ABC Fitness, the world’s largest fitness tech company, is adding to its arsenal. At IHRSA 2024, the software provider announced a partnership with DXFactor, a leading data science, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) and Generative AI supplier, a move designed to transform the digital experience for operators and their members.

“We are excited to partner with DXFactor for their unparalleled expertise in digital transformation,” said Khal Rai, platform president of ABC Ignite. “This partnership will support new offerings for our mobile platform, creating bespoke member experiences and integrations that set new industry standards for innovation and personalization.”

The partnership will support ABC Fitness in mobile app development, given DXFactor’s extensive knowledge in creating differentiated customer experiences on mobile platforms. 

“Aligning with an industry titan like ABC Fitness significantly amplifies our mission to revolutionize the fitness industry with AI and GenAI,” added Dharmesh Trivedi, co-founder and CEO of DXFactor. “Our combined strengths will ensure our commitment to business outcomes for our clients and accelerate digital transformation within the fitness industry by empowering members and operators with AI and data-driven solutions.” 

The partnership comes as advanced analytics and AI transition from perquisites to requirements for most successful fitness businesses.

“This partnership promises to be a cornerstone for the fitness industry, offering a blend of DXFactor’s transformative digital strategies and ABC Fitness’s technological prowess,” said Al Noshirvani, managing partner at Alta Technologies and board member at DXFactor. “Customers can now anticipate a comprehensive digital transformation tailored to meet fitness enthusiasts’ and enterprises’ modern demands.”

DXFactor is no stranger to innovation in fitness and wellness. The company’s proprietary Outcomes Framework, which combines client data and external datasets, has generated over $2 billion in outcomes for fitness brands including Chelsea Piers, Chuze Fitness, Crunch Fitness, FitnessSF, Lift Brands, Orangetheory Fitness, Wisconsin Athletic Club, XSport Fitness and Xponential Fitness.

ABC Fitness has big plans around AI, including using it to help gyms and studios boost engagement and retention and cater to their members with personalized services including habit and nutrition coaching, At IHRSA 2024, ABC hosted an Innovation Lab, previewing its latest AI investments across all platforms.

The post ABC Fitness, DXFactor Partner Around Generative AI appeared first on Athletech News.

It’s about to get a lot easier for gyms to provide their members with access to popular group fitness classes.

ABC Fitness Solutions and Les Mills announced a new partnership that makes the group fitness giant’s on-demand video classes available to ABC customers. With the partnership, club operators using ABC platforms can offer Les Mills classes to their members both virtually and in-club, allowing gyms and studios to capitalize on the growing demand for digital fitness offerings as a compliment to traditional brick-and-mortar gym membership.

Clubs using ABC’s Ignite Engagement and Trainerize Enterprise platforms will be able to offer popular Les Mills classes including Bodypump, Bodycombat and Les Mills Grit, among others, to their members.

“ABC Fitness has a 40-year track record in bringing best-in-class technology solutions to market, and now as the need for cutting-edge content grows with the insatiable desire of members to workout anywhere, we are excited to work with Les Mills,” Bill Davis, CEO of ABC Fitness, said in a statement. “Its quality, variety and delivery of fitness content cannot be matched, and being able to offer this to our customers is a game changer for ABC, our customers and the members they serve.”

ABC, whose apps and other tech solutions power some of the biggest fitness clubs in the world, is making content a priority. Sharad Mohan, president of the ABC Trainerize platform, told Athletech News that the fit tech company is looking to partner with fitness content providers so club operators can satisfy their members’ increasing demand for digital content.

“One of the reasons we partnered with Les Mills is because a customer told us they have members streaming Les Mills content,” Mohan said.

“It really boils down to what our clubs’ members want and meeting them where they’re at,” he added. “We know a lot of people stream Les Mills classes at home, so it made sense to bring the club into the mix and make the club be the hub of that content.”

While people have returned to physical gyms in large numbers post-pandemic, the demand for virtual content remains high. That means hybrid options are increasingly important for clubs.

ABC says that according to recent industry reports, 80% of gym members want digital offerings as a part of their workout plan post-pandemic. Clubs with a digital model have seen a 22% increase in membership sales, the fit tech company added.

ABC notes that clubs can use the Les Mills content to create additional revenue streams through digital subscriptions, virtual personal training options and streaming memberships.

Les Mills, whose highly popular group fitness classes are available in over 21,000 clubs across 110 countries, continues to make its digital content available to brick-and-mortar gyms. In November, the group fitness company struck a deal with Fitness International to have its Les Mills+ streaming platform available to LA Fitness, Esporta Fitness and City Sports Club members.

