025 Using Technology For A New Era of Gym Members

What can location and activity tracking do to improve the lives of millions of health club members and deliver to the bottom line of fitness facilities in our industry? Today on the podcast, were diving into depth on this topic, and how new technology can truly meet the increasing demands of our members at their deepest needs.

When we look at location and member activity, a deeper question arises: Just exactly what technology can deliver value to the club and the member without being cumbersome or too expensive?

That question is answered today and so much more, by our guest Jamie Cole of FitConnect. For episode 025, we're learning from Jamie about how we can provide more value for the gym member without asking them to make any extra steps outside of what they're already doing while inside the health club.

If you've been looking for more clarity around what it looks like to use outside club fitness app data combined with in-club location tracking of the members activity to help deliver contextualized and personal health recommendations, you're going to enjoy this episode, as we talk about real the answers to these questions and how new technologies can give you better decision making capabilities for your fitness business.

FitConnect has helped 72 gyms and have sealed a partnership with Life Fitness UK to help their customers. FitConnect connects members, their health data and the gym.

Through one platform, the gym can access the fitness data of their members from all the top apps & devices. Jamie has recently joined FIT-C to connect with operators in the industry who are 'digital-ready'. Jamie loves sharing his experience from other industries on how to solve problems with digital and making the lives of exercisers better.

Listen To Episode 025 As Jamie Uncovers

• What is FitConnect? FitConnect automatically collects member app data & creates powerful reports to retain members, make sales & build brand loyalty.
• What is the gap that FitConnect is filling in our industry?
• What is the origin story of FitConnect? Learn how Jamie did a "PREZI" for the head of LifeFitness UK, and how this relationship lead his team to build a number of solutions for health data
• How does FitConnect tie in other data sources? Integration with Cisco for geotagging and more importantly when connected to WiFI in the gym, the use of the Meraki system allows 100% member location and behavioral patterns while inside the club.
• Meraki: Can you explain the Meraki system to our audience? This is very cutting edge.
• Trends: What is the importance of member location trends in the gym, what does that mean to the club owner's bottom line?
• Taking an honest look at the member journey: How do you work with clubs to integrate technology that establishes a solid and robust member journey?
• Meaningful Data: We're swimming in data, what would you say are the handful of data points about the customer that matter most to a club?
• Using data with machine leaning: How do you use machine learning to blend automation with personalization when messaging health club members?
• 360 degree view: What is the advantage of a technology focused health club of combining data sets of member activity inside and outside the club?
• Why do people can cancel their membership? Setting massively high goals, vs. realistic goals
• Attrition: How does FitConnect address member attrition?
• Deeper Insights on attrition: Can you tell us about your work with Paul Bedford, retention and attrition management specialist and how that has shaped your platform?
• The deeper question of technology and member service: How can we create an experience that requires the member to do nothing yet add more value to what they already have?

Top 3 Takeaways From The Show

• How can we provide more value for the gym member without asking them to make any extra steps outside of what they're already doing while inside the health club? One of the biggest answers to this powerful question is by combining fitness app data sets with in club location data while the member is in the club. Using iBeacon and strategic location technology, clubs now have the ability to send members truly personalized and contextualized advice on how they can improve while supporting them towards their wellness goals via a mobile device.
• When we're looking at meeting the member's deepest needs (which are changing faster than ever) savvy operators, owners, and trainers must take the honest inventory of if they've actually considered what their members really want. At the end of the day, the ultimate question is "is the member journey you're creating right now truly going to help them to achieve their goals?" Jamie believes that success for gyms is found through creating a digital strategy that will aid staff and members to get the most out of their relationship.
• Jamie believes that with location and activity data lead health programs, we can begin to really address some of the major health issues in our world. There is a emerging space (when it comes to increasing revenues in the gym) that is crying out for someone to lead it. With new technologies, gyms are now positioned to be just the right thing to lead the charge when it comes to improving global health by working with key referral programs from doctors.

Power Quotes From Jamie

"There's a number of jobs the gym must do to be successful including get more sales, retain more members, and create secondary sales channels. When you focus on those tasks first, then you can understand how you can better use whatever software you currently have, or what new software you may need to acquire." - Jamie Cole on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"A lot of clubs are now becoming interested in a 360° view of what the members are doing in and outside of the four walls. When we look at the advantage of a running a technology focused health club who wants to combine both the inside and outside data sets of customers, it is now more essential than ever before. If you look at other industries, it's already been done for years. What we're looking at is a case of people needing to catch up now, because if they don't, they're going to be rapidly beaten by their competitors ." - Jamie Cole on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

Resources Mentioned From Jamie

• FitConnect on facebook
• FitConnect on Twitter
• Jamie Cole on LinkedIn
• Fitbit: FTP Episode 011: LIVE From CES 2017
• Predictive Analytics
• Indoor Location + iBeacon Technology
• Nearfield Technology
• Curves Fitness
• LIFE Fitness UK
• London fitness clubs
• Amazon Growth Strategy
• Domino's Pizza Digital Strategy
• The 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report

Thanks To Our Outstanding Sponsors

• AFTERSHOKZ has created cutting edge headphones, using bone conduction sound technology perfect for cyclists, fitness professionals, and fitness enthusiasts alike. With an open ear design focused on safety and comfort, AFTERSHOKZ is offering an exclusive bundle with a free gift for the Fitness + Technology audience. Pickup your free gift with purchase by heading over to FITC.AFTERSHOKZ.COM today.