Changing Studio Management Platforms can be scary for business owners everywhere. We get it. There is naturally a lot of anxiety and questions surrounding any change. Combine that with the feeling of being in unfamiliar territory while you’re in the trenches managing your business, and the whole experience can be terribly overwhelming. It’s a lot to think about! 

And, of course, you’ll have your own personal expectations about what a software should be and the levels of support it should provide. 

In this article, the fitDEGREE Success Team will break down some of the most common expectations during a transition phase paired with some real-life examples to help you feel more prepared as you navigate this change in your business.

‍

Expectation #1: This software will automate everything for me! 

Reality: No matter which studio management software you choose, you must still set it up properly to have it perform as needed. There will still be some manual tasks that either you or a team member must handle depending on the processes you’ve put in place.  

How fitDEGREE Can Support You: During onboarding, our team will work with you to understand what those processes are and how to best build in our platform back those up. We also have some great direct integrations that we can walk you through as well as a Zapier connection to assist with other details as needed. And, we don’t stop there! If you have questions or changes post-onboarding our support team is there to jump on a call and get you squared away. 

‍

Expectation # 2: My staff is going to love using this new software! 

Reality: Old habits can be hard to let go of, no matter how amazing your new technology is! Be patient and be persistent. You are going to have to train your staff to use the software and help them adopt the new technology.

How fitDEGREE Can Support You: Our team has put together a comprehensive training video to help your team get acquainted and comfortable with the new software. If your team needs any additional support, the fitDEGREE experts are only a phone call away. 

‍

Expectation #3: My members will love this and embrace this new platform with open arms because this will streamline my business and their booking/purchasing! 

Reality: You may be feeling ready for this change and may have even hyped it up with your community. However, any new change may cause friction, which is why your clients may need additional guidance from you and your team.

How fitDEGREE Can Support You: During onboarding, our last call is designed to focus on this very real and very important anxiety your clients may be experiencing. This call is devoted entirely to how you communicate this change with clients, and we even offer an email template customized to your unique needs to support open and constructive communication. Additional digital marketing tips are provided to help get your message seen on various platforms as well.

Expectation #4: Now that I have launched this new platform, everything will be a breeze! 

Reality: It will take some time after you launch a new software to really understand all the in’s and out’s of it and to understand fully how your customers will interact with it. 

How fitDEGREE Can Support You: Any change takes time, so our team is here for you whenever you need it. If that means that after a few weeks, months, years, etc. you want to update your entire account or just one part of it, we’ll be one call away to help you start that process. 

Expectation #5: My old software did it this way, had this setting, can do XYZ, this platform should function the same. 

Reality: Every platform will have pros and cons based on your business model/structure. While other softwares may offer very similar features, how they function and the settings within those features will vary platform to platform. 

How fitDEGREE Can Support You: We want to make sure that our platform is actually the best platform for you and encourage new fitFam members to share any concerns directly during the demo and onboarding process. We are constantly evolving, and when you share feedback with us, the team at fitDEGREE can identify how to build out the software so we can continue to offer the best platform and experience available today.

Expectation #6: This software should do everything I need! 

Reality: Studio management software will do most of the things you need to run the daily finances and sales of your business. Of course, this includes managing your schedule of  classes and service, allowing clients to purchase and book, provide a payment portal, structured payment options (memberships etc) as well as reports and client communications based on client actions. However, each business will have its own unique needs, and it’s unlikely that any software will do every single thing a business needs.

How fitDEGREE Can Support You: In order to make sure that fitDEGREE is fitting in with your current processes for both staff and clients, we ask that you share these things during the onboarding process so our team is fully aware of your needs and works with you to connect as many outside accounts/automations as possible. 

Conclusion

It’s important that any software transition done for a business is smooth and effective. The best way to start this process is with a clear understanding of what lies ahead. Change can be scary, but with the right software partner, you have nothing to fear!

The fitDEGREE team is made up of several industry professionals who have a deep understanding of the business and how to navigate the same challenges you may now be facing. This has allowed us to design a truly supportive process as we move you through this change.