Over the last couple of weeks, there has been some talk surrounding further COVID-19 restrictions given the rise in cases and the threat of the new virus variant, Omicron.
Naturally, this has led to a lot of questions from the fitness industry. What does “further restrictions” mean? How severe are these restrictions? Will I have to close my gym for the fourth time in two years?
Just like you, we remain hopeful that the potential introduction of more restrictions will not affect gyms. However, if the worst-case scenario should happen, we’re going to recap on our Social Distancing Features and how you can use them if we find ourselves facing further COVID-19 restrictions – as well as how you can maximise them beyond.
We’ve gotten through these circumstances before and we can band together as an industry to do it again.
An Integration with Zoom
If gyms have to close completely, the integration between ClubRight and Zoom video calling software allows you to quickly and easily sell passes to virtual, online classes that would usually take place in person at your facility. It halves the amount of admin time you would typically spend going backwards and forwards between software sending out individual Zoom invites to class attendees.
There is evidence to suggest that some are finding home workouts are more convenient; particularly those that work from home or with young children and find it difficult to get out and visit their local club. It’s a good idea for businesses to consider moving to a hybrid business model post-pandemic, in which customers can engage in face-to-face activities as well as have the option to take part in online classes.
What makes this integration so powerful is the fact that you can also use it to move some of your classes online beyond the pandemic. Members can then purchase tickets to a private group or solo session and exercise in the comfort of their own homes.
Attendance Tracking
This has always been possible with ClubRight, but we added a feature to the Member App in 2020 which allows your customers to see how busy your facility is at a given time. If gyms will be able to remain open but under restrictions such as limited capacity or following the two-metre social distancing rule, this feature becomes particularly useful.
Your customers can even send your club a message to say that they’re going to be popping down to the gym soon, giving you and your staff a helpful heads-up as to who will be entering your facility. Your staff members are also able to see how many people are in your club at any given time.
Beyond COVID-19, the attendance tracker in the Member App remains useful for those members that prefer to visit your facility during quieter hours of the day.
Schedule Cleaning Times in Your Gym
As important as it is to keep your members happy, it’s also equally as important to keep internal processes running as smoothly as possible during what is an already stressful time for you and your staff.
That’s why we made it possible to block out time in your schedule for cleaning and maintenance to make sure your gym is safe and spotless for the next batch of members or class attendees. What’s more, your cleaning rota is kept completely separate from your class timetable, so it won’t be clogging up your diary or making it difficult to decipher what’s what.
COVID-19 has given us all new habits when it comes to avoiding germs and it’s likely that these will continue even when the pandemic is a distant memory, and cleaning your gym is one of them. Your customers want to know they’re exercising in a sanitary environment; ClubRight’s cleaning rota is an ideal way to make sure you can commit to your hygiene standards.
In-App Track & Trace
Finally – and perhaps most importantly – ClubRight has a track and trace functionality so that you can keep track of who has been in your gym, when they attended and who was also in the facility at the same time as them. Our function exists outside of the NHS Track & Trace App, giving you and your customers that extra layer of protection.
This feature was used by hundreds of our customers after coming out of previous lockdowns and localised outbreaks. This feature could continue to be used when we’re through the pandemic for different scenarios, such as if a member has misplaced one of their belongings and they’re trying to retrace their steps, for example.
We remain hopeful that any restrictions that could be introduced in the next few weeks will not affect gyms but given the volatile circumstances surrounding the new COVID-19 variant combined with the fact (historically) these restrictions are introduced with short notice, it’s vital to be prepared. Regardless of what happens, ClubRight will be on hand to help get your business through what’s to come.
If you want to learn more about any of the features we’ve mentioned, you can book a chat with one of our product experts or give us a call on +44 (0)203 884 9777. You can also take a more in-depth look at how these features work by scheduling a free online demo.
