Maybe you’ve decided your current gym management software isn’t up to par? Good. Par is just a golf term for average and no one likes being average – or golf.
Switching gym software can seem daunting. Quite frankly, it doesn’t need to suck.
We’ll discuss how simple and easy it can actually be with a step by step plan that will keep your member billing undisturbed and your gym operations, uninterrupted.
Your members, memberships, and billing cycles will remain undisturbed while your administrative side will continue humming along smoothly.
Because we know our process best, we’ll outline how we ensure a smooth changeover when coming to our platform, but these steps can be applied universally no matter who you’re transitioning to.
1. KNOW YOUR ‘NEW SYSTEM’ BILLING DATE
Member-focused. Member-focused. The first step is best determined by your membership billing dates. What it ultimately represents is the first billing date in the new system.
As you’ll be able to use everything on the platform well in advance, this date serves as the official switch over for your members and their billing. The initial bill date is the first time they will process payments through the new platform.
If you’re constantly taking in member payments throughout the month, there is less emphasis here and more emphasis on the timetable needed to get data exported from the old system and imported into the new system.
For gyms with a consistent billing date (i.e. 1st of the month) it’s a little easier. Communicate the projected ‘start date’ with the Onboard Manager responsible for helping get your gym info transferred.
Recommended: An average timeline for switching gym software should be no sooner than 2 weeks in the future.
Takeaways:
- Set a planned ‘Switch Date’
- Communicate special circumstances with Onboard Manager
2. EXPORT DATA OUT. IMPORT DATA IN
Your member data is an essential part to the transfer. Without performance data, we’re just apes picking up heavy things and putting them down. This performance data can be a tangled mess but it can be a member’s precious log of years of data, so we must get it untangled and transitioned smoothly.
Thankfully we’ve broken down the process to a sweet science to minimize (or outright eliminate) any data gaps.
If you’re one of the few clean freaks who keep your member spreadsheets/reports organized and consistent, congratulations – things just got a whole lot easier. If not, no worries, we’re prepared!
No one wants to go through and clean up member/membership data to ensure it imports properly but at Triib we assist with the export and give you a standard template with your data already on it. You can then verify and make any final tweaks before giving us the thumbs up!
Once we your approval, we will import the spreadsheet template with your data into Triib. Then we do another verification pass to ensure everything looks good.
We’re constantly communicating with you to make sure billing dates, inactive vs. active members, and membership types are listed appropriately. Ensure there’s clear checkpoints’ along the way with your new system and you’ll be able to spot any issues early.
Boom. We’re already almost done!
Takeaways:
- Verify Exported Member Data Spreadsheet from old system
- Verify Imported Member Data inside your new Triib admin dashboard
3. GET ACQUAINTED
Once your data is imported and your member lists look good, you can begin getting acclimated with how everything looks in your new system.
Around this time with Triib you’ll get an official onboard call scheduled with a Customer Success Manager from our team. During this call, you’ll learn the key ins-and-outs as it pertains to your gym. We’ll give you the key process improvements and show you step-by-step walkthroughs on how to get things done, where to look, how to mold the system into how you currently operate etc.
The focus should always be on minimizing any disturbance in your current processes and ensuring NO hiccups from the member-side. A training session later, you’re well on your way!
Takeaways:
- Get adjusted to your new admin and reporting dashboards
- Get Onboard call scheduled with a list of key items you want to cover
4. INTRODUCE YOUR MEMBERS
The final step! Based on your live date above, you can decide to send your official ‘Welcome Email’ to all members or have us send on your behalf. This email will give them log-in info along with a link and temporary password to their new account!
Following the link, members will sign your gym’s waiver, input billing info, and complete any membership contract (if applicable).
Once the above step is complete, your member’s are good to go!
They can use their new log-in to access the Triib mobile app via Google Play or the Apple App Store. You can also customize the Welcome Email with imagery, gym logo, or include any additional steps you’d like your members to take.
Takeaways:
- Send welcome emails
- Consider a short tutorial showing members how to set up their Triib account.
Switching Gym Software
There is a lot to consider when choosing gym management software! Before you spend a penny, be sure the system you’re considering includes these five features.
Want to learn more about our upcoming Triib Engine announcement? Get a sneak preview here: Introducing Triib Engine: Optimized Membership Management.