According to Les Mills, as a result of the pandemic, most exercisers now prefer a 60-40 split between the gym and at-home fitness.

Les Mills also recently partnered with Gympass, making over 1,5000 of its on-demand workouts and virtual training sessions available through the corporate wellness platform.

The post ABC Fitness, Les Mills Team Up To Offer Group Fitness Content To Gyms appeared first on Athletech News.

ABC Fitness Solutions unveiled a new look and shared details of its strategic plan to deliver tailored services to all segments of the fitness market during a three-day whirlwind at IHRSA 2023.

At the recent trade show and convention in San Diego, Athletech News spoke with Bill Davis, CEO of ABC Fitness Solutions, a fit tech company that offers gym management software solutions and services to fitness operators. Davis shared his thoughts on the latest innovations in the industry and what fitness operators should consider as it relates to their members.

Read on to discover what’s in store for ABC Fitness and how its solutions are enhancing fitness experiences for businesses and clients. 

A bold mission

ABC Fitness’s approach includes assisting customers in bringing their vision of fitness to their members by removing obstacles — which commonly arise from running a fitness business — in the best ways that suit them.

It’s a solution-oriented approach that ABC Fitness clients can tailor to their specific requirements. And, thanks to the fit tech company’s many integrated and complementary platforms, such as ABC Ignite, ABC Glofox, ABC EVO and ABC Trainerize, ABC Fitness can serve every region and niche in the fitness industry.

The brand has long maintained a growth plan, with Davis once sharing that ABC Fitness has had a ‘Build, Buy, Partner’ approach at the heart of its growth strategy, all designed to build a comprehensive suite of products that can empower fitness providers. As part of the company’s 2021 strategic planning process, ABC Fitness identified international expansion and a boutique/studio club management solution as a strategic priority.

Now, just two years later, that strategy has enabled the company to equip all players in the fitness industry with solution-based methods.

Common challenges require a tailored solution

The fitness industry as a whole, from independent trainers and coaches to small studios and even national chains, can share common challenges, says ABC Fitness. While obstacles are inevitable for any business, the methods used to overcome them vary. It’s a point that ABC Fitness underscores: one size does not fit all. 

Through its various platforms, ABC can quickly deliver insights and remove the manual effort typically associated with managing an operation – regardless of size. ABC Fitness currently serves tens of thousands of operators and millions of members thanks to the flexibility provided by its multiple platforms, each of which focuses on a different fit tech segment or geographic region.

“By harnessing the best talent, technology, and data insights at a macro level and delivering solutions through our one brand in tailored, bespoke and creative ways, we benefit from the combined resources of a global leader with the nimbleness of an individual and invested business partner,” said Davis.

“We can solve common industry problems in a myriad of ways, ensuring the best fit for each specific customer,” he continued. “This ability is unrivaled in the industry, and I look forward to working with the ABC team to help our customers focus on delivering their fitness vision to their members while we help optimize running their business.”

Davis sees new opportunities with technology, AI

Davis noted that the excitement at IHRSA was palpable in terms of the new brand and energy about bringing the ABC Fitness platforms together.

“We’re really, really excited by the level of interest,” Davis said.

He also touched on the enthusiasm of the industry as a whole at the convention.

“You cannot help but feel that there’s a level of excitement around fitness and wellness holistically that has been missing for a number of years,” he said. “That is, in my mind, contagious and really exciting.”

Davis also discussed fitness technology and touched on how it relates to what the industry has discovered in the wake of the pandemic. It has given fitness operators an opportunity to gain a fresh, tech-based perspective. 

“Technology has an opportunity to be a significant key influencer in how fitness embraces the new norm which we firmly believe is a complement of traditional clubs and boutiques in the physical space to those experiences that are outside the club,” he said. “And we have been talking about that now for a couple years, and we really believe that this show is reinforcing that operators need to think differently. And we think, again, technology has an opportunity to help positively connect that.”

While Davis agrees that there is an element of under-utilization of current tech capabilities, he says many companies, including ABC Fitness, are still in their infancy in terms of capability – and should be delivering for the betterment of their customers and their customers’ members. 

“That’s what excites me most about the journey that we’re on,” Davis said. “We are committed to innovation for the long term. It’s not going away. But I think that by making the technology more intuitive and user friendly, the utilization and the optimization of that utilization is naturally going to come. I think we share responsibility in ensuring that that happens.”

Davis is enamored with the prospects of machine learning and AI, but believes there is an opportunity to get some of the “foundational blocks” further advanced. Davis sees technology as an enabler designed to enrich human experiences, not replace them.

