FITNESS FIRST - DIGITAL PT
“I am pleased to say, the integration of Fisikal functionality into our digital ecosystem was as pain-free as any switch could possibly be, thanks to the high level of support provided by Fisikal throughout.”
Keith Shaw, Head ofPersonal Training at Fitness First UK
In a move to better connect members to personal trainers and vice versa, Fitness First UK integrated Fisikal personal trainer booking functionality into their digital ecosystem. Here, Keith Shaw, Head of Personal Training at Fitness First UK, talks about how the experience played out for members, personal trainers, and the business.
I am pleased to say, the integration of Fisikal functionality was as pain-free as any switch could possibly be, thanks to the high level of support provide by Fisikal throughout.
Our ambition is to engage 20 per cent of our membership in personal training. The digitalisation of personal training bookings, available through our app, is central to the achievement of this ambition and its worth is already being evidenced.
Recently, through the app, we messaged members who have never booked a personal training session and offered them a complimentary, 30-minute personal training consultation with a personal trainer they selected via the profiles available on the app. Over the course of 14 days, more than 1,600 members activated their complimentary session. Being able to facilitate this kind of activity at the push of a few buttons will be instrumental in the growth of our personal training engagement moving forwards.
So, what are the big wins? Firstly – as a business, the digitalisation of the booking system enables us to better understand and influence our members’ connection with our network of personal trainers. This empowers us to make operational and commercial decisions that drive our business forwards. Secondly, it helps our personal trainers build a client base through better communication and promotion of their services direct to members. This incentivises trainers to continue their relationship with Fitness First. Thirdly, it enhances the experience for our members and keep them training with us.
The switch to a centralised, digital personal training system accessible via our app, took about three months. Most of the backend integration was managed by our in-house technical team, supported by Fisikal. We collected the information of over 400 Personal Trainers, including bios, photos, prices, schedules, and bank details in preparation for a bulk upload managed by Fisikal. We’re now fully self-sufficient to manage our personal trainers on the platform and use Fisikal functionality to offer our new members x2 or x5 introduction sessions packs.
Fisikal supported us through the entire process. Most of the technical integration was completed via a mix of remote and on-site works by Fisikal in liaison with our in-house technical team. When it came to the upload of information, setting filters and permissions to make the system work in the way we needed it to, and building reports and dashboards to understand the performance, Fisikal provided support via a mix of online ‘how to videos’ and visual PDFs to direct online and telephone support from their team of technical experts.
The process took place whilst the teams and I went about our daily business. Everybody understood the value of ‘the switch’. I am pleased to say that, with the support of Fisikal at every stage of the process, the integration was as smooth and issue-free as it could be.
The level of support we receive was, and continues to be, extraordinary. Queries are always answered quickly and effectively. We always feel like help is on hand. This reassurance has made the entire process feel a lot less of an undertaking and has also meant that we will not shy away from upgrades and system improvements managed by Fisikal in the future.”