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Digital fitness technology isn’t a “nice-to-have” anymore—it’s a business tool providing outcomes driving revenue by protecting consistency, expanding participation, and improving the member experience across the entire facility.
In this episode, Wexer CEO Paul Bowman speaks with Karen Mason, Wexer’s Head of Customer Operations and a veteran group fitness instructor, about how virtual content supports operators, group exercise teams, and personal trainers. Karen’s perspective on the challenges for operators and managers: staffing shortages happen, members feel intimidated, and trainers need better tools to support clients outside their session hours. The message is clear: digital should strengthen what humans do best.
“Embrace Digital. Digital fitness should enhance the real person, not replace.” ~ Karen Mason, Head of Customer Operations, Wexer ~
The 7 Key Digital Outcomes Of Benefit To Fitness Operators
1. Schedule Reliability (classes run—even when staffing changes)
For operators, one of the fastest ways to lose trust is inconsistency on the timetable. Last-minute cancellations, sub shortages, and constant schedule edits disrupt habits—and habits are the backbone of retention. Digital gives clubs a reliable “Plan B” so a class can still happen when life happens.
When you have a dependable digital option, you reduce disruption. The studio stays active, member expectations stay intact, and your schedule becomes something members can count on again. Reliability is more complicated than simply “finding a sub.”
“Instructors could cancel at the last minute because they don’t have any loyalty to that gym chain.” ~ Karen Mason, Head of Customer Operations, Wexer ~
2) Consistent Class Quality
It’s not enough to offer any class, but you need to protect the member experience that members want. Members return because they love a certain format, cueing style, and instructor energy. A random replacement—or a staff member filling in outside their normal modality—can unintentionally change the entire experience.
That’s why Karen highlights one of the most powerful outcomes: letting instructors record their own sessions so clubs can use the instructor’s class as the cover class when needed. For operators, this becomes a quality-control lever. For members, it feels personal and familiar. For instructors, it protects the community they’ve built and reinforces continuity—even when they can’t be physically present.
“Instructors can record their own classes and upload them to the platform. They can have their class as their cover class.” ~ Karen Mason, Head of Customer Operations, Wexer ~
3) Higher Studio Adoption & Onboarding Beginners Without Intimidation
Group fitness growth often hinges on one thing: whether a “studio newbie” returns after their first class. Many new members feel overwhelmed—mirroring is confusing, the mirror wall is intimidating, and the fear of not knowing what to do can outweigh the desire to participate.
Digital changes that first impression by offering an on-ramp: members can learn the flow, cues, and etiquette in a lower-pressure environment. The result is more confidence, higher repeat attendance, and fewer members who bail after one attempt.
This outcome matters because studio participation isn’t just a programming win—it’s a retention win. Members who feel connected to a class community tend to stay longer.
4) Retention Lift With More Touchpoints & Stickiness
Retention is built through frequency and consistency. Digital helps operators create more moments for members to engage—especially during off-peak hours, instructor gaps, or days a member can’t make a live class.
Karen’s framing is important: virtual should support real-world operations, not compete with them. When clubs position digital as a companion to the live experience, members stay connected even when their schedule changes—reducing freezes, drop-off, and churn.
5) Personal Training Conversions + Revenue Growth
Personal trainers face a constraint: clients usually train with them two to three times a week. What happens between those sessions determines progress—and progress determines whether a client keeps buying.
Digital gives personal trainers a stronger “between-session” playbook: recommend a guided strength circuit, a conditioning session, mobility work, or a format aligned with a client’s goals. That’s better than telling someone to repeat a boring treadmill routine—and it helps clients feel supported even outside appointments.
This is where digital becomes revenue-friendly for operators: if clients see results faster, they stay longer. If more clients stay longer, PT revenue stabilizes and grows.
6) Expand Star Fitness Professional’s Visibility
Operators are sitting on a hidden growth lever: spotlighting the biggest screens in the club and external markets. When those screens are used strategically, they don’t just advertise—they connect members to people and services.
That connection increases participation—and participation increases retention and ancillary revenue opportunities.
“Commercials can be highlighted to support fitness pros and bring a spotlight to them.” ~ Paul Bowman, CEO, Wexer ~
Commercials Drive Visibility
- Studio-only members discover personal trainers.
- Gym-floor members discover classes they’d actually enjoy.
- Members learn instructor names and schedules before ever walking into a session.
7) Scalability + Consistency Across Locations
For multi-site operators or growing clubs planning expansion, digital creates operational stability. Standardized content helps level out variability in staffing, instructor availability, and class formats across different facilities.
In other words, digital isn’t a side project. It’s a framework for improving the business system—so the member experience can stay consistent even as your footprint grows.
“We want to empower our clients to improve their business, studio instructors, and trainers.” ~ Karen Mason, Head of Customer Operations, Wexer ~
The Challenges That Digital Solves
These outcomes solve a set of problems operators are dealing with right now:
- Instructor shortages and unreliable sub coverage
- Inconsistent class experiences that weaken trust
- Beginner intimidation that limits studio adoption
- Member drop-off when routines get disrupted
- PT sessions that lack structure between appointments
- Underutilized in-club screens and missed internal marketing
- Operational inconsistency across locations (especially as you scale)
Capitalize on Digital by Managing Outcomes, Not Content
The underlying theme is stability. Digital helps clubs keep promises—class promises, coaching promises, and experience promises—regardless of day-to-day variables. It does so without replacing the human element.
This highlights what operators actually need: reliable schedules, consistent quality, confident new members, stronger retention, expanded PT value, better visibility for fitness pros, and scalable operations. Digital becomes the tool that supports the real people doing the work—while turning the facility into a more dependable, engaging, growth-ready business.
Contact us today to see how you can capitalize on digital! Email us: INFO@WEXER.COM
Additional Resources
Karen Mason on LinkedIn
Paul Bowman on LinkedIn