It seems that when fitness business owners are reviewing their management systems, they are cautious during slow times. Then logic behind cautious behaviour is that when business is slow, it is better not to incur any additional expenses, or to wait before implementing any new systems in their business. Additionally, for new fitness studios, many owners will wait until just before opening to implement a new management system.
Photo by wadem
Gone are the days of bulky, printed software manuals, and hard to reach customer support. Online studio management software can be transitioned to seamlessly with some time and planning. Live support options and online training can save you hours of tedious support calls and in-house training sessions.
When implementing an online management system for you studio, timing is critical. You need to ensure you will have exactly the system you need, when you need it. It is usually reccommended that 4 weeks be provided before implementing any business management solution. By providing yourself with some free time for preparation you will give yourself ample time to configure, implement, and get comfortable with the software. If you are adding a merchant account to the system in order to process credit cards, for example, it can take up to 14 days to get everything organized from application to approval.
Slow times in your business can provide the best time to implement a new system. This system will be the backbone of your successful business. There are many different elements that need to come together to make sure your new studio management system will fit flawlessly into your business model. Use the time you have provided yourself to make sure all details of the system are properly examined and executed.
We all know that when business is busy, things can get stressful quickly. Imagine trying to focus on learning a new system when you are waiting for equipment to arrive, or when you are trying to organize all the people that have signed up for a Groupon or other promotion.
Imagine how hard it will be to run your business if you do not have:
- An effective invoicing process
- The ability to track and effectively communicate with clients
- An online booking and sales portal
- The ability to pre-determine class capacities to limit the disruption of your current clients
- A way to track Groupon sessions, or other promotions you are selling
When you consider fitness management software, make sure you inquire about the customer service. Know the difference between poor customer support and excellent customer support. Customer support will directly impact the level of stress you experience during the final stage of initiating your new fitness management system. You need to make sure that the company you choose to provide your new system will provide you with the excellent customer support that will be pivotal to the system's success.
Check out the software company's HELP section. How user-friendly is it? Speak to a sales representative about support options.
Great questions to ask your potential studio managment software company are:
- How much training will I receive?
- What kind of turnaround times can I expect on any questions? that I email you?
- Do you have instant chat/live support available for in the moment customer support.
Photo by airosche5
To implement or not to implement; that is no longer the question. The only question that remains is how quickly and seamlessly can you transition from the old school studio management model to maximize on new technology.
Don't wait until you are too busy to commit to implementing a new system. Put into effect a online management system now, and benefit from your proactive approach.
Someone once said, "there is no such thing as luck. It is when preparation meets opportunity that the magic happens.
