The old software runs on a single computer at the counter. It is slow, it looks fifteen years old, and only one person on the team really knows how to use it. Still it stays, year after year. The reason is almost always the same: nobody wants to deal with the move.
But the switch is much smaller than it feels. It comes down to six manageable steps.
1. Write down what you really need every day
Take ten minutes and note what happens at the counter every day. For most gyms the list is short:
- Members check in with their card.
- You see whether the contract is valid.
- You add new members and change contracts.
- You know which contracts are about to end.
- Drinks and shakes are written down and billed later.
Anything that is not on this list should not weigh much in your decision. Many programs are full of features that nobody opens in daily use.
2. Get your member list out of the old program
Your members are the most valuable thing inside the old software. Almost every program can save the member list as a file that opens in Excel. These details matter:
- name and contact details
- card number
- contract start, term and notice period
- whether the contract is currently paused or cancelled
Read through the list once before you move it. A move is the best chance to clear out old entries and members who are listed twice.
3. Check your cards and card reader
The biggest worry when switching is the cards. Nobody wants to order and hand out three hundred new ones.
In most gyms that is not needed. If your members already tap a card at the counter today, the same cards and the same card reader can usually stay in use. Have this tested before you decide: two or three cards are enough.
4. Pick a quiet week
Do not switch in January, when resolutions are fresh and the counter is busy. The quiet weeks in summer or the days around the turn of a month work well. Plan the actual switch for a morning when little is going on.
5. Run old and new side by side for a few days
Do not shut the old program down on the same day. Keep it open for a few more days in case you need to look something up. That way you notice calmly whether anything is missing, and no member is affected.
6. Show your team in ten minutes
Nobody should have to learn a good program for the counter. Show your team three things: what the check-in looks like, how to find a member, and what green, yellow and red mean. If that takes longer than ten minutes, the program is too complicated.
The short checklist
- Write down what you need every day
- Get the member list out of the old software and tidy it up
- Have two or three cards tested
- Pick a quiet week
- Keep the old program open for a few more days
- Show the team the three things that matter
How the switch works with Tresenly
With Tresenly we take steps two and three off your hands. We get your member list out of the old software, bring it over and test your cards before you start. Setup costs nothing, and the 30 free days only begin once everything is set up. The switch usually takes just a few days.
And if you ever want to move on again: you can download your data at any time. It belongs to you.