Technology Wrap-up

At this stage of the blog, everything I have spent time on is related to technology. In summary, the major areas of technology that you need to address are:

• Access Control
• Surveillance
• Panic Buttons

As you've already learned, the technology area of starting or converting a "key club" is my favorite area. Using technology to improve our quality of life is something that I have been a student of for a long time. In my world, that means using computers, software, and the internet. If you're a club owner, you do it too - offering members ellipticals for cardio, circuit equipment for strength training, and an entertainment system to keep them working out longer.

Now that I've written about so much of the technology needed to run a successful 24/7 fitness center, I'm moving on. In my next couple of posts, I'll give you some ideas about how to promote your new key club. My company has helped nearly 200 club owners convert to 24 hour access, and we've seen several very good ideas related to getting the word out - which I'll share with you in October.

Panic Buttons

So far, you've learned how to get members into your club using fitness management software and an access control system, in addition to using a surveillance system to verify that the members are following club policy when they enter. The next requirement that insurance companies ask for is related to making sure that members are safe while they're in your club. This is accomplished by using a panic button system.

A basic panic system consists of 4 wall mounted panic buttons, 2 panic "necklaces", and a security panel. If any emergency situations occur while your club is unstaffed, your members may press a button and emergency personnel will be dispatched to your club.

As you may have guessed, the necklaces are wireless devices. They are available for your members to use if they should want to keep a panic button with them while they are using the club. The wall mounted panic buttons may be wired or wireless, although the trend is towards wireless due to its ease of installation. You should also have signs that clearly describe what the purpose of the panic buttons is, and how to use them.

The security panel consists of a wireless receiver (to communicate with the wireless panic necklaces), an automatic phone dialer, a battery backup, and a keypad. The panel installs in a similar fashion to a standard answering machine, plugging it into a phone line and then plugging your phones into it. It is designed this way so that the security panel can take control of your phone system to dial a central alarm monitoring station if a button is pressed. The central station will then dispatch the proper authorities, as well as notifying you of the alarm activation. A nice side effect of the panel is that it can also alert you if there is a power failure at your club.

Some optional equipment that can make your panic button system even more functional include a strobe light which flashes when an alarm event occurs (this helps provide members with a visual clue that emergency personnel are in route), smoke / heat detectors, door / window alarms, and glass break detectors.