“It’s there to free them up to do the things that are most important, like help people get healthier, fitter, hopefully, and better.”

Solutions that reach far and wide 

It’s no easy task to build a club management offering that can be leveraged across all market segments, but doing so is made easier with a clear integration strategy that identifies capabilities or workflows.

It’s a feat that ABC Fitness has in many ways mastered – and goes back to the company’s own initial strategies as it’s built its brand and continues to expand.

“By virtue of our Glofox acquisition, giving us the geographic reach, where we now can actually operate in 90-plus countries around the world, (it) gives us that much more reach and accessibility, if you will,” said Davis. “But it’s finding those areas where you can drive synergy, but recognize the uniqueness of the discrete markets that you’re also committed to serving, and bringing the complement of the two together.”

Davis shared that Planet Fitness is one client that’s benefiting from ABC Fitness’s synergies. 

The fitness franchisor announced a new four-year agreement, extending its partnership through 2027. The new agreement follows a comprehensive and year-long independent review by Planet Fitness based on its current and future technology needs, and the fitness franchisor will upgrade to ABC’s IGNITE club management solution across its U.S. and Canada club locations to streamline its tech operations. 

The ABC IGNITE solution is optimized for traditional, large gyms and multi-location franchises, scalable to suit the needs of club operations in North America and has a flexible modular approach covering all aspects of club management.

“We’re very proud of that extension of our working relationship for the next four years,” Davis said of the agreement with Planet Fitness.

ABC Fitness also has boutique fitness clients, such as Xponential Brands, F45 and UFC gyms. But as Davis points out, the company serves thousands of single club operators around the globe that are equally important to ABC Fitness.

The company offers ABC GLOFOX, a fully integrated club management solution primarily focused on boutique and studio fitness, which is suitable for startups and international franchises alike. The platform offers a suite of tools spanning sales, membership, engagement, operations, commerce and insights.

The company is also rolling out new capabilities to a bulk of its legacy customers.

“We are introducing our Trainerize capabilities, the foundation of our mobile solution, to over 50% of our legacy ABC customer base,” Davis said. “We are also just now introducing the Trainerize capabilities into the Glofox customer base. And we’re seeing early signs of real positive indications of interest there.”

Trainerize, which is a member engagement mobile app and software platform, enables coaches and fitness businesses to expand their reach, connect with members, and digitize the training experience. The platform allows fitness coaches to dig deep into behavioral changes and healthier lifestyle decisions of their clients by combining fitness, nutrition and habits alongside online coaching.

“So still a little early, but we’re excited by its prospects,” Davis said. “We’re also introducing our modernized reporting capabilities across all of our customers as well, whether they’re personal trainers or in the boutique space.”

On global growth 

Davis shared that in addition to North America, ABC Fitness has witnessed phenomenal success in the last six to nine months in Latin America. 

“It’s a little-known secret about ABC that we had a very strong presence for years in Brazil specifically. About a year or so ago, we made the strategic decision to start to take those capabilities and move more extensively across Latin America,” Davis shared.

ABC Fitness offers EVO, an integrated club management solution focused on Latin America and optimized for country-specific payment processing. It also delivers content in native languages and provides tailored services. 

Davis said ABC Fitness is excited and proud of the success it’s experiencing in markets such as Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Argentina.

“Asia-Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, in particular, are markets doing really well for us,” he added. “EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) has been a little bit slower than some of the other markets, but we’re seeing some promising indications that that’s starting to move in a positive direction.

Looking ahead, ABC Fitness will be sharing additional news relating to its brand and individual platform delivery.

The post ABC Fitness CEO Bill Davis Sees New ‘Opportunity’ With Technology, AI appeared first on Athletech News.

The high-energy convention that the International Health, Racquet & Sports Club Association (IHRSA) hosted from March 20 through March 22 in San Diego, California, was proof not only that in-person conferences have returned in full force, but also that the fitness industry is back in shape.

The unseasonable rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the 8,000 industry professionals from 80 countries who attended the convention (one-third more than attended the 2022 Miami show). From early morning until late at night, fitness professionals worked out, attended over 100 education sessions, explored the mammoth exhibition hall at the San Diego Convention Center and then socialized the night away at of a number of invitation-only parties at local hot spots. 

IHRSA President Liz Clark, in her welcome remarks to kick off the 2023 convention, pointed out that “gymnasium” comes from a Latin word meaning a place where people come together for supervised education and training in fitness. She called 2023 a “year of redemption,” after the pandemic proved to the world how essential exercise and wellness are to people and communities. “Being back together,” she said, “proves our resilience and fortifies what we all know: That we are essential.” 

