing a superior customer experience. Being a fitness entrepreneur, you cannot ignore sustainable technology solutions to cater to the post-pandemic demands.
According to the Mckinsey Post-Pandemic Fitness Survey, 95% of pre-pandemic fitness club users reported missing at least one or more elements of exercise options. On top of that, more than 60% of Americans who work out regularly wish to go for hybrid exercise. The current fitness club demand has advanced.
How to identify missing elements from your centers
There are different types of fitness clubs in the USA, including mid-pricing clubs, luxury clubs, VIP personal training, CrossFit, traditional workout places, and health clubs. Each type of club has different requirements and this is where customer journey mapping can help.
Transform Your Mid-pricing Venture
Maximize member engagement and retention in your mid-priced fitness club by upgrading your digital onboarding process. Consider incorporating a more comprehensive application interface that includes diverse payment options, automated promotions, and customer journey tracking.
Understanding why a member may have failed to make a payment, as well as keeping abreast of their pricing preferences and competitors, can give you a competitive edge. Avoid relying on phone calls to gather feedback, as this can be frustrating for customers and may lead to churn.
A few elements that you should consider while developing your brand’s digital version include personalization, hassle-free billing gateways, and time sensitivity.
Make Your Luxury Club More Accessible
Enhance your luxury club’s accessibility by offering live or hybrid access options. Integrating technology can boost customer retention and revenue. Consider these key elements while creating your digital brand: personalized experiences, seamless billing, timely updates, and a focus on innovation.
These factors will foster strong customer relationships and drive higher retention rates for your club.
Offer Digital Assistance for VIP Clients
Personalized digital assistance enables you to stay in touch with VIP clients regularly. By collecting feedback and analyzing customer behavior, you can improve retention after memberships end. Daily performance updates will motivate members and keep them coming back to your club.
Modify Traditional Gyms Using Technology
In today’s tech-driven world, digital initiatives drive industries, making it challenging for traditional fitness clubs to stay profitable and relevant. A fitness-focused SaaS solution can help revitalize your business by utilizing data insights, streamlined onboarding, and retention strategies.
By embracing digital transformation, your gym can stay ahead of current market demands and reap the benefits of data-driven marketing. Though you may have loyal members, growth, billing processes, user experience, and operational efficiency are crucial factors that cannot be ignored in the face of continued growth.
Integrate Fitness Club Management Software
After identifying retention challenges and exploring technology solutions, consider integrating fitness club management software for comprehensive data-driven retention marketing. Utilizing SaaS can boost your fitness business effectively. Digital fitness platforms can help you scale and grow your enterprise strategically.
Consider redesigning your fitness center’s application and reevaluating pricing to offer personalized payment options. This can optimize retention and increase revenue per member. Due to the pandemic, customer behavior has shifted, and customized pricing strategies may be necessary. Adopt data-driven pricing analysis to achieve retention goals and offer flexible, personalized pricing options to customers.
Embrace software tools and implement new retention strategies to keep up with industry trends. Partner with DXFactor to digitize your fitness club and enhance member retention.
