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“Our instantaneous communication and feedback… can really help with club retention rates and customer service.”
Kirby believes the company’s suc-
cess throughout North America is built on listening to the unique needs of its clients, combining the latest and best in technology, and then develop- ing relationships to understand and respond to those needs. “We don’t look at our clients as cli-
ASF VP of Client Relations, Sean Kirby
and from there he’s been the creative mind behind the software develop- ment itself.” ASF, now headquartered in Denver,
Colorado, has grown to represent more than 3,000 clients in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Its client base in- cludes martial arts schools, health clubs, tanning salons, golf training fa- cilities and nutrition centres.
The Canadian connection In Canada, Kirby has worked with
Gold’s Gym Canada and its master franchisee Zaid Jaber, who oversees more than two dozen Gold’s facilities in this country with expansion plans to reach 40 clubs in the next two years. Kirby notes that Canadian billing sys- tems, with our bi-weekly and weekly billing options (as opposed to most U.S. billing which is annual), is something that ASF has developed specifically for the Canadian market. In Quebec, Kirby says the company
worked to develop French language electronic signature capture, automat- ed outbound calls to members, emails and French translation contracts. It also developed a conversion program when Canadian clubs transitioned from GST/PST taxation to a compre- hensive HST plan. The company also created a billing system for Canadian clubs in which funds are drafted through Canadian currency, avoiding fluctuating exchange rates.
46 Fitness Business Canada January/February 2013
ents,” notes Kirby. “We consider them business partners. We have an inter- est in their businesses and in helping them do better. We develop our pro- grams to help them drive revenue and grow their business.”
New innovations improve member retention One of the newest technology pro-
grams developed by ASF and launch- ing this year is “service notes,” which allows customer service reps to direct- ly communicate with club members who express a desire to cancel, not re- new or drop their commitment to their club. “We dive into the ‘why’ and often
discover that a problem with a club member’s billing situation is not a financial issue, but it’s some other concern with the club that can be re- solved,” says Kirby. “Our instanta- neous communication and feedback – that combination of technology and relationship building – can really help with club retention rates and customer service.” ASF differentiates itself with sev-
eral programs that build on its four decades of service experience. For example, its attrition management program combines automated roll- over and renewal programs to en- sure no interruption in billing; and member cancellation management programs ensure that human con- versations about financial issues re- main confidential and out of the club environment.
“The quicker you start to communi-
cate with someone in regard to a prob- lem, the easier it is to resolve,” says Kirby. Payment follow-up programs in-
clude calling on delinquent accounts, tracking down account information and resubmitting payments – ensuring clubs receive their monies and freeing up club staff to do their jobs.
No middle man means better service ASF is also able to offer a higher
level of service to its clients because it has reached the status of Level 1 Service Provider group, eliminating the “middle man” technological step in electronic fund processing. This al- lows ASF to take on the responsibility of directly issuing merchant accounts to businesses, passing those business- es through its own risk analysis, han- dling all credit card authorizations, and developing programs like recur- rent billing. This flexibility bodes well for the fu-
ture as ASF, now entering its 40th year in operation, looks for new ways to be- come a direct merchant for other types of businesses, allowing expansion be- yond clubs and into different types of markets. “We foresee tremendous growth in
software platforms, and we’ve already made huge strides in regards to inte- gration with scheduling, member sites, accessibility, mobile apps and the so- cial media effect,” says Kirby. “From a technology standpoint, we see our- selves growing and continuing to de- velop, or integrating with other com- panies as we move forward.” FBC
Kathryn Korchok is a freelance writer whose current passion is tennis. She also loves yoga, dance, hiking, and seeking balance in life.
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