The Canadian operator will utilize CoverMe’s software to reduce class cancellations and create a more efficient process for its group fitness instructors and managers
Canada’s largest gym chain, GoodLife Fitness, is bringing new tech into the fold to streamline operations and manage 1,750 group fitness instructors across nearly 200 locations.
Partnering with management app CoverMe Fitness, the operator will be able to automate time-consuming, tedious tasks such as streamlining instructor recruitment and subs, team management, compliance and communication, which the app claims will help operators free up as much as 15 hours per week and save thousands of dollars each year.
“It was a very manual, laborious and time-consuming part of the club management’s day-to-day work, taking up to 20% of club operation’s time,” said GoodLife’s vice president of innovation and corporate growth, Nad Myan.
“We needed a time-efficient, fit-for-purpose solution to manage subs and decrease the volume of classes that were being cancelled or substituted by an ‘on-demand’ video,” Myan continued. “In addition to maximising our team’s time, we wanted to improve the in-person member experience in our clubs by ensuring we provide the right cover instructors to deliver expectations.”
For GoodLife’s instructors, who are providing over 6,200 group fitness experiences, the app will mean the team will no longer have to manage and coordinate class cover through group chats and phone calls happening daily.
Prior to solidifying the deal, Myan revealed that GoodLife had requested proposals from various solution providers before landing on CoverMe.
“What really stood out about CoverMe was the extent of the functional considerations that are designed to truly enhance the experience and delivery of group exercise classes, as these are such an essential component of our clubs’ offering,” Myan explained. “Together with the professionalism, accuracy and likability of the entire team, it was not a particularly difficult decision to make.”
GoodLife is now in the process of piloting the CoverMe platform, which Myan stated has been a success thus far in improving instructor substitutes and reducing class cancellations. Previously, he said they were having to cancel around 30 classes per week.
“We are in the midst of evolving our tech infrastructure, and all decisions or directions that are taken now are considered in the context of a broader ecosystem and longer-term plan,” he added. “CoverMe fits perfectly into that ecosystem. Our expectations have been exceeded.”
GoodLife joins other fitness brands that have incorporated CoverMe into their operations.
At the beginning of this year, Snap Fitness integrated the app across 75 locations in Britain and Northern Ireland. CoverMe has also been enhancing the platform’s capabilities, linking its software with tech brand Jebra’s AI-powered payroll to offer an integrated, end-to-end system that links class scheduling, team management and last-minute cover with automated payroll for fitness operators.
