Effortlessly increasing
customer base.
Referral system
ABC Ignite redefines how fitness operators and members interact with technology to reach their goals. The flexible, scalable and intuitive solution has all of the tools gym owners and operators need to accelerate business performance, operate efficiently and deliver 360° member experiences.
As a UX designer, I was responsible for conceptualizing and designing the referral feature within the app. My focus was on creating a seamless user journey by designing intuitive pathways and interfaces while considering the possibilities and limitations of our internal operations system, as well as the needs of both the businesses and their members.
Increase customer base.
Our clients aimed to expand their customer base consistently. We suggested and adopted the development of an internal referral system to encourage satisfied customers to bring in friends and family. Referrals, based on trust, are cost-effective and often result in more sales due to the pre-existing interest of new customers.
Three distinct segments.
To ensure the successful implementation of this feature, we needed to address the needs and offer benefits to three distinct user segments: our client businesses, active gym members, and prospects whom we aimed to engage and encourage to join the gym.
Business
Fitness businesses, gyms, ranging from startups, single location to multi location gyms and franchises.
- Trust & credibility — Word-of-mouth recommendations are powerful; people trust advice from friends, boosting the app's credibility and attracting more users.
- Cost-effective marketing — Referral systems save costs by relying on satisfied users for promotion, reducing traditional advertising expenses.
- Data-driven insights — Referral systems offer valuable user behaviour data, guiding effective marketing and engagement strategies.
- Viral growth — Satisfied users referring friends create a viral effect, leading to exponential user base growth.
Member
Gym members ranging from basic needs such as check-in and scheduling tools to full fitness and nutrition guidance.
- Discounts or credits — Offer referring members discounts on future purchases or credits redeemable for products/services.
- Freebies or gifts — Reward referrers with merchandise, exclusive products, or complimentary services, creating value.
- Membership extensions — Extend referrers' memberships to show gratitude and encourage continued engagement.
Prospect
Members' friends and family who might be interested in starting a fitness journey.
- Welcome discounts — Offer new members a special discount to encourage them to start their fitness journey.
- Free trial sessions — Provide new members with complimentary trial sessions, enabling them to experience the facilities before committing to a membership.
Jobs, pains & gains.
We identified the main challenges and frustrations the business might have in setting up their custom referrals and aimed to solve as many as possible for the first release.
MVP first.
For MVP, we decided to focus primarily on business benefits. We postponed member benefits and automatic prospect sign-ups to Milestone 2 and 3 due to resource constraints and prioritizing speed. These features are addressed in later stages of the project.
- Business customises settings
- Member invites a friend
- Prospect signs up
- Prospect contacted by sales team
The referral flow.
User Flow
Configuration steps are planned to align with members and prospects flow, ensuring that businesses, during setup, accurately understand the process their users will undertake to complete the task.
Configuration Dialog
Each step is presented in a separate dialog. To ensure comprehensive understanding, each step contains information describing its function, along with a visual preview illustrating how it will appear to users. Additionally, there is a recommended prepopulated universal text available, suitable for any business that prefers not to create their own.
Final Flow
The completed referral setup offers a streamlined process with intuitive dialogs for users. Overall, this flow aims to empower businesses in implementing the referral system smoothly, promoting engagement and effortless user referrals.
Member
MVP
A banner prominently displayed on the members' dashboard encourages them to easily invite their acquaintances. The process is simplified for effortless action.
Prospect
MVP
The simplified process is designed to reduce the effort required for prospects to sign up, preventing any obstacles that might discourage them from completing the process. Upon registration, their information is stored in the Members Operation system. This enables the gym's sales team to reach out to them or allows prospects to visit the club in person and explore available membership options.
Milestone 2 — Prospect Signup
In Milestone 2, we've streamlined the process for prospects to initiate their gym trial. Instead of signing up via the web, prospects can instantly download the app and access the gym facilities. This update eliminates the need for employees to individually engage with new clients. Instead, prospects can utilize a predetermined number of trial days specified in the Members Operations system. This improvement aims to simplify the onboarding process and provide a more seamless experience for potential new members.
Milestone 3 — Prospect to Member
In Milestone 3, prospects can seamlessly become full members within the app, bypassing any intricate procedures. They can access available membership plans and, depending on the club, receive a special offer code. All information is automatically stored in Membership Operations.
Measuring success.
We are currently unable to track the success rate since the project is in the development phase. However, once the necessary information becomes available, it is planned to monitor the number of referral invitations sent out and track how many of these led to new customers. We will also keep an eye on how many referral leads converted into actual sales and conversions.