Clark went on to say that IHRSA’s work of advocating on behalf of the industry has never been more important. As one gym CEO said during a fireside chat later in the week, “Government advocacy is critical. If you don’t have a seat at the table, then you’re on the menu.”

Athletech News spent an exhilarating three days at the IHRSA 2023 in San Diego speaking with fitness brands and their suppliers about industry trends and the newest tech solutions and equipment innovations. Armed with cans of Celsius Fitness Drink, we logged tens of thousands of steps and learned what’s happening, what’s not and what’s top of mind in the fitness and wellness industry today. 

Here are some of the themes that came up again and again during the show: 

Connected Fitness 

“Connected” was one of the most-uttered words during the three days at IHRSA 2023. It not only referred to wearables, biometric tracking, streaming content, gym management software, and hybrid workout tech enablers, but also to the way brands and companies in fitness and wellness are working together to integrate their products and services. More collaboration is underway to reduce friction, time and the expense required to develop new products and services. Brands like Fitness on Demand, Swerve, Myzone, POWR and others are helping customers be more efficient, work smarter and work out more effectively. 

Strength Training

Strength training with weights or other resistance equipment has become the hottest workout trend in fitness, and it dominated the conversation at IHRSA. According to Technogym’s Fabrizio Cecchinelli, who led an education session on the topic, a key reason is that it’s social media-friendly.  Strength training is an extremely photogenic type of exercise, which helps explain why the female GenZ cohort is its fastest growing segment. Another reason for its popularity is science. Studies like those of Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman have shown that weight training has many health and longevity benefits. 

Technogym was one of many companies showing sophisticated new strength training products at the show. Life Fitness’s Hammer Strength training equipment is a customizable system suitable for a wide range of training requirements and space options. Total Gym showed how its ELEVATE platforms can bring strength training using body weight to a new level. 

In keeping with the trend toward hybrid workouts and meeting consumers wherever they are, there were also a few notable innovations in portable and mobile strength training options, including Zerowheel, Max Pro Fitness, Arena, BeaverFit, and FitBench.  

Many gym executives were talking about reducing the space dedicated to cardio workouts in order to meet growing consumer demand for strength training. The treadmills, stationary bikes, boxing and other heart-healthy workout tools that proliferated the show featured more versatility, smaller footprints, better connectivity capabilities and more engaging apps.

Wellness, Recovery and Nutrition

Cryotherapy, massage, relaxation and other wellness and recovery solutions had a big presence at the show. Brands like Theragun, Hyperice and Everest Alpine cryochambers were popular booths. There was a line of folks wanting to recharge in the massage chairs at Human Touch and the hydromassage beds at Wellness Space were full every time we walked by. 

Several supplement brands focused on clean formulas, protein boosts and plant-based nutrition. Bulletproof had a dizzying array of powders and superfoods. 1st Phorm’s Level-1 protein meal replacement bar was one of the most delicious we’d ever tasted. The Smoothie Company’s blenders were going strong for three days, with interesting new flavors bound to convince gyms to open smoothie bars. Stronger U, now a division of Self Esteem brands, shared its nutrition counseling app’s latest features. 

Attracting the 80%

Ever since Planet Fitness proved it’s possible to get people off the couch, motivating the 80% of the population that doesn’t exercise regularly to join a gym or studio has become the holy grail of gym and studio executives. At IHRSA, we heard an oft-cited goal of “converting 30% of the 80%,” which would more than double the size of the U.S. fitness market, a noble goal that would certainly be profitable, but no easy feat. BODi, formerly Beachbody, has rebranded itself to attract this market with its new Health Esteem program that helps people feel good about themselves. Canadian startup Safe Sweat has developed a private pod workout space concept to help people get over the self-consciousness of working out in front of others. 

The Big (Re)branding

ABC Fitness, Xplor, and New York Sports Club are just a few of the companies who have decided in recent months that the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts and that leading with your strongest asset beats trying to create differentiated messaging across multiple sub-brands.  

Prior to the show, New York Sports Club CEO Bill McMenamy told Athletech News that the brand’s origin story is so strong that it no longer made sense to operate Philadelphia Sports Clubs, Boston Sports Clubs and others, so all clubs will rebrand under the original name. “When you think about other brands like LA Fitness, they’re from LA but they have gyms in Ohio and the Midwest, but the naming convention doesn’t stop them from continuing to grow. We have such an iconic and powerful word mark, why not rebrand and utilize it? The consumer understands and knows what it is. And then our messaging is much clearer.” 

