Gyms and health clubs are undergoing an evolutionary shift in how they approach their business model. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, in the United States alone, more than 90 percent of gyms have closed at some point due to coronavirus-related mandates, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). Reopening has been contingent on adapting to stringent new health and public safety guidelines.
At the same time, the industry is recognizing the opportunity to incorporate new technologies into their operations — not just for the benefit of members, but also to update operational procedures. This adoption of technology is key to controlling costs, optimizing employee efficiency, and successfully responding to changing consumer trends and an ever more complex legislative and regulatory environment.
What is the most efficient and cost-effective entry point for this kind of technology? It’s the kind that automates time-consuming administrative tasks while eliminating human error and establishing accountability throughout your organization and across multiple locations. And that explains the rising popularity of mobile solutions known as smart checklists.
What are smart checklists?
In 2021, member safety continues to be top of mind for gym operators, but paper checklists for recording compliance with health and safety guidelines are unwieldy, often inaccurate, and outdated. In its most basic form, a smart checklist moves your operations away from on-paper, manual processes by rebuilding them digitally in the cloud. This means everyone in your organization can access the same version of each process, list and set of standards on their own mobile device and in real time.
Employees on every shift can log in and quickly complete up-to-date checklists with a few swipes and taps – and all entries are automatically recorded with the employee name, time and location. Each entry then becomes part of your official records. In addition, managers can log in from any location and immediately see the current status of any checklist or process, performing quality checks as necessary.
At the organizational level, a digital dashboard provides a clear summary that is kept fully up to date. It lets you easily find any specific data point you need, either aggregated or by location, which means it becomes easy to identify any potential issues and take remedial action. On the flip side, it’s also easy to find any best practices that have been developed by one location and replicate them in other locations. Your gym chain develops trust with your members as they recognize the high-quality, consistent experience.
More ways smart checklists benefit your organization
As noted above, smart gym checklists exist entirely online, so they’re easy to customize and update. They also expand the capabilities of your organizational documentation by including features such as transcription (why write or type when you can speak?) and photo / video uploads. You can:
- Create your own standardized benchmarks and quality assessment templates that will make it easy to track and resolve any deficiencies.
- Develop action plans, set up automated reminders, and track results in real time.
- Audit operations throughout locations for compliance with all standards.
- Quickly upload key performance and operational data from any location.
Developing accountability and consistency
As noted, the success of today’s gyms rests on ensuring that trustworthy experience and high quality are consistently delivered across multiple locations. For chains, this consistency is developed by holding each location and all employees accountable for not only meeting regulatory requirements around health and safety, but for completing standardized employee training and for reflecting your organization’s branding requirements. Smart gym checklists easily build in this accountability by:
- Confirming that safety protocols and policies are being followed, at all times, in every location.
- Making it quick and easy to build action plans as needed, including setting deadlines and assigning employee responsibilities for each step.
- Attaching photos and videos that document the real story, whether it be a positive or negative one.
- Allowing for remote audits that can even take place simultaneously, with all results available in real time.
- Opening an analytical window into each location, making it easier to determine why certain facilities are producing specific outcomes.
- Offering instant access to enterprise-wide data and reporting that you need to monitor all operations and make fact-based decisions.
All of these features cut down on the possibility of human error at any point during the administrative processes.
Leverage MeazureUp At Your Gym
It’s been said that you can’t improve what you don’t measure. A digital gym assessment app like MeazureUp can help every employee across all your gyms and fitness centers take the right action on time, every time, so they all deliver a consistently strong member experience. Then you have time to focus on improving the experience for your patrons in ways that will increase your facilities’ bottom line. For more information on how MeazureUp can help you measure success in your gym, contact us today.
