We’ve all heard of the danger of tailgating when it comes to cars on roads, but what does it mean in the context of a gym? Turns out it’s a serious problem for many Australian gyms, particularly those operating 24-hour facilities.
When someone tailgates at the gym, often what happens is that a member will allow a non-paying friend to follow them closely into the premises when they swipe their access card. This often occurs after hours when the gym isn’t staffed. Another example is when a non-member waits until a paying member swipes their card and tailgates them into the gym, often unbeknown to the member!
Not only does this mean lost revenue for the gym, but it also compromises the safety of the environment with an increased possibility of theft or even worse!
What can gyms do to manage tailgating problems?
Your reception staff naturally play a key role in identifying incidences of tailgating, so making them aware of the issue and asking them to keep their eyes tuned to the possibility, is important.
But what happens after hours when your staff go home and the gym continues to operate through the night?
There’s a wealth of security tools that can help you and your staff to manage the growing issues with tailgating, including video monitoring and door sensors that capture and photograph tailgating as it occurs, and even emails the photographic evidence directly to you!
What do you do when you catch a tailgater?
It’s a good idea to think through how you’ll deal with tailgaters and promote the consequences to discourage it happening in the first place. For example, you might want to impose a financial penalty on members who tailgate and continue to tailgate! Make the fine enough for the member to learn their lesson and never try it again.
Feel free to bounce your thoughts off your PaySmart BDM or Client Account Manager and discuss setting up a PaySmart system to implement and collect fines when tailgating occurs.
Contact PaySmart today for advice and help to tackle the tailgaters at your gym!