Many of the tech solutions providers, driven by the increased hybridization of fitness, are reorganizing their many divisions into sub brands under the parent, offering a suite of solutions that capitalize on economies of scale and remove decision fatigue for clients. 

ABC Fitness Solutions launched its new branding at the show that includes its Ignite, Glofox, Trainerize and Evo platforms under the ABC umbrella. ABC Fitness CEO Bill Davis said, “We can solve common industry problems in a myriad of ways, ensuring the best fit for each specific customer.” 

What We Didn’t Hear Enough About

Despite growing in popularity, yoga was virtually absent from IHRSA 2023, probably due to the fact that it doesn’t require much equipment. 

Sustainability, a topic that is dominating most consumer product markets, was also a virtual no-show, with the exception of a few exhibitors that embraced going green. SportsArt’s Eco-Powr equipment line, which converts the human energy exerted during a workout into usable electricity. Germany-based NNOHrD, owner of the WaterRower, makes equipment and accessories that are beautifully crafted of renewable wood and leather. 

We’re already looking forward to next year’s IHRSA convention, which will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from March 3-5, 2024. See you there!

The post IHRSA 2023: Bringing the Industry Together in San Diego appeared first on Athletech News.

Trainerize has been named the Best Personal Training Software in every season in 2022 by business software reviews site G2. The PT app won the award last year as well.

The fitness coaching software, powered by ABC Fitness, assists personal trainers and fitness businesses to engage with members.

G2, a community, marketplace, business, and review platform, used scores from its user community and data pulled from online sources and social networks. 

To award the top spot, G2 looks at how fitness software can help fitness professionals keep track of client information, create training and nutrition plans, schedule meetings/training sessions, and easily manage online client payments – which Trainzerize exceeded. 

The platform also received other badges from G2, including Best Usability, Best Results, Best Relationship and Users Most Likely To Recommend.

“For Trainerize to be recognized as a Leader in Personal Training Software is not only gratifying, but extremely motivating,” said Trainerize President Sharad Mohan. “This award is based on real-life consumer reviews and feedback, which not only makes it so much more meaningful, but also tells us that what we’re doing at Trainerize is working. So we’re going to keep doing it—and more. We’ll keep delivering the kind of platform personal trainers and fitness businesses both want and need—and that their clients and members love using.” 

Trainerize was acquired by ABC Fitness Solutions in September 2022, and quickly rolled out its mobile app powering the ABC IGNITE Engagement module, which consists of connecting and coaching.

In a post on the Trainerize website, Mohan teased that there would be new changes in Trainerize in the coming weeks and throughout the rest of the year, with an even bigger reveal at IHRSA 2023 on March 20. 

“We can’t wait to show you what we have in the wings! I am personally excited to share this next milestone in the entrepreneurial journey with all of you,” he wrote.

The post Trainerize Recognized as Best PT Software by Personal Trainers & Fitness Coaches appeared first on Athletech News.

ABC Fitness Solutions, a provider of fitness technology and related services, announced last month its intention to acquire Glofox, a Dublin-based fitness management platform that caters to boutique gyms and studios. The acquisition expands ABC Fitness’ global reach and allows the fit tech provider to serve over 31 million members. It also follows ABC’s previous acquisitions of  Trainerize, GymSales, and FitnessBI.

Athletech News spoke to Bill Davis, CEO of ABC Fitness, and Conor O’Loughlin, CEO of Glofox, about the acquisition, their shared values, the critical areas of boutique fitness models, the importance of reliable software, and what’s next.

Athletech News (ATN): How did the deal between ABC and Glofox come about? What was it about Glofox that made them attractive?

Bill Davis: At ABC Fitness Solutions we’ve always had a growth plan, in fact a ‘Build Buy Partner’ approach has been at the heart of our growth strategy to build a comprehensive suite of products that can empower fitness providers of all sizes. As part of our 2021 strategic planning process, we identified international expansion and a boutique/studio club management solution as a strategic priority. Glofox was a natural fit, it was already a recognized innovator of fitness management software helping boutique fitness brands build successful, growing businesses around the world.

After some initial discussions, myself and Conor O’Loughlin of Glofox enjoyed a few pints at IHRSA 2021 in Dallas and recognized that it was clear that Glofox and ABC Fitness Solutions had a shared purpose and common values.

Conor and his co-founders, like ABC Fitness Solutions, are committed to delivering enjoyable, intuitive technology aimed to help make fitness more accessible. In addition, Conor and his fellow co-founders created a ‘cool’ emerging company that we felt would be a phenomenal addition to ABC Fitness.

