Members are Mobile — Are You?

It’s no secret that most of us are addicted to our mobile devices. The average person will spend in excess of four hours per day on a device, according to INC. Mobile technology and applications have arguably replaced the more traditional communication methods of flyers, posters and mass emails.

Members want you to meet them where they are — on their mobile devices.

It is up to community rec centers to directly motivate and engage members so they feel a strong connection to your center. It is just as important to access data to understand member engagement and activity, while also using this data to help predict member retention rates.

Mobile engagement goes beyond push notifications and instant access to up-to-date information. With the right technology, you can automate reminders to send a message to members that their favorite class is tomorrow, predict and recommend activities to members based on their interests, and allow members to make reservations to plan their schedules inside of your app.

To start using mobile technology, we recommend you ask these three questions to find the right mobile technology that meets your needs:

1. What information and features do my members want easy access to?

Ask your members directly. What you find from this research should become your “must-haves” for your mobile
technology partner, such as customized alerts, fitness reservations or easy check-in via mobile barcode.

2. Can we enhance how we communicate with our members?

You want your center to become a part of your member’s daily habits, and effective communication is key in achieving this goal. Ask yourself, “Does this technology allow us to exceed our current marketing initiatives, and better understand our members’ interests, goals and past activities?” The main goal is to customize how you communicate with members based on what is happening at your center.

3. Can mobile technology make an impact on our community center?

It is crucial that you offer mobile technology your members are excited to use. To do this, it goes beyond just offering technology for one member type — the impact you want is for your entire community. This means your technology needs to offer features to support members with fitness programming, childcare, wellness activities, events and more.

According to Forbes, 3.7 billion people are using mobile technologies and applications on their smartphones. Is your community rec center using the best methods to engage and retain your members?

Rachel Koretsky is the founder and CEO of upace, a customized mobile platform to communicate, engage and access analytics through mobile technology. Rachel can be reached at rachel@upaceapp.com.