Case Study – Audio Visual
Drop Gym Integrated Solutions
Business Requirement
Drop Gym is an exclusive gym chain offering safe and comfortable environments for members to prioritise and improve their health. As the gym is set up to be an extensive of users home gym, the owners wanted to provide a seamless, digitised experience with automated access and facilities.
The membership experience at Drop Gym is one of innovation with all sessions and membership benefits being manged through a centralised app. It was the desire of the owners to further expand this automation by enabling members to access their chosen location via the single app, booking classes and sessions and managing their own experience.
The staffing at each Drop Gym location is focussed on the fitness and health benefits so the only on-site staff are personal trainers and class leaders, the automation of the gym management meant that there is no requirement for on-site administration and members can manage their own bookings and access the key areas, whilst the Gym’s head office manage and monitor the locations’ safety and security remotely, whilst still having the ability to communicate with members of trainers either via the app, or through suitable signage and intercoms within each location. This standardisation of systems on all sites provides a unform user experience across locations for both members and staff.
Our Approach and Solution
We worked with the management and building contractors at each location to agree a design per site. The client knew what they wanted to achieve for their users, however were not sure what technology was available to make the solution work. We discussed what the user experience should look like, and identified suitable technology solutions for the CCTV, Access Control, Intruder Alarm, Intercom and Audio Visual systems that could integrate together, and with the existing members online portal to achieve the desired outcomes.
To date we have standardised 3 sites to a centralised, cloud hosted IP CCTV system. CCTV system is linked to the intruder alarm so that any activations would trigger alerts within the CCTV system and automatically set all cameras to continually record. Further integration with the electric shutters enables remote opening/closing of the shutters so that management could open and close the gym remotely, as well as ensuring safety provisions were in place to prevent people being caught by the shutters.
We have standardised the Access Control System so that it integrates with the members app enabling access for users as per their online booked sessions. This ensures that the gym is not being used by anyone who has not pre-booked a session or class.
The CCTV and Access Control benefit from facial recognition technology to ensure that the correct members are accessing the space, and memberships cannot be transferred or mis-used.
Video intercoms are provided to the main doors of the gyms with an external 1-button video call panel outside the main entrance and a 7” wall mounted android touch panel intercom monitor inside the gym with the ability to call through to DropGym HQ as and when required.
A wired intruder alarm is installed at each location with an IP comms module which enabled remote management of the sites.
In addition to the security, we provided a background music system in each gym with wall mounted speakers within the gym area, and a remote volume control plate in the office. An audio output from the CCTV system was connected to the amp to allow for any remote announcements to be made via the security systems, ensuring that should Head Office or management need to make contact with people inside the gym, they can do remotely and swiftly.
Further technology was installed in the form of digital signage touch screens enabling client and gym communications within each gym. This gives DropGym the ability to use their own app in the future to provide content and customer service features such as feedback, training advice, and booking classes or PT sessions.
Benefits to Drop Gym
Benefits of this solution include the full centralisation that enables the head office to monitor and manage the security of all locations remotely. During the past few months whilst there have still been some concerns over the pandemic, the ability for management to review their locations without having to travel has proved useful, and enables them to limit the numbers of personnel attending sites.
Management have confidence in the safety of anyone on site at any location as the alarms and cameras are pre-set to ensure any incidents trigger a series of events, so there is little reliance on someone having to physically be on site to notify anyone of an incident.
The use of remote and automated systems has assisted the organisation in managing costs as they have not had to employ additional staff per location. The standardisation of the solution means that all training staff and members can access locations in the same user-friendly way.