Over the past two years ABC Fitness Solutions has brought best-of-breed companies and technology solutions into the ABC’s offering. The Glofox acquisition follows previous successful strategic acquisitions and integration including Trainerize, GymSales and FitnessBI that has helped enhance ABC’s best-in-class club management software solutions leading to ABC IGNITE, its next generation and most advanced offering to date.

As a significant and major competitor to Mindbody in the small boutique segment, Glofox rounds out ABC’s holistic offering for the industry. It provides ABC with even more opportunities to serve fitness operators of all sizes and around the world.

ATN: What appears to be a problem area for boutique fitness businesses?

Conor O’Loughlin: There is an opportunity to simplify the boutique business’ daily operations, therefore allowing the owners and operators to focus on servicing their members. Due to implementation costs and management of technology, many operators still use pen and paper or homegrown systems, which has a significant time impact for owners and managers.

Adding digital, automated functionalities enable smaller fitness businesses to ‘compete’ with the larger operators and enable more time to focus on member services and deliver an all-round better experience for its members.

Unlike the traditional gym model, boutique gym / club members are a part of something that’s about more than exercise alone. Boutique fitness is an experience; training in a small group setting with everyone in the community. The boutique studio experience tends to be more intimate – owners and managers aren’t just selling access to their facility or equipment – they offer specialized workouts and classes usually focused on a specific type of fitness, like high-intensity interval training, for example.

However, a boutique fitness experience means that customers are demanding a more hyper-personalized interactions and today technology is at the heart of creating those connected experiences. Boutique studios must deliver value and meet the consumer where they are across all aspects of gym membership. Boutique clubs have always been at the forefront of creating the latest programming trends and we must offer a technology and digital service that adapts, is flexible and convenient for all.

ATN: How imperative is reliable software solutions for the fitness industry, especially in today’s market? 

Conor O’Loughlin: Reliable software is key to success in the fitness industry, from both a business operations point of view as well as creating a differentiated customer/ membership experience. To be successful and profitable, three elements are vital and having reliable software is more critical than ever to ensure all three needs are met. Vital elements to a successful fitness business include:

• Effective operations – knowing all aspects of the business, including root causes for challenges like staffing, churn rate, cashflow
• Financial forecasting and planning – can include understanding various profit and cost centers like online merchandise to digital programs to personal training.
• Member lifetime value – this is all about keeping the members engaged and part of the club longer. 

Engagement along every step of the member journey is key to creating personalized experience that motivates and keeps members happy.

ATN: Acquiring Glofox expands ABC’s global reach. What is next as far as continuing to expand globally?

Bill Davis: Together the team will work to realize synergies and joint innovations that will provide value add technologies and related services for our clients. As we become stronger together, the technical capabilities, reach, and values of each organization will amplify each other, allowing both to further our mission to assist people around the world in their health, fitness, and wellness journeys. 

Collectively we will support over 31 million members across more than 24,000 fitness locations with technical solutions that put the member at the center of the experience.

ATN: Can you share any initiatives on the horizon?

Bill Davis: Creating a hyper-personalized experience for our customers and their members means you need actionable and meaningful data that turns into leverageable insights. Owners and managers must be able to anticipate their member’s needs? Are they able to identify and proactively reach out to a member at risk? Can they predict and forecast which profit center they should invest in more than the others? 

Predictable analytics will be a cornerstone of the ABC’s DNA: from the back-end system in terms of how it enables what we build, to what we provide as a product and services for our clients and their members, and the insights we provide our customers.

Innovation is a major part of the ABC Fitness Solutions growth strategy and to be innovative we have to continuously anticipate future market needs all with the intent of making fitness more accessible for everyone around the world.

The post Behind the Deal: ABC Fitness Continues its ‘Build, Buy, Partner’ Growth Plan with Glofox appeared first on Athletech News.

Founded in 1981, ABC Fitness Solutions (ABC) helps nearly 25 million gym members globally realize their fitness journey as it processes over $8.2B+ in payments annually for  20,000 clubs.  ABC’s main goal is to simplify the business of fitness with a top-notch club management solution combined with best-in-class revenue optimization and a trusted team of experts. Their latest innovation, ABC IGNITE, is designed to be flexible, scalable and easy to use, giving the club operator full control of gym operations while lowering costs of ownership and delivering a differentiated member experience.

Landon Burningham, President & CEO of the Physiq Fitness club chain, has experienced these benefits firsthand with ABC IGNITE. Burningham tells Athletech News he expects this next generation of club management solutions to provide an intuitive “user-friendly experience” for Physiq Fitness staff, among other things: “After doing an initial beta test, my favorite part about it [ABC IGNITE] was that my staff picked it up in about 30 seconds. With no formal training on the new software, they were able to navigate it easily to the task at hand.”  

