If there’s one thing that causes a gym manager stress, it’s payment issues.
Being unable to collect your membership fees and class payments feels like your hard-earned money is being withheld. It’s worse when you can’t even figure out why it’s happening.
To help make sure your payments get collected accurately and on time, here are some of the most common types of payment issues gyms experience and how to fix them.
Declined Payments
One of the most common payment issues that gym managers face is declined payments. This happens when a customer’s payment method is declined due to insufficient funds, expired information, or a fraudulent transaction. To fix this, gym managers should inform customers about the importance of keeping their payment details up to date and provide a simple way to manage their information. That way, members don’t have to contact the club every time they need to edit their details.
Late Payments
Late payments can crop up from time to time. When customers fail to pay their membership or class fees on time, it leads to disruptions in revenue management and cash flow, so late payments must be addressed quickly. Gym managers should have a clear policy that outlines the consequences of late payments (usually restricted access to the club or a formal warning). Consider sending reminders to members when their payment is due to be collected so that there are no surprises on their end.
Billing Errors
Billing errors can occur for a variety of reasons, including human error or technical glitches. These errors can lead to incorrect charges, which can damage the reputation of the gym and lead to unhappy customers. To prevent billing errors from happening, conduct regular audits of your payment system to spot any potential errors. You can also open up a channel for members to report any issues with billing and have a clear process in place to resolve them.
Payment issues are annoying at best and disruptive at worst, but as long as you’re taking preventative measures, they shouldn’t be something you have to deal with often. The key to minimising payment issues is making sure you have a reliable payment system in place. One that allows you to conduct regular audits and gives your members the power to manage their payment information themselves. With that in place, you can get on with running the gym.
ClubRight is the go-to member management software for gyms, taking care of everything from membership management and billing to class bookings and online joining – plus a whole lot more. Give us a call today on +44 (0)203 884 977 or book a free online demo with one of our product experts to find out why we’re trusted by more than 750+ fitness businesses across the UK.
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