I recently signed up for a new gym that opened near me and I was excited when I found out that I could manage all aspects of my account from their mobile app. For the most part the app seemed self-explanatory and intuitive. A new member must create an account using an email and account information provided during sign up. Once signed in you have the ability to view things like account information, track workouts, track award program points , record workouts and sign up for classes and training sessions.
As a part of the membership plan that I chose, I’m able to attend exercise classes hosted by the personal trainers. The classes are small and with space for only 24 attendees so they fill up quickly. Luckily, the app allows you to sign up for classes 24 hours before it starts. This was my favorite feature of the app as it made things much easier for me. I could see what was upcoming and not have to worry about getting there early to get a spot in the class. It wasn’t until I realized last-minute one day that I wouldn’t be able to make it to a class I had signed up for that I noticed a problem with the app. It was seemingly impossible to un-enroll from classes.
The process to sign up for a class was simple:
Login -> Select find a Class -> Select Enroll -> Select Enroll Now
Watch the enrollment process !
Unfortunately it isn’t as easy to un-enroll from a class. I searched high and low that day trying to figure out where the un-enroll option was. I didn’t want to hold on to a spot in the class knowing that I could not attend, preventing someone else from taking my place. After about 30 minutes of searching I gave up. The next day when I went to the gym I spoke to one of the trainers and they were able to show me the long and unintuitive process of un-enrolling in a class.
The process was much different that enrolling and took place in a complete different area of the app:
Login -> My Account -> My Schedule -> Select Day -> Cancel -> Drop Class
Watch the un-enrollement process !
While it was easy to do once I was shown, this isn’t a good process. I’m sure that I am not the only person who has run in to this problem. This is not only a hassle to users, it’s bad for the company’s metrics and enrollment. I imagine that they frequently have 24/24 clients enrolled in classes but sign in shows that not all 24 clients show up with no logical reason behind this gap. Based on the bad process of un-enrolling it is preventing others from signing up and decreasing physical attendance.
To resolve this process issue I think the app should be updated to display an “un-enroll” button on the same screen as the “enroll” button. This would eliminate confusion and extra steps required for the customer.
Check out the videos to see the lengthy process!
Has anyone encountered this with your gym?
I find that gyms are like timeshares… Easy to sign up for, hard as hell to get out from under. In my own process driven mind, I have found that their “process” to allow you make changes (or even quit), its really a more convoluted process to make you give up and just stick with their status quo! I changed gyms a few years back because I moved, and though it was a “no contract gym” somehow when I tried to cancel my membership, I was locked in for two more months of payments just so I can close out my relationship with them.
I think the process is there, its just not an honest or clear cut one for the customer. I often envision the process of cancelling anything in a gym as a Visio diagram that loops back to “Keep them here another month”. I think the process improvement begins with better transparency with the customers, which will allow them to make more measured decisions on whether joining a class. or moving on completely. They have their processes, we’re just handcuffed by them LOL.
GOOD LUCK!!!!