The benefits of an access control system for your gym

Access control systems have become a more and more popular option for fitness clubs everywhere, regardless of size. These solutions can be implemented with reasonable budgets and solve most issues concerning member access and their safety.

Almost any type of access control system can be used for a gym. However, when searching for the right solution, you must consider that it should be easy enough to be used by all your members without any help.

Physical barriers, like turnstiles, are the most often used solution at gyms and fitness clubs. However, many access control systems allow your staff to focus more on the members’ experience without wasting time policing the gym’s entrances. Using a modern solution to control the access, gyms can fulfill all the safety requirements for members and provide a swift and simple check-in process.

Why should you use an access control system?

In short, an access control system should solve all the challenges you encounter when checking every person that enters your club. Surely, you have several access levels, depending on the person in question, from employees to members with different types of memberships, visitors, and suppliers. Overseeing and managing the constant traffic of people can certainly be difficult for your front desk staff.

Moreover, it’s crucial for your members’ safety and your club’s integrity that people without a valid membership should not have access.

These problems are even more important during peak hours when your staff can be overwhelmed with many visitors and cannot supervise everyone.

All these challenges can be easily overcome with an access control system. This way, your front desk staff can focus on providing members with an excellent experience without constantly looking for who enters or leaves the facility.

The benefits of an access control system

The most significant benefit of an access control system is safety. A well-configured solution will not allow entry to unauthorized individuals, even when there is no one at the front desk.

Reduce fraud

With an access control system, you reduce fraud and stop losing revenue. Unfortunately, very few gyms are not affected by this. Members sometimes sneak their friends in or lend their memberships to others. You can even have members with an expiring membership that enters the gym and takes advantage of your staff’s moment of distraction. The same thing can happen with strangers that can take advantage of crowds at the reception desk and sneak into the gym, which is even more problematic.

Do you have memberships for different types of services? How do you avert members without a valid membership to certain areas? With an access control system, all these issues disappear entirely. Every individual that wants to enter the facility must scan their member card on the access control system. If they don’t have a member card or their membership is invalid, they cannot physically get inside. Even when members lend their cards, there are plenty of ways to ensure the actual member enters the gym.

The same goes for your employees, who have access based on their staff card and cannot bring their friends to the gym without permission.

Usually, an access control system is adaptable so that you can set various rules. For instance, do you want all your members to have profile photos in your management system, so you can quickly identify them? No problem! You can set your system not to allow access to members without a photo. They will have to go through the reception desk to have their picture taken.

Therefore, such a solution would massively simplify your staff’s activity. At the end of the day, your reception desk team is there to help your members, not to work as guards. Furthermore, if your access control system is fully integrated with your management software, member check-in is almost instant, and your staff at the front desk can focus on the quality of services.

Streamline your staff’s activity

An access control system can also help oversee your staff’s activity and timekeeping. Moreover, your team can have its own space, where no member can simply wander in.

Suppose you can restrict access based on areas. In that case, members trying to use services they haven’t paid for will simply be unable to access the designated spaces. That means your staff doesn’t have to follow them and check if they have a suitable membership. This way, the relationship between members and staff will remain friendly, and the chances for a conflict are minimal.

Extend your club’s working hours

Did you consider keeping your club open more or even making it non-stop? Then surely, you need an access control system that is available to work 24/7.

Keeping your gym open gives your members more time to train, and you can avoid peak hours and dissatisfied members. What is more, an extended program can make your club more attractive and place it ahead of the competition.

You have better data for your marketing campaigns

A modern access control system will help you better understand how members use your facility based on real-time history and reports on member access. This data can help you improve your services based on your members’ habits.

Another benefit is that you can create the most profitable offers and promotional packages based on the actual preferences of your clients. And you can invest in the facilities that are used most often. You can also siphon numbers on class attendance, peak hours, and habits that are very important for a good marketing and communication strategy.

For instance, if you find out that most members don’t visit your gym in the mornings, you can offer memberships at a discount with access only during those hours. Also, if you have a network of screens in your gym, you can even display personalized messages for your members, depending on who is there.

Reduce contact with staff

Though the COVID-19 pandemic is hopefully over, that doesn’t mean you should not be careful with your staff. With an access control system, you can reduce direct interactions between members and staff and easily streamline the traffic at the entrance. No queues, no crowds.

You can install RFID lockers in your locker rooms that use an RFID card (same as the member card) or a pin code. So, members will not need to visit the front desk if they have a valid membership.

A quick catch-up...

An effective access control solution should allow your staff to focus on improving members; experience and not guard the entrance of your facility. You can use various solutions at a fitness club, providing multiple levels of security.

When choosing the best solution for your club, consider the safety level you want and need and how your members access the gym. Also, don’t forget to make sure that the system you choose is fully integrated with your management software to get all the benefits of such a system.