technology series
SMOOTH OPERATOR
Abigail Harris takes a look at software that’s
transforming the way leisure facilities function, from reducing staffing costs to saving the environment
T
echnology has become so ingrained in our everyday lives that we no longer marvel at its capabilities, and simply take for
granted the software specialists who develop clever programmes that mean we can pause and rewind live TV, talk face-to-face with someone in Australia for free, and swipe through a health club reception without saying hello to a soul. Nevertheless, the capacities that
are coming through nowadays are fundamentally changing the way we do business. We take a look at some of the recent innovations.
Time’s up, lights out At Gladstone Health and Leisure, a team of 22 experts work in research and development to enable leisure operators to run their businesses more efficiently. When sportscotland’s National Centre Inverclyde began using
Gladstone Health and Leisure’s Energy Manager software 10 years ago, they were confi dent it would help with day-to-day energy saving. Little did they realise the true impact it would have on the business’ bottom line. The facility provides a centre of
excellence for top sports people, national squads and governing bodies, as well as the general public. Its impressive set-up includes outdoor football and hockey pitches, tennis courts and golf, as well as an indoor gymnastics hall, badminton, basketball and squash courts, a fi tness suite, studios, a sports injury clinic and a human performance lab. Gladstone’s Energy Manager works by
integrating the bookings management system with the electrical supply to automatically switch on and off utilities such as lighting, heating and air conditioning before an activity is due to begin and when a booking
Automated services can help free up staff, who can then focus on customer relationships
ends, reducing energy consumption and minimising light pollution from outdoor facilities. At sportscotland’s National Centre it’s also used to control the sauna, which has relatively low usage. The sauna can be left switched off, saving money, without staff needing to remember to turn it on 30 minutes before each booking to warm up. As a result of implementing
Gladstone’s software links leisure bookings with energy supply to cut costs
64 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
Gladstone’s system, the National Centre reduced its lighting costs alone by 12 per cent – around 300 fewer hours of lighting every month. Helen Walker, admin and business development manager at the facility, says: “Our initial sign-up was all to do with energy saving, as so many people forgot to turn the lights off at night. Without a doubt the software has reduced wastage and costs and demonstrates our commitment to be an environmentally-friendly facility. “But it wasn’t until the software was
installed that we realised that there would be other, far-reaching benefi ts.” These include a signifi cant fall in unpaid
february 2012 © cybertrek 2012
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