How Fitness Franchise Brands Can Win the Global Expansion Game
Partnership
Sponsored By Hapana
Fitness franchises should be operating as if they want to expand globally from the jump, even if they can’t right away, argues Jarron Aizen, CEO of software platform Hapana
As the fitness franchise space heats up, many brands have their eyes set on expansion. Choosing the right software provider is an essential — but often overlooked — piece of the franchising puzzle.
“Technology hasn’t changed much to adapt with ongoing requirements of fitness franchising,” said Jarron Aizen, CEO and Founder of Hapana, a software provider for ambitious health and wellness businesses. “There is a lack of innovation across the board. This is where we feel Hapana has an advantage.”
Think Globally From the Start
Aizen argues that fitness franchise brands should be operating as if they want to expand globally from the jump, even if they can’t right away.
“Franchises, particularly those founded in Asia-Pacific, are starting to think like a global brand from day one. This is out of necessity,” Aizen said. “The individual APAC markets are smaller than the U.S., so in order to grow quickly, good franchisors must be found relatively early in the journey. We think this is happening almost everywhere except for the United States.”
“Going global can be daunting, but Hapana removes the barriers,” Aizen added. “We offer a comprehensive solution designed specifically for international expansion.”
Hapana’s platform integrates multiple payment providers so there’s no need to fret over regional preferences. It can also onboard new locations to accept payments online even in hard-to-reach countries at a speed most competitors cannot keep up with.
Pre-built shell templates make a difference for brands launching new locations in new areas as well. This saves time and resources. Hapana’s multi-language member app also fosters a welcoming environment for international audiences. The platform also consolidates reporting to provide a holistic view of an entire network’s global performance.
“This keeps HQ in the driver’s seat,” Aizen said. “The ability to drill down location-wide analytics based on the master franchisor, region, state, or owner is crucial to managing.”
Data Reigns Supreme
At the end of the day, accurate and plentiful data is the main foundation any successful fitness brand interested in franchising needs to acquire. Brands are recognizing this, demanding it, and Hapana’s stepping up to serve them.
“Data is the new battleground in fitness,” Aizen said. “Optimizing your business and growth through data is at the forefront of most franchisees’ and head office’s minds. They are all hungry for insights that help them optimize marketing, staffing, and member engagement. Having all data and reporting presented in a user-friendly, easily consumable way is vital to a quick-paced industry like fitness too.”
Hapana accomplishes this by tracking metrics such as member attendance to build retention and engagement insights, smarter location analysis to support resource allocation, an always-on feedback loop to curate personalized marketing campaigns and more.
New features like custom data fields make a difference as well, such as the ability to determine who is actually a gym member, gauging things like whether or not an individual has booked a class before or is just paying a recurring membership fee.
Hapana’s ability to operate on multiple levels helps its franchise partners to the damel. The software provider ensures efficient and smooth distribution of its data and services across multiple channels at once. Scalability is a strong secondary benefit alongside cutting-edge data.
“Scalability is ingrained in our system, ensuring smooth integration with new locations and maintaining brand consistency across the franchise network,” Aizen said. “But the real key is data. Our robust reporting tools provide actionable insights for data-driven decision-making.”
New Innovations Make a Difference
As gamification becomes more and more popular in fitness, Hapana also just launched a “Challenges” feature within its app. This program sets up group tasks for individuals at participating studios or gyms. Operators select goals or levels for members to try and reach, tracking their progress along the way to spur retention. Users are also encouraged to share their achievements on social media to drive engagement as well.
The Challenges feature assists franchise brands and individual unit owners alike.
“Franchisors love the challenge feature’s flexibility to create network-wide events or targeted studio challenges, with the ability to generate new revenue with paid entry options,” Aizen said. “These also provide considerable marketing opportunities that generate more revenue.”
“For franchisees, it’s also a competitive edge, setting their brand apart with unique challenges that boost member engagement and social interaction, all while keeping members motivated and coming back for more,” Aizen added. “It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
Hapana is committed to dishing out more win-win opportunities in the future. The brand is currently updating its membership software to allow franchise HQs more control and access to detailed data.
“Once released we believe this will be industry-leading and incredibly sought after by franchises,” Aizen said.