Online fitness and wellness classes is a rapidly growing trend which is all the more relevant in the current climate of social distancing. Gyms and fitness centres are increasingly adapting to the age of digital fitness so people can work out from their homes with the help of virtual trainers. While many have been swift to adopt the change, others need more time and resources to make the transition.
Gym trainers and studios have realized that the digital age is here to stay and offering their clients online classes/sessions can help them overcome financial troubles and stay relevant during these challenging times.
A look at the key sector trends reveals that the fitness industry values at $631 billion and is expected to grow at 6.3% till 2021. This rise is even more magnified as people increasingly associate emotional well being with physical activity. Given these numbers and trends, gyms and fitness centres should equip themselves with the digital tools required to get their clients on board.
A move to home workouts can be challenging but a robust sports equipment asset management system can get you off to just the right start. Here are a few tips you can implement for your digital fitness business:
- Stream online on social media platforms or video conferencing applications.
- Group bundles and discounts
- Display your fitness merchandise – develop a webstore
- Reach out and keep your clients engaged
Managing online sessions by investing in the right tools
Running a digital fitness routine is challenging , which is why you are going to need powerful tools to help you out. There will of course be major changes in how you design your daily classes. For starters, only trainers will be coming in to record their routines or going live from the studio. To facilitate training sessions you will need to have the required recording equipment including cameras, mics and lighting tools. Also, importantly, you have to make sure that the studio is completely disinfected to ensure staff safety.
While all this may sound overwhelming, it does not have to be. You can streamline management procedures with a sports equipment asset management system that takes care of all your hardware. A cloud based system can track your equipment and its usage through real time data collection so you can access that information anywhere at any time. Here is a more detailed look at all the benefits you can get by automating equipment management during online training sessions:
Update your sports equipment inventory instantly
Successfully taking your business online calls for additional tools and supplies to ensure all classes can be posted on time. This includes equipment such as cameras, microphones, and lights etc. With the right sports equipment asset management system, whenever the administrator approves the procurement list, you simply have to create a purchase order assigned to the relevant vendor.
Apart from this, you can also create a threshold for existing items that need to be replenished or replaced. It is quite possible that small tools need to be replaced due to discontinued use.
To avoid shortage, you can also turn on low stock alerts for high use items like disinfectants and sanitizers for your trainers. This way you will be ready to go online with all the necessary precautions in place.
Plan ahead for successful workouts
Limited staff will be coming into the gym premises to record their training sessions. In such circumstances, there is a high probability of conflicted schedules. To avoid clashes, advise trainers to reserve equipment and tools they need beforehand. This can be done through a robust sports equipment asset management system. The software allows you to book items in advance and select return dates to make workflows convenient.
Whether it is larger assets such as treadmills or the smaller, more mobile items such as weights and mats etc. rainers can have it all planned out before the session. You can view the status of all your equipment via a convenient dashboard calendar. This ensures smooth reservations and check outs and consequently smooth workouts without any disruptions.
Bundle together cardio and weight equipment
Depending on the workout requirements and intensity, trainers can create bundles for every type of session. For instance, they have a three month home workout session going on, which has cardio training on alternate days and weight training on the remaining days. An effective approach would be to generate equipment bundles so it is easier to check out items. Doing so allows the users to focus on planning the activities rather than gathering exercise tools at the last minute. This also gives a heads up to other trainers to avoid any clashes and schedule accordingly.
Read more: Sports Equipment Management for Safe and Organized Sporting Events
Always check equipment maintenance logs
Discontinued use of gym equipment leads to overdue maintenance. If left unattended, this may cause serious problems and injuries. The best way forward is to implement rigorous maintenance guidelines and follow them closely.Devise a checklist which helps you to keep track of service tickets. These can be the main focus areas for a maintenance checklist:
- Flooring
- Walls
- Ceilings
- Environmental factors
- Lifting platforms
- Stretch area
- Resistance machines
Depending on usage, you can schedule daily, weekly and monthly service sessions for all equipment. While tracking maintenance manually can be cumbersome, a sports equipment asset management software lets you do it with just a single click. Moreover, service schedules are reflected in the availability calendar to make reservations conflict free!
Assign trainer roles to smooth operations
Owing to the uncertain situation, some trainers may be working from home while others recording lectures at the gym. Given this scenario, you want to keep your trainers motivated and ensure all workflows are efficiently managed. For this, you need to assign clear cut administrative and supervisor duties. This is important because even if the administrator is not present at the premises, a staff member should be able to get the order request approved. Remote work situations can benefit greatly from a cloud based tracking system. Here you can easily define user roles for all gym members and take your workflow online without any lags.
Transition into the future with digital fitness
Given the current situation, digital workouts are going to be big for the fitness industry. It is more important than ever to start preparing with the right tools. To support this transition, it is important to have a strong backup system. This means an automated solution to keep a track of all your gym activities. Look for the right cloud based sports equipment asset management system which enables you to streamline operations and improve productivity. Get yourself registered today for a better management and user experience.
Read more: What is Equipment Tracking Software and Why is it Important for your Company?
About EZOfficeInventory
EZOfficeInventory is the leading sports equipment tracking software. It allows you to track, maintain and report on equipment from anywhere, at any time. We offer a free 15-day trial – no credit card required!
