IHRSA 2024 Software Rundown: All About the Member Experience
ATN spoke with Xplor, Club OS, ABC Fitness, Club Automation and ClubReady to get an inside look at their 2024 plans
Innovation in gym and studio software management tools has emerged as a key trend at recent fitness industry trade shows including IHRSA, with the market becoming increasingly competitive.
This year’s IHRSA 2024 will showcase what’s next for some of the biggest software players in the space, with some exciting announcements and unveilings planned.
Athletech News spoke with Xplor Technologies, Club OS, ABC Fitness, Club Automation and ClubReady to give you a sense of what’s coming at IHRSA 2024, and what the future will hold for fitness brands looking to leverage the best software tools to grow their businesses and connect with their members.
Xplor Plans Industry’s ‘First True Growth Platform’
Xplor Technologies has already had a big year but is looking towards more announcements. It recently acquired Membr, a top management software platform for gyms and health clubs. The acquisition expanded Xplor’s purview beyond just the boutique studio space, which it serves with its Mariana Tek product, and into gyms and health clubs.
However, Andy Swansburg, Xplor’s Chief Product Officer for Fitness and Wellbeing, told Athletech News that the company still has a “maniacal” focus on becoming a growth platform for boutique studios and is building a product called Xplor Growth.
“There are not a lot of people who are making a data model that is flexible and accessible and then empowering the entire stack with it,” Swansburg said of the new launch.
Fitness brands are trying to grow through the consumer journey, ensuring that at every touchpoint, users have the best chance of becoming brand evangelists.
“We’ve built the first true growth platform in the industry with a few different layers,” Swansburg explained. “The first layer is the fitness industry’s first consumer data platform. Without a unified view of your consumer, it’s difficult to create a customer journey.”
Bringing a consumer data platform to the fitness world can unlock new potential by allowing users to rate experiences, so businesses can evaluate their operations more easily. Xplor also added gamification to drive even more engagement.
“Brands can set up challenges, consumer streaks and milestones,” Swansburg said. “We’re going to be building an analytics platform on top of that. The trend is towards, ‘Every touchpoint matters in this world.’”
To generate excitement for IHRSA, Xplor is hosting its first Mariana Tek Summit on March 5th in Los Angeles. The event will feature networking opportunities, breakout sessions, and panel discussions.
“The industry is probably five, if not more, years behind some of the other industries in the world, which is funny because I don’t know another business where someone shows up to a location five days a week,” Swansburg said, noting the high levels of engagement fitness consumers tend to have with brands. “We have so much data. All this innovation is a big step forward to power engagement.”
Club OS Teases a Major Release
Club OS also has big announcements in the pipeline for IHRSA 2024.
“This will be the most significant product release announcement in the company’s history, and we’re excited to reveal it for the first time with the fitness community at IHRSA this year,” said Nick Hahn, VP of Product & Development at Club OS.
While the company couldn’t yet provide details about the product launch, Club OS teased how the announcements would tie into the platform’s larger strategic goals and industry trends.
“There are few solutions to provide a single platform that manages the entire member journey,” Hahn said. “The vision for our team is to provide a comprehensive yet intuitive end-to-end solution that covers as much of the member journey as each customer needs.”
“Our flexible ecosystem enables our team to take an agile approach to helping our customers overcome key challenges such as member churn, staff turnover, tough competition, and economic uncertainties,” Hahn added.
ABC Fitness Leans Into AI, Personalization
ABC Fitness, the world’s largest fit tech company with a burgeoning portfolio of software platforms catering to clubs, gyms and studios, is planning to showcase exciting advancements in AI and personalization.
“During IHRSA 2024, we are excited to host an Innovation Lab that will offer a preview into our latest AI investments across our platforms which leverage our leadership in member and club data,” said Cristine Kao, Chief Marketing Officer at ABC. “Our booth will also showcase how automation can drive world-class personalization at scale, from attracting and retaining members to running your club 24/7.”
ABC will also showcase “some exciting new features” including “tailored habits & nutrition coaching, personalized members goals, and automation to convert more prospects into clients,” Kao shared.
Kao will be onstage on March 6th at IHRSA, sharing the results of ABC Fitness’ annual consumer research and global membership data as well as discussing the potential of AI in the industry.
“The acceleration of AI is happening at an exciting time in the evolution of fitness technology across an ever-growing digital landscape, such as wearables and tracking devices,” Kao said. “At ABC Fitness, we are carefully evaluating the potential for AI technologies to evolve from supporting simple administrative tasks to far more powerful applications.”
ClubReady Empowers Brands To Connect With Their Members
ClubReady is focusing on the potential of customization and connection. With customers like Pure Barre, YogaSix, and CycleBar, the software platform helps streamline brands’ operations through lead management, member retention and billing solutions.
“New integrations continue to increase the power and value of ClubReady for growing entrepreneurs,” said Devin Meister, a Demand Generation Manager for Clubessential Holdings, the parent company of ClubReady. “For example, integrations between ClubReady Connect messaging system and Concierge services enable fitness operators to optimize their staff hours for both presale and post-sale lead conversion in a seamless solution with proven workflows.”
“Our mobile app offerings enable brands to take control of their brand and extend their connections and engagement with push notifications to members anywhere, and extensive reporting for staff,” Meister added.
ClubReady plans to make announcements about reporting features and its mobile app in the near future.
“ClubReady continues to build and expand our industry-leading solutions and services, enhancing operators’ ability to engage members and prospects, empower staff members, and drive actions for success,” Meister said.
Club Automation Gets Personal
Club Automation, an all-in-one club software management system, will provide an innovative, interactive experience at IHRSA.
“How often has a fitness software company invited you to try what it feels like to become a new member, purchase personal training, schedule sessions, book spaces, and explore a mobile app – as seen from the eyes of your members?” said Tom Antosik, VP at Club Automation.
Club operators can step into their members’ shoes and try Club Automation’s online registration and mobile experience. The brand is focused on personalized, interactive touchpoints that showcase how its offerings elevate experiences through innovations.
“From checking in at the club and purchasing packages to scheduling sessions and updating payment information, our team is ready to show off an end-to-end sign-up process that creates that smooth onboarding journey prospective members can expect with Club Automation,” Antosik said.