In May 2022, Indiana-based InCycle celebrated their 9th anniversary as a boutique fitness brand offering cycling and strength training. As part of their growth journey, InCycle faced the same challenge as so many wellness businesses: coming back strong following pandemic-related closures and restrictions.

As part of their reopening, InCycle identified their primary business goals: rebuilding memberships and attracting a wider client base. When the management team realized their current technology systems were falling short and could not meet those needs, they decided to find a better fit.

Here are five essential steps InCycle took to assess their options carefully and select the best technology solution for their business.

Step 1: Analyze the Current Situation

Cathy Miller, InCycle owner and founder, explains the team’s assessment: “Our previous vendor tripled prices in a year-and-a-half while steadily decreasing support. In fact, our account manager changed every few months. This was on top of a mobile app bug that sent our students notifications that they owed payment for classes when they didn’t... this led to a bad client experience, churn, and lost revenue for months.”

Step 2: Determine What’s Most Important – A Consideration Set

Cathy collected feedback from her team to home in on what they needed and wanted from a software provider. Their consideration criteria included:  

• Aligned organizational values  
• Ease of use, innovation, and scalability
• A complete, interoperable solution including a mobile app, retail opportunities, and reports
• Training resources and timely support
• A customizable solution that provided more value for their money

The InCycle team also identified a few specific business requirements, with a particular need for better marketing. The brand’s traditional print advertising was no longer delivering a return on investment, and Cathy wanted more options for email, social media, and Google ads, as well as online reviews and referrals. She and the team also needed an online presence for people to discover their services and book classes online.

Step 3: Explore Software Opportunities

Cathy received numerous sales pitches, and asked colleagues and industry professionals about their experiences. Longtime friend Karen Fox, owner of The Yoga Studio, had been looking into Zenoti because of our partnership with CorePower Yoga. This piqued Cathy and her team’s interest.

InCycle studio manager, Gina Bostic, said, “It was overwhelming to think about changing. But we knew we needed a more supportive, agile partner. In speaking with Zenoti, it felt like sales and support teams were genuinely listening to our needs. They emerged as our top fitness software choice.”

Step 4: Get Team Buy-In and Ensure Ongoing Implementation Support

InCycle recognized the opportunity to improve their staff and member experiences and decided on Zenoti mid-2021. In addition to implementation training, their package included business management software, a branded mobile app for customers, SMS features, integration with ClassPass, and a feature for instructors to manage their schedule and request a substitute instructor for a class.

Gina took the lead for a one-month implementation, helping employees get started on the platform. Zenoti provided live training, an online help center with product walkthroughs, on-demand videos, and helpful thought leadership content. With 24/7 and same-day support via email, phone, and a chatbot, InCycle had everything they needed for a successful transition.

Step 5: Review the Staff and Student Experience After Implementation

It’s important to evaluate feedback from staff and clients, both during and after the change.

Gina worked with the Zenoti team to do just that and keep a pulse on the business. Here are some responses:

• Amy, an InCycle student: “I responded to a survey and left a review, and InCycle listened and adjusted. I’ve been happy with the changes — I just upgraded from packages to a monthly membership in January. Booking on the app is easy, I’m making friends in classes, and I feel stronger. I sometimes even bring my daughter.” 
• Tracy, a receptionist, shared that online check-ins were far more accurate than the brand’s previous paper check-ins. She also noted that “retail sales are simple in the software.”  
• Heather, another receptionist: “I love the new look and feel of the roster screen in Zenoti. The information is displayed in a user-friendly way.”
• Gina: "Making a credit card on file mandatory for class bookings has improved collections. I also like that managers have the option to charge late or no-show fees, and make it automatic. It gives us control and discretion, especially with high-touch clients.”

For InCycle marketing director, Carmen Berglund, the change was welcome. “With our previous software, marketing was a separate paid feature,” she explains. “With Zenoti, it’s included and gives us lots of options and visibility into marketing performance.”

New automation, built into member engagement campaigns, has made her day easier, too. “We just set it up, and Zenoti does the rest.” Carmen recognizes that the new setup also has tremendous value for InCycle clients, saying, “They are now able to book classes, buy memberships, and purchase gift cards, all from the InCycle mobile app.”

Cathy summarized the experience: “We used live and online training. Even from week one, our instructors and members felt comfortable using Zenoti. We kept up efficiency during the transition and have been able to save costs.”

“Switching was a great decision. From the start, Zenoti’s customer service has been responsive, superior, professional, caring, and knowledgeable. I highly recommend Zenoti.”

The idea of switching software business platforms can be overwhelming for any business, but it doesn’t have to be.

InCycle was able to break the process down into manageable steps, leading them to a positive change and a greater growth trajectory. With the right technology partner, they’re now positioned for success as more students return to regular fitness visits.

To see how Zenoti can help your fitness business achieve greatness, get a free consultation today.