Full disclosure before we start. One of Keepon's core functions is electronic debit and credit card payments (from one-off payments to recurring automated payments) and yes this makes us biased. However automated payments have been around for a while and there is a good reason why they are industry best practice. So today we want to explore some benefits of how using automated electronic payments can help to create a more successful and sustainable personal training business for you. Without further ado here are our top reasons you should be using automated payments.

Awkward conversations and arrears

You only need to sell them once, not each session or everything time a session pack runs out. Also, by having your clients on recurring payment plans you no longer need to have those awkward or uncomfortable conversations with your clients because they’ve fallen behind on payments. If you happen to be using Keepon we’ll also follow up with them if their payment fails or declines for any reason.

Commitment and retention

Customer retention is a vital factor in securing regular, sustainable, and reliable revenue for your business. By getting them to commit to recurring payments, it helps to create stickiness and a barrier for leaving when they may be having doubts. Further to this, it also helps to reduce cancellations. Automated payments encourage customer retention and attract recurring revenue. This is because it creates a simple payment method that can easily be renewed and maintained over long periods of time.

Stop the reminder and take the pain away

By going to electronic payments your customer is not reminded of the cost every time they have to take cash out, hand it over or manually transfer it. Also remembering to go to an ATM to get cash out is painful, further to this, 95% of clients of personal trainers we’ve spoken to (and I promise you we’ve spoken to a lot) say they would prefer to pay by card.

Cashflow

Automated payments can help you to generate a more reliable and consistent income stream. Customers paying credit and debit card are far more likely to pay on time than customers using manual payment options such as cash, manual bank transfers or cheque (yes some people still use cheques). Which means you’re no longer chasing up or relying on your clients to remember their bill, but instead you receive funds on time, which makes budgeting for bills, business and life easier.

Making things affordable

By breaking down your session packs into smaller automated recurring payments, can help to make things more affordable for your clients.

Accounting

It is much easier for you or your accountant when doing quarterly statements or yearly tax returns. Also, there’s no need to keep separate records as you can export Excel spreadsheets of your direct debit statements for your accountant. Shameless plug here. We actually track both of these in the Keepon app.

But doesn't recurring payments cost money?

The cost of recurring payments is really low (at least with Keepon) and in Australia at least the costs are tax-deductible (speak to an accountant of course). But what costs you more is not getting paid! There is also the cost on the time and frustration of having to chase up clients who haven’t paid you. Still on the fence? Well, the great thing about Keepon is not only do we manage recurring payments but we also manage:

• Cash
• Invoicing
• On the spot card payments
• Session packs
• Group session payments
• Memberships
• Online bookings

And much much more, so why not check it out today www.getkeepon.com/app