Semi-Absentee Franchise Incorporates New Technology, Streamlining Management and Enhancing Security
Summary
- Vanguard Key Clubs, a 24/7 unstaffed gym concept, has adopted new technology simplifying the semi-absentee franchise model’s operations and adding convenience for members.
- Vanguard’s new technology utilizes a phone app with QR code that members use to gain access to unstaffed gyms.
- Vanguard’s leadership team has expanded to include founder Craig Annis’ daughter, Dailyn, and son, Brady.
- The family-run franchise team continues exploring innovative ways to make semi-absentee franchise ownership even more efficient.
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Vanguard Key Clubs has made operating a 24/7 unstaffed gym even easier for its semi-absentee franchise owners and more convenient for gym members. The franchise has adopted new technology that simplifies operations and offers greater security while enabling members to gain entry to gyms at any time of the day or night — without ever needing assistance from the franchise.
“This technology just made the easy job of operating a Vanguard Key Clubs gym even easier,” says Vanguard founder and CEO Craig Annis. “Our corporate DNA is about keeping everything simple, and we’re always looking at innovations that serve that purpose. This software makes operations super simple for franchisees and offers greater capacity for us to grow as a franchise.”
The technology, provided by ABC Fitness, includes a phone app with a QR code that members use to gain entry into gyms by simply holding their phones in front of an electronic scanner. Previously, members had to use electronic key cards to unlock gym doors. Members who forgot or lost these physical cards had to call franchise team members to buzz them in with their phones. The QR codes refresh every few seconds, which ensures greater security. The older key cards could be misused and shared among the members’ friends.
Members can use the software to manage their memberships and make payments, providing convenience for themselves and franchise owners. Members also can use the phone app to access any of Vanguard’s locations, which are in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts.
Vanguard’s 24/7 Unstaffed Gym Concept
The Vanguard Key Clubs model has evolved over the more than 30 years that Annis has owned and operated gyms. Innovations that came over the years included:
- Eliminating employees. No staff means no personnel headaches and reduced overhead.
- Adopting technology. Electronic key cards (now replaced by the new phone apps), surveillance cameras and security phones enabled Annis to stay connected with gyms while working remotely and keeping gyms open 24 hours a day.
- Hiring contractors. Equipment repairs, facilities maintenance and cleaning are done by contractors.
- Recruiting personal trainers. Another revenue stream comes from fees paid by personal trainers who pay for use of the gyms and client referrals.
Vanguard Key Clubs’ innovations have come more rapidly since Annis’ adult children, Dailyn and Brady (shown above with Craig, middle), have gotten more involved in the business. Daughter Dailyn joined her dad in franchising the business after she graduated from Adelphi University with a business management degree. Son Brady will take a full-time role in the semi-absentee franchise after graduating in May with a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Tampa.
Craig and Dailyn, who serves as operations manager and vice president of franchise development, had been looking into the new software and signed on once ABC rolled out the QR code. They’re also exploring technology that ultimately will enhance security through surveillance cameras at gyms.
“We’re always trying to find ways to make this a more profitable and simpler operation to run,” Dailyn says. “The simplicity of the model and the business operation translate into a quality of life for owners that they might not be able to have otherwise.”
Brady sees advantages in Vanguard’s semi-absentee franchise model this way: “As a finance major myself, I think the greatest benefit for a franchise owner is that it’s basically an asset that just makes you money. With contractors who do all the cleaning and all the maintenance, and the new software that streamlines operations, the franchise owner doesn’t need to be on site or do much, if anything at all. It’s like the vending machine of gyms.”
Demand for Convenience in Fitness
Consumers’ increasing health consciousness has fueled the global health and fitness club market size, which is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.83% to $202.78 billion by 2030, according to Fortune Business Insights. The rise in 24/7 unstaffed gyms in recent years results from emerging technologies that make their management feasible and consumer demand for flexible, personalized fitness solutions, according to a report from the National Institutes of Health.
The Annises acknowledge the growing popularity of the 24/7 unstaffed gym model, but stress that it’s not a fad. “We’ve always focused on lasting fitness industry trends,” Craig says. “I’m not sure how many 24-hour, unstaffed fitness facilities there were when we started three decades ago, but I think it’s safe to say we’re one of the originals doing it this way. We’re at the front of the line with the concept of convenience for people, which is how we came up with the name. Vanguard: It’s your front line.”
To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit the Vanguard Key Clubs website.
