In the fitness industry our focus may be on fitness and health, but in this industry comes with a great software responsibility. Our world today revolves on software and that can cause us to shy away from it and just deal with what we’ve got versus learning a new system. NIHCA talks to our members and we often hear questions about Club Software. We would love to be the “club software google” and have all the answers to the in’s and out’s to each of your software programs; but in reality that is not possible as there are too many options (well over a dozen!). We asked our NIHCA Networking group for their honest Pros and Cons to the software they use, here is what we learned:

1. Cost can make a difference
   1. There is software that clubs use and have a list of cons that greatly out-way the pros. However, we found another club that uses this same software but a different version (and at a greater cost) and they have very few cons.
   2. Just because something costs more, doesn’t make it worth more. Find out what the added cost gets you and if your facility can justify that cost.
2. Invest in learning
   1. The best software won’t be productive if you do not know how to use it. Check with your IT department or the software help desk for tutorials, or ask if they can walk through the software with you.
   2. It’s never too late to learn; if you have been using the software for years or if there was a recent update, it’s a good time to refresh your education.

The right answer is, spend the time to research the best fit for your facility, and don’t take the first option. Be sure to talk to our Preferred Vendors when you are searching for the right fit for your facility.