Picture this…
A high-end members sports club has a customized branded app where members can book facilities and services, schedule fitness classes, and receive club event notifications. By integrating interoperable mobile credentialing software into that app and with the club’s existing physical access control system (PACS), the member’s smartphone has now become a digital key that’s stored within the app.
Through their club experience app members are now able to access private areas, changing rooms, lounges, and any other secure club facilities, all with their mobile phone using NFC technology. No unsecure access keycards or fobs, no unauthorized membership sharing, no security breaches, just a digital frictionless experience.
This is the kind of digital-first flexibility and convenience clubs are demanding today. Now club member experience platforms are in a position to deliver mobile access interoperability via innovative mobile credential software solutions.
Disparate club system management is in the past
Many member clubs today are working with a combination of disparate management systems and applications to attempt to provide the ultimate digital member experience. However this experience is often disjointed and consists of a combination of systems and platforms including custom mobile apps, club management platforms and physical access control systems, resulting in a lot of manual data entry and admin work.
Clubs wanting to introduce mobile credentialing for their members and visitors to improve the access experience are generally recommended closed proprietary mobile access control systems, that do not have the ability to work with the other hardware systems and software platforms the club has previously invested in, and therefore require new reader hardware, their own app, and yet another backend and system to manage.
For those clubs that pride themselves on delivering a personalized, seamless experience, adding another layer of complexity defeats the purpose. Members don’t want to download multiple apps, and staff don’t want to manage access credentials, facility bookings and more across disconnected platforms.
Tenant and member experience platforms with the help of software integration companies like Sentry Interactive, now have the ability to move these member clubs to interoperable mobile access where the digital keys are stored within the existing member experience platform and reader hardware upgrades are avoided as the software integrates seamlessly with the existing physical access control system.
Interoperable mobile access software for club experience platforms
For many clubs, when it comes to accessing the building, locker rooms, or private studios, they still rely on legacy proximity credentials like plastic cards or fobs that are managed on a separate system.
Integrating mobile credentials often means clubs must adopt closed proprietary systems that:
- Require new access control reader hardware for NFC mobile access
- Operate in a separate app or platform
- Create new backend admin burdens for club managers, front desk and IT staff
This no longer has to be the case. An interoperable mobile credentialing solution allows clubs to bridge the gap and integrate mobile access directly into their member management platform, their member app and the existing physical access control system (PACS) that the club has installed. Sentry Interactive’s readerless mobile access software for example works within ForeTees club management software. This allows club management teams to manage members and their mobile credentials within the ForeTees platform. Members can use their mobile credentials via the mobile app, working alongside features including facility booking, event calendar, membership payments and other club operations.
Leveraging software like Sentry Interactive’s SDK club management software providers can now offer their clubs readerless NFC or QR code mobile access as a value-added feature within their club experience app, through a simple and secure, cloud-based integration, that doesn’t require any access control system or reader hardware upgrades.
Key benefits of mobile credential interoperability for clubs
- Branded experience: Members never leave your app. Mobile access is built into the same platform they use to book a class or order a smoothie.
- No hardware rip and replace: Keep your existing readers and infrastructure. No expensive installs. No disruptions.
- Centralized management: Credentials can be issued, revoked, and managed via your existing member management platform automatically.
- Contactless entry: Use NFC or QR codes for contactless, secure door entry via smartphones.
- Scalability: Bring more doors online without installing any new hardware. Can be rolled out in hours.
Conclusion
By partnering with interoperable mobile credentialing solutions like Sentry Interactive, club management software providers can now bring mobile access into their existing membership management platform to provide efficiency, convenience, personalization, and enhance member experience. Now clubs can work with their member management platform provider to implement mobile access and don’t need to think about needing to train staff on another system. The ability to have one ecosystem for club management, centralizing mobile access operations alongside member experience and operations has arrived.
Get in touch to find out how we can add value to your club experience platform and provide the ultimate member experience to your club portfolio.