Physiq Fitness has been a client of ABC club management software since 2013, and has witnessed directly how quickly fitness technology has evolved, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic propelled the fitness and health industries to reconfigure strategies and product solutions in different ways. ABC IGNITE is ABC Fitness Solutions’ answer to fitness gyms and clubs who need to simplify life for both staff and members in the face of a global health crisis. Burningham believes ABC IGNITE’s all-in-one suite is exactly what the industry needs: “It’s going to relieve their [Physiq Fitness staff members’] stress and help them feel at ease with the technology.” 

Once Burningham saw the benefits of an integrated suite, he decided to consolidate his CRM and branded mobile app to ABC IGNITE: “I think the most beneficial thing for me is that everything is in one place. It simplifies my life so I can focus on my members.”

The consolidation of various technologies as well as the addition of new features in ABC IGNITE equated to $1000 cost savings across his 4 locations, but Burningham says the biggest savings is the time found with his team that’s just as valuable, if not more.  “Dealing with one partner vendor versus, in our case, four different ones at one point, is something that we can’t put a value on,” he clarifies, adding “Additionally, the ease of use for my front-line staff cuts down on their time and stress dealing with multiple companies. This, of course, saves tons of money over time with each staff person now being more efficient.”

Burningham goes on to add: “There is something for everybody in IGNITE. For example, our marketing team really likes the usability of IGNITE Sales, the CRM [and] the ability to send dedicated education or sales content, while our coaches love the ability to personalize the new mobile app which offers tiered experience based on the type of membership.” 

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly underscored the value of human connection. Burningham feels the alliance between Physiq Fitness and ABC Fitness Solutions has been less of a vendor relationship and more “like a partner relationship.” “In these times where we’re Zoom calling and we’re texting and everything [is] done virtually… it’s very easy to set up a board and everyone [can] forget the human nature of that relationship. But for me, I continue to want human relationships with my partners because I know my staff wants that with me and I know my customers want that with my staff.”  

Burningham describes reporting dashboard IGNITE Insights as a “powerful tool” that increased his knowledge of his overall business: “The thing that I’m most impressed about with ABC IGNITE software is [its] ability to increase staff experience, while improving the member experience, and also therefore increasing the operational efficiency, and it’s all in one suite. What more can we ask for?”

Burningham also shared his perspective on how to stay ahead of the curve: “Members always expected a good location, value, cleanliness and a friendly experience. That is table stakes now. A technology like ABC IGNITE can help me keep pushing the limits, help me differentiate my club by offering a better bundle and value without reducing the price. I can create a personalized hyper-localized member experience, so they feel like they are part of a community every time they visit in person or use the app.”

The post New Fitness Technology Reduces Cost and Improves Staff and Member Experience appeared first on Athletech News.

Gyms are undergoing a once-in-a-lifetime change. The industry was shaken by the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused mass closures and reductions in foot traffic. According to one estimate, 25 percent of clubs did not survive. Meanwhile, digital platforms for fitness instruction and trendy home equipment have changed the habits of some. For club operators, thinking strategically about member retention is key to survival. 

“Every decision is so much more important,” said Jason Jaquays-Tarbox, marketing director of Elevate Fitness, a two-club enterprise in the Syracuse, N.Y. area. “We have no wiggle room and less money to throw around freely.” 

Which is why ABC IGNITE, the newly launched club management software innovation from ABC Fitness Solutions, has been invaluable to Elevate’s Jaquays-Tarbox. With little effort needed from the user, the 6 modules in IGNITE’s comprehensive suite support clubs in their sales, operational, management, reporting, billing and payment needs.

ABC IGNITE is technology for the people who move fitness forward. It’s flexible, scalable and intuitive, offering all the tools gym owners and operators need to accelerate performance and operate efficiently. Deploying IGNITE as an integrated suite extends the functionality of each module, giving gym owners complete control of their business. 

The management at Elevate Fitness now knows which of their classes and pieces of equipment are most popular, which is critical information for tweaking their schedule and their inventory. They also know that their membership is veering younger than it had been, which has helped refine their marketing. IGNITE has even helped with everyday purchasing decisions, alerting management to busier weekends so they know when to restock on paper towels and items for sale in Elevate’s equipment shop.  

“Our general managers love going in and reordering things before we run out,” said Jaquays-Tarbox. “Apparently they’ve been getting a lot of flak for running out of products. They love being able to track inventory through IGNITE.”

