Athletic clubs are run in a way to welcome the potential client, usually without judgment, and are there to encourage a person to get active. Some athletic clubs are not always for profit, simply taking only a specified amount to keep the organization going. Some operate as businesses, and their goal is to make a profit.
They do this specifically by encouraging the customer to get a membership. There may be situations where participants of an athletic club may go to stadiums and even participate in Olympic events. There may be professional athletes highly immersed in sports.
These certain types of people are serious about what they are doing, after all it is how they make a living. This does not mean that a person just starting out in these clubs does not also have a dream to succeed in their goals. In the way of staying active and keeping healthy people can range from beginner to advanced, but in the end they all want results.
A main set of challenges that all athletic clubs face is the act of task management, which is planning and organizing each persons athletic goals, whether they be big or small. Coaches need to follow each individual and encourage them to meet their athletic goals. There can be several people trying to achieve such goals and keeping track of all this information can be difficult. Payments for memberships also have to be well organized and tracked. People may pay for their memberships all at once for a year or in installments. Knowing who has paid for what needs to be known.
Asset management also needs to be maintained. Club assets, such as equipment used in the facility must be in safe working order. The gym itself should be very clean, as many people are using it frequently. If an athletic club is assisting those who are in the Olympics going into stadiums or professional sports, such members will surely notice any problems that an athletic club has, which is why all challenges need to be addressed. These concerns cannot be ignored if the organization wants to uphold a positive reputation.
ERP systems can address all of these areas of concern. For task management, the system can implement areas where every athletic club member can be tracked in every aspect. A coach could check on their health status and see where the areas of improvement are needed. This would allow for easy access to each members profile, knowing the specifics of the members personal interests, goals and needs.
In addition, payment information would also be present. Card systems in place to track each club member as they enter the facility. In asset management, ERP systems would be able to have regular maintenance scheduling that can be implemented for all equipment and a routine of cleaning the club also arranged. By having all these systems in place will assist an athletic club in being more organized and encourage more people to join that specific club. Doing so will benefit the athletic club, which is exactly the type of results that is needed for such a business.
Having a large group of people to manage and know well in any situation can be a challenge, and with an athletic club specifically difficult if the right tools such as ERP systems are not implemented. The facility could risk foreclosure by not doing it. Disorganization, missed payments and broken equipment would not impress any customer trying to utilize such clubs. By implementing a strategy however through the use of ERP, it is clear that all of these concerns are addressed and eliminated.
The result is a well balanced clean efficient gym that all levels of athletes will be encouraged to attend. This in combination with getting personal with each client, easily knowing who they are from a click of a button, and knowing them well is surely preferable to fumbling around with a stack of papers, desperately trying to remember the clients name. Even having their personal interests at hand, to include in a conversation during a workout session adds that extra personal touch that a member will definitely remember. It is for these reasons that ERP should be a part of any athletic club.