All I want for Christmas is… better member solutions than ever before!

Cringeworthy headline aside, member solutions aren’t the first thing that you’d expect to see at the top of a Christmas list. But as the New Year rolls in, and people’s next priority is shedding the mince pie bloat, leisure operators’ focus will be on driving member acquisition and retention.

So in a few paragraphs (so you can quickly get to the Direct Debit processing deadlines below) let me explain why improved member solutions should be your first port of call in 2019.

We talk about online joining a lot. But that’s because it really is one of the greatest sales aids to gyms and health clubs. Without this radical joining solution, customers must sign up face-to-face or over the phone – an option that doesn’t sit well in today’s faced-paced culture of customer convenience.

Online joining can take anywhere from three minutes to twenty minutes, depending on the system that you use. A three-minute process is obviously much sleeker and won’t prevent people reaching that end click because of a sluggish system.

Once a member is over the threshold, your next job is keeping them. Everything from the enthusiasm of your staff to the technological advancement of your machines will affect member longevity. As Direct Debit experts, we believe one of the keys lies in making member’s payment instances easier. Online joining is just one example of this, but there are plenty of others that will make a difference to your leisure facility.

What I’m trying to say is to not let the needs of your members slip in 2019. Competition is rife, and loyalty is an endangered trait.

– Ivan Stevenson

Just a reminder that Direct Debit processing dates will change over the Christmas and New Year period:

If the payment arrival date is 24th December, the processing date is 21st December and last submission is 20th December.

If the payment arrival date is 27th December, the processing date is 24th December and last submission is 21st December.

If the payment arrival date is 28th December, the processing date is 27th December and last submission is 24th December.

If the payment arrival date is 31st December, the processing date is 28th December and last submission is 27th December.

If the payment arrival date is 2nd January, the processing date is 31st December and last submission is 28th December.

If the payment arrival date is 3rd January, the processing date is 2nd January and last submission is 31st December.

DFC is a leading Revenue Solutions Management Solutions provider, handling Direct Debits for thousands of happy customers across the UK.

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