It seems with the advancement of technology many fitness business owners, like yourself, are now looking for studio management software that will aid them as they run their business.

Many are told by the fitness business gurus that EFT and automatic billing is the way to go. So that becomes top priority. Studio management software that will facilitate EFT (Electronic funds transfer) thus allowing credit cards to be processed, becomes very desirable. The rationale being that what only really matters is the billing and invoicing.

Non tracking of sessions can lead to:

• Classes over capacity
• Low class turnouts
• Sessions completed and unaccounted for
• Invoices incorrectly created when post billing
• Members attending more classes than they paid for

This lack of session tracking can end up affecting your bottom line.

If your clients know that you do not keep accurate records of your sessions, there are three things they don't want you to know:

1. They bought the 2 sessions per week monthly package but they are actually attending 3 times per week
2. They know there is a discrepancy between how many sessions you think they have left and how many they think - 9 out of 10 times customers end up getting extra sessions
3. If they show up late to class and leave right after and you may never even know they were there

Your clients want you to succeed. But they want to meet their goals too. They know that the sessions they are participating in at your fitness business are key to them meeting their fitness goals however most clients feel it is the responsibility of the business to make sure that they pay.

A studio management software that has an accurate and user friendly scheduling module will not only increase the perception of professionalism from your clients but also  provide you with valuable data that can help you make some sound business decisions.  

An effective studio scheduling software can provide you with features like:           

• Online member portal booking and cancellations
• Sessions bought and remaining reports
• One click checks in all members to a class
• Member activity and status reports
• Member sessions/expiry report

Sure, EFT, invoicing and billing is important to the success of your fitness business but don't underestimate the value that tracking sessions can bring to the table.

In summary to grow your business to it's fullest potential you want software that not only allows you to implement an automatic billing program but also allows you to easily track everything that your clients do in your business.

Photo by gdrage