énergie Fitness – Tech Migration Consulting & Coordination
Overview
énergie Fitness, one of the UK’s most prominent fitness franchises, with over 70 clubs, embarked on a large-scale tech migration to modernise their member management systems and payment processes. This complex project involved the transition to a new member management system, customer relationship management system, payment provider, website, and a custom members’ app.
LeisureLabs were engaged to provide a full programme management service for the transition, architecting and overseeing the entire migration process, ensuring successful coordination between vendors, franchisees, and head office teams to minimise disruption and achieve a seamless transition.
LeisureLabs were engaged to provide a full programme management service for the transition, architecting and overseeing the entire migration process, ensuring successful coordination between vendors, franchisees, and head office teams to minimise disruption and achieve a seamless transition.
Challenge
The migration posed several unique challenges:
- System Replacement Across 70 Clubs in the UK and Ireland: Transitioning to PerfectGym (membership management system), alongside KeepMe (customer relationship management system), GoCardless (direct debit provider) and Stripe (credit card processor).
- Data Integrity & Migration: Migrating vast amounts of member, billing, and operational data with accuracy while addressing historical discrepancies and ensuring operational continuity.
- Third-Party Coordination: Bringing together multiple providers and stakeholders to create a cohesive and fully integrated technology ecosystem.
- Access Control Overhaul: Coordination of multiple access control providers and integration of different hardware and software solutions.
- Franchisee Support & Change Management: Addressing operational concerns, guiding over 70 independent franchise clubs through new workflows, and managing hundreds of queries during the transition.
Approach
LeisureLabs provided strategic programme management services, ensuring all aspects of the project were coordinated efficiently and delivered on time. Our approach included:
- Master Project Coordination: We served as the architects behind the overall migration, aligning multiple teams, including third-party vendors, franchisees, and head office teams, to ensure seamless execution.
- Data Migration Support: We facilitated the coordination between the legacy and new providers, ensuring the validation and integrity of data being migrated while addressing data discrepancies through collaboration with stakeholders.
- Stakeholder Communication and Alignment: We implemented clear communication strategies to ensure all stakeholders, including vendors, franchisees and head office teams, remained informed and aligned throughout the migration process. Regular updates, meetings, and collaborative documents were used to maintain transparency and accountability.
- Risk Management and Mitigation: We identified key risks early in the process and worked to mitigate potential disruptions through proactive planning, troubleshooting, and issue resolution during each phase of the migration.
- Phased Rollout: Starting with a pilot migration at two clubs, we identified potential challenges, adjusted the plan based on feedback, and applied lessons learned to the wider rollout, ensuring smoother implementation for the remaining 68 clubs.
Solution
LeisureLabs, in its role as a migration consultant, ensured the successful delivery of the following:
- Orchestrated Data Migration: Supported the data migration process across all 70 franchise clubs, ensuring data integrity and alignment between the old and new systems, particularly regarding membership details, payment systems, and access control.
- Third-Party Coordination: Collaborated closely with external partners to ensure their systems were integrated into the overall tech ecosystem, facilitating a smooth transition without operational disruptions.
- Franchisee Engagement: Provided ongoing support to franchisees throughout the project, resolving queries, addressing concerns, and ensuring they were prepared for the migration. We also guided them through new workflows and system changes post-migration.
- Post-Migration Oversight: Following the full migration, we maintained close oversight to ensure any remaining issues were promptly resolved and clubs could continue operating with minimal disruption.
Results
The tech migration for énergie Fitness was successfully completed across all 70 clubs, with:
- Seamless Transition: The migration was executed without significant operational disruptions, ensuring clubs continued to function smoothly during the process.
- Effective Stakeholder Coordination: Our clear communication strategies ensured that franchisees, head office teams, and external vendors were aligned throughout, minimising confusion and ensuring timely progress.
- Operational Continuity: With proactive risk management and ongoing support, clubs experienced minimal downtime, allowing them to continue their day-to-day operations without major disruptions.
