What are the top gym management FAQs?

In the spring of 2020, TeamUp received a massive 400% increase in gym owners wanting to buy software. We were surprised, because this was the middle of the first wave of Coronavirus. We had been planning for lower sales, not higher.

Now looking back, we know it was because of two reasons:

The software manages booking, waitlists, and contactless payments with ease, and
Within a week of quarantine in Europe, we connected our booking tools with Zoom.

Since physical distancing became the best way to keep one another safe, keeping things organised has become a challenge. If you're running a gym, box, or studio, or thinking about starting, here are the gym management basics you should know.

Gym management questions stylised image with a chalk board picture of muscled body and question mark for head

What is gym management software?

Gym management software powers the administration parts of running a fitness business. There are lots of terms that describe gym management software, like gym studio member management, fitness class scheduling software, and gym software. Managing a gym business — or any fitness environment — is the art of balancing the needs of members and ensuring payments and safety requirements are managed effectively. Gym management software helps you do that.

A gym management system is software that helps you manage your classes and memberships. It allows you to automate a lot of your admin, freeing up time to focus on the important things in business: connecting with those around you.

strength class in the gym doing pull-ups

What is the best gym management software?

The best gym management software will help you take a step back from admin to spend time with your customers and your friends and family. If you find your software too bulky and difficult to navigate, or if it takes up too much of your time, it's not the right software for you.

Basic gym management software should...

manage payments and memberships.
manage class bookings, including a clear calendar for your customers.
automatically contact people on your waitlist when a spot comes available.
help you communicate with your clients.
help you grow your business.

The best software is the one that fits your needs. If it's not easy to use and understand, it might not be for you.

The best way to find gym management software for you is to check in with businesses like yours. Ask them what they like about their software and what they don't like. How is the customer service? How is the workflow? Can it handle integrations easily? What kind of reports does it give the business owner? By talking to a variety of business owners and managers, you'll start to get a sense of how you'd like to run your business. We suggest starting there.

How to manage gym membership?

Managing a thriving gym membership is all about balancing resources versus members' needs and wants. Your first priority is a sensible pricing policy that reflects your members' needs. Check out this guide to gym pricing for an in-depth explanation of your options. Next, focus on membership terms: how long are members committed for, and how do they pay? After you've figured out the basics, you can focus on building the best customer experience: what service do your members get and how do they want to receive it?

The easiest way to manage your gym membership is to use software like TeamUp. Membership software will help you organise and take payment from your members. It will report on payments and subscriptions and help you grow your business.

How do I create a membership database?

A membership database is just a record of your members, payments, and any other information you need in order to run your business.

To make a membership database you usually use a software system. However, you could also start with something simple like a spreadsheet. To create a database, start recording details! With software, you can do this automatically. But we've certainly seen many businesses start with a Google Doc (Side note: we can import Google Docs when your list grows too big to manage manually).

How do you manage a successful gym?

Making a success of your gym is about getting the customer fit right. Knowing your ideal customer will inform your marketing and your retention strategies. The main priorities you should focus on are:

New member acquisition: How are you getting new people through the door?
Existing member retention: You can't market your way out of a high drop-off rate
Customer experience (linked to retention): How are you making your gym a great experience?
Payments and administration: How is money collected, how do you make sure you are paid?
Equipment and classes: How are you ensuring that your facility offers the right mix?
Booking and reporting: How do you keep track of your service and ensure you make good decisions?