If you’re a fitness business owner, it’s important to have the right software to help you streamline your operations, process payments, manage your schedule, and more. With a wide variety of business management and scheduling software out there, we put together this guide to help you evaluate different tools and choose the perfect software for your gym or studio. 

Here are the most important questions to ask when choosing a gym management software:

1. Does it save you time & make you money?

At the end of the day, any software you use to run your business should be saving you time AND making you more money. The best gym management software should automate your recurring tasks such as class scheduling, membership payment processing, and client communications. Instead of spending hours of your time each week writing the same emails or running reports to know which members to charge, you should be investing your time in growing your business.

In addition to saving you hours per week, the software you use to run your fitness business should also help you make more money. Software can help you make more money by enhancing the services you offer your clients - like performance tracking or heart-rate training; enabling you to charge more and differentiate your business from the competition. When evaluating different software tools, ask yourself if the features will give your business an edge and allow you to generate more revenue. 

2. Can you easily get actionable business metrics?

Every business owner needs data in order to understand the health of their business. In addition, by monitoring the right metrics, you will know which areas of your operations need improvement and what is working well.

Any software platform you consider using to manage your fitness business should provide a variety of reports, pre-built dashboards, and pre-calculated key performance indicators (KPIs). For example, with Wodify Insights, it takes just one click to see your Average Revenue per Member, Length of Engagement, 90 Day Conversion Rate, and more! On top of standard reports & insights, make sure that your software platform offers the ability to build custom reports, so you can be sure you’ll have access to the data you need.

3. Does it enable you to provide a better experience for your clients?

Once you’re confident that a gym management software can solve your backend business challenges, it’s time to think about your client experience. The right software will go beyond just the basics and provide a seamless experience to keep your clients engaged with your business.

Some of the most effective software features to keep your clients engaged are:

• A mobile app that allows members to view class & appointment schedules and reserve their spot
• Performance tracking to help them hit their goals and see their progress
• Social features that help build an engaged community
• Progression tracking so every client can see which belt/level/rank they are at and what is required to move on
  

At the end of the day, your clients should see the software you choose to run your business as a valuable tool for them as well.  

4. Have you calculated the true cost of software?

For any investment you are making in your business, it’s important to calculate the return on investment (ROI), and with software that is no different. The first critical step to calculating the ROI for your gym management software is understanding the ‘true cost’ of software. Unfortunately, many software companies have hidden fees and unexpected costs that could sneak up on you. 

To make the most informed decision, in addition to the monthly recurring subscription cost, make sure you also evaluate:

• Processing fees - the cost of payment processing can often be higher than the actual monthly subscription cost of the software, but it is often ‘hidden’ since it comes directly out of your revenue.
  
  Some gym management software companies will even go so far to say their software is ‘free’ while charging a high percent of payment processing fees, resulting in a higher true cost of software than you anticipate.
  
  With Wodify Payments, we offer transparent pricing and some of the lowest processing fees available - all integrated directly into the Wodify Core platform. That means, predictable costs for you and easier financial management.
  
  
• Paid add-ons - many software companies have a flat base price and then charge for add-on products / services. Make sure you know what the entire package will cost you each month.
  
  
• Usage based pricing - another common expense that some owners fail to calculate is usage based pricing for certain features. The most common example is when gym management software tools charge per text message sent for their SMS functionality.
  
  Make sure you inquire about all of the usage based expenses before signing up, so you know what to expect!

5. Are there support & training resources once you sign up?

‍No matter what, once you decide on a software to manage your fitness business, there is going to be a learning curve as you and your staff implement the new tool. That is why support and training resources are some of the most important criteria when evaluating the best gym management software for you.

At Wodify, we think of each new customer as a business partner and we demonstrate our commitment to your success by providing a dedicated onboarding manager during your transition as well as a world-class US-based customer success team, available 7 days per week. In addition to email support, we offer live chat, 1-on-1 zoom training sessions, an online learning academy, and bi-weekly webinars.

With any software you are evaluating, be sure to ask about their support & training resources and data around average response times and availability.

Choosing a software to manage your business is a big decision, but with the right checklist of criteria to evaluate, you can make the right choice. We hope this helps! 

If you would like a no-pressure software consultation with someone from the Wodify team, you can book a call here. Hope to talk to you soon!