“It’s like a wish list I didn’t even know I had. As soon as I saw the dashboards in IGNITE for the first time, it was like Christmas,” said Jaquays-Tarbox. The reporting dashboard puts ABC IGNITE ahead of the curve, helping to futureproof gym operations in an uncertain time.

For more than 40 years, ABC Fitness Solutions has partnered with gyms and fitness professionals to maximize the efficiency of their businesses. The company processes $8.3 billion annually and counts more than 16,000 gyms and 150,000 fitness coaches as clients. This has allowed them to improve the health and fitness experiences of more than 25 million club members in 116 countries.

To Jaquays-Tarbox, a self-described “nerd,” gyms and fitness clubs have not always optimized data and technology. “I’ve been in some places where information has been stored in a three-ring binder with a broken bottom ring,” he said. 

IGNITE is intuitive to learn, he said, and easy for club operators who aren’t as familiar with data technology or as enthusiastic about charts and graphs as he is. Any tool that can eliminate extra work for the staff and management team is very valuable.

The data stored in IGNITE dashboard “isn’t necessarily unique to the platform, since it’s just club operational data,” said Jaquays-Tarbox. “What is unique is how accessible the data is and how little work you have to do to see it presented in a meaningful way.” 

From providing input to product development early on to working with the training team days leading up to the upgrade, ABC has been there every step of this journey. “That’s just the kind of people that you’re working with,” said Jaquays-Tarbox. “They’re all in it. The reason I’ve been working with ABC over 19 years is, there is an amazing team behind the software. The people behind the scenes fuel IGNITE, they have such a tremendous support and service system that I often forget that we’re not on the same payroll.”

Elevate Fitness debuted in 2017, when a pair of Gold’s Gym franchises decided to strike out as a new brand. In its brief existence, Elevate has had to adapt to an unprecedented succession of changes, stemming from Covid-19, new technology and expanded fitness options competing for people’s fitness dollars.

“I think that the fitness industry has been forever changed and that it’s our responsibility to change with the times,” said Jaquays-Tarbox. “Everything — from what people are looking for from their fitness experience to what their goals are — have taken a sudden and drastic turn, and I think it’s our responsibility as fitness operators to be aware of those changes and make sure that we are a step, if not two, ahead and act according to members’ expectations. ABC IGNITE will be great help for us during our recovery process from Covid. It will allow us to make good, smart decisions based on excellent data which will result in best results for our club.”

The post ABC IGNITE Effortlessly Turns Data into Meaningful Insight for Club Operators appeared first on Athletech News.

ABC Fitness Solutions has unveiled an advanced update to its cache of club management solutions. The update, dubbed ABC IGNITE, will be the biggest in ten years, and it will assist club operators in managing and growing their business platforms successfully. 

The update, revealed at the IHRSA 2021 conference Wednesday, reveals a fresh and modern look with an intuitive user experience. In addition to existing organizational features like member management, billing, and reporting, ABC IGNITE has new technology-driven strategies for club operators. 

CEO of ABC Fitness Solutions, Bill Davis, says that the primary goal of ABC IGNITE is to utilize technology while amplifying business in an uncomplicated way.

“We are on a journey to help redefine how fitness operators and members interact with technology to reach their respective goals and to simplify the business of fitness. The release of ABC IGNITE is just the beginning of the innovations we are bringing to help clubs thrive. I am really proud of the team and excited for gym operators to experience the new technology,” Davis shared.

ABC Fitness points out that the typical club operator uses a variety of software apps to run their clubs and leads to inefficiency. The company believes that the key to success is member engagement, actionable insights, and flexibility and says that ABC IGNITE will meet these targets with one cohesive system. 

Within ABC IGNITE are business-focused components that work to improve club management, including a cloud-based billing program, a system to upsell current members with e-mail and text marketing, personal training booking, and data-driven insights about the health of the business. 

The system allows club operators to select what specific solutions they need and add new features as they grow. Chief Operating Officer of CHUZE Fitness, Nick Barshick, recently tested out the new ABC IGNITE software and noted the benefits.

“The Club Home experience is going to put many of the initial functions our staff does on one screen,” said Barshick. “Persistent check-in functionality is a game-changer, and the new look and feel is a nice upgrade. I expect this will improve productivity and efficiency at the front desk, give us more time to spend with members, and save time spent on training and onboarding new staff. We are excited to go live.”

ABC Fitness, founded in 1981, serves approximately 16,000 clubs and facilities in 116 countries.

The post ABC Fitness Unveils Next Gen Software appeared first on Athletech News.