Where Do Gym Owners Go From Here?
You may have noticed that with the rate of innovation for computer technology is thundering along. But what does that mean for your small gym business, your members, and the way you’re going to develop your operations in the near future?
There are two types of equipment that are most relevant to the industry: Management software and payment processing. The needs of gym staff are reasonably consistent, but the hardware is changing faster than you can say "Zumba class."
E-commerce Thrives On Mobile Devices
The mobile revolution is putting processing power into smartphones and tablets that works perfectly well to run a business. In fact, all business owners should be aware that mobile is the dominant form of digital connection now. The dominance of mobile proved itself in the 2017 holiday buying season. Black Friday and Cyber Monday were record-setting events for e-commerce in 2017.
According to the linked article, consumers did almost half of their browsing and a quarter of their purchasing on mobile devices on Black Friday, and even more on Cyber Monday. Mobile devices are so convenient they’re here to stay, and there’s no going back.
Computers Fading Into The Digital Cloud Means BYOD
Mobile means a lot of things now, including the connected devices of IoT and wearables, and augmented reality apps. What’s currently most important for fitness clubs is the ability to manage information systems efficiently and adaptably, and that means dashboard information displays on tablets and PC screens.
There should be no difference in how a device presents the data. When small differences creep in, they accumulate as serious errors very quickly. The exciting changes to Cloud computing and the ability to have the same user experience on any device mean you can work on the tablets, PCs, and even the smartphones you already possess.
As long as you make the critical investments, you don’t have to go to the extremes of even five years ago. Heading into 2018, Bring Your Own Device is the flexibility to download gym management systems apps and start managing.
Affiliate Selling From The Gym Floor
Amazon has taken the lion’s share of e-commerce, but that doesn’t mean everyone else is left out in the cold. The giant online retailer is the ultimate supply chain company. You can even turn it to your advantage. You can promote merchandise and promote it from your website, app, or QR code.
You can get a commission, and you can even become a destination for packages. Imagine if you could direct sales to Amazon, collect the affiliate commission, and members can pick up their purchases from an Amazon.com branded rack of lockers in your lobby.
The Amazon Affiliate program is one example of how you can blend technology and marketing. Also, it shows how innovations in technology lead to unexpected opportunities.
One More Change On The Horizon
To finish up, there are a lot of tech nerds who’re scrambling to find their Bitcoin wallets and the passwords. Perhaps you bought some coins at, what’s now a very cheap rate of exchange. Bitcoin seems to keep growing. While there might be a bubble right now, the distributed nature of cryptocurrencies means they can maintain trust in even the sketchiest situations.
When cryptocurrencies find genuine applications they’re super valuable. At the time I’m writing this, we may not be at the point where business owners have to deal with them urgently. However, if they do pan out, financial changes are going to happen quickly. So, watch this space closely for sudden and exciting advancements.
Keeping Up With Technology Developments
It was gym owners seeking solutions that didn’t already exist in the software marketplace that founded Gym Insight. We’ve worked tirelessly to build the best systems to manage clubs, members, and training practices. Our gym management tools work on smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers, so it expands along with your business.
Technology is fickle and changing fast, all business owners need to stay aware of the changes that technology will bring in 2018. If you’re looking for gym management software and payment processing that will handle the latest advances in technology, download Insight today or get in touch to find out how we can help.
Bibliography
Fagan, Lawrence. AR Augments Your Fitness Center For A New Reality. March 17, 2017. https://blog.gyminsight.com/wp-admin/edit.php?s=augmented&post_status=all&post_type=post&action=-1&m=0&cat=0&paged=1&action2=-1 (accessed July 2, 2017).
-. Blockchain Technology Is Coming To The Gym Industry. July 8, 2017. https://blog.gyminsight.com/4510-blockchain-technology-is-coming-to-the-gym-industry/ (accessed December 6, 2017).
Perez, Sarah. Cyber Monday topped Prime Day to become Amazon’s biggest shopping day ever. November 29, 2017. https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/29/cyber-monday-topped-prime-day-to-become-amazons-biggest-shopping-day-ever/ (accessed December 6, 2017).
Roberts, Jeff John, and Nicolas Rapp. Nearly 4 Million Bitcoins Lost Forever, New Study Says. November 25, 2017. https://fortune.com/2017/11/25/lost-bitcoins/ (accessed December 6, 2017).