Pass-sharing is a persistent challenge for independent gyms, leading to lost revenue, security risks and member dissatisfaction as well as a host of other issues
We here at Ashbourne Club Management have helped countless gyms counteract this over our twenty five years experience in the fitness industry. Our baseline Club Management software has helped eliminate Pass-Sharing entirely from many facilities when supported by the right technology.
This is the same software and technology we use in our own clubs. Because here at Ashbourne we aren’t just content to stay behind the scenes, we have experience running successful clubs and gyms and we have fed these experiences back into our software and hardware.
Not only that, our cutting edge suite of software makes identifying these Pass-Sharers easier than ever before.
So for today’s article we will be taking a look at a little case study using one of our partner gyms as an example.
This case study examines how one gym successfully tackled pass-sharing by implementing strategic access control measures, supported by insights from Ashbourne Membership Management’s club management software, hardware and expertise.
One of our partner facilities recently reported that two members were allowing five or six non-members to enter their facility overnight by exploiting the fingerprint scanner on the turnstile. A paying member noticed and complained, frustrated that others were accessing the gym for free.
This is a frequent complaint when rule-abiding members identify that Pass-Sharing is occurring at a gym. It saps morale and makes them question the value of the service they are receiving if others are able to access it ‘for free’.
Luckily for the gym, they were able to contact our 5-star-rated support team. Unlike many Membership Management companies, our Support team is in-house, meaning they are well-trained, well-connected and intimately familiar with our systems and services.
What Are The Key Issues We Identified?
Pass-sharing may seem like a harmless favour between friends, but for gyms and fitness clubs, it introduces serious operational challenges. When left unchecked, it undermines not only a facility’s financial health but also its overall integrity and member trust. Below are some of the most pressing issues that arise when pass-sharing is allowed to persist:
Unauthorised access – Non-members entering without contracts or liability waivers.
This presents a number of issues regarding security and loss of revenue, as well as representing a breach of contract by the existing member.
Member dissatisfaction – Paying members felt cheated, risking retention and negative word of mouth.
Security gaps – Lack of real-time monitoring allowed the issue to occur and persist.
Our Solution to Pass-Sharing
To address this, our support team enacted the following measures for the Gym in question:
Our Support Team Remotely Applied A Turnstile Lockout Period to the Access Controls of the Facility
– A 3-minute lockout was added to the fingerprint scanner, preventing multiple swipes in quick succession. As we install our own fingerprint scanners, this could be done quickly and efficiently.
– As a result, this stopped members from repeatedly scanning to let friends in while still allowing legitimate re-entries (This could include forgetting something in the car or dropping something before going through the turnstile).
“Blocked Member” Status
– A new membership category was created, allowing the gym to immediately revoke access without canceling payments or alerting the member.
– This gave management time to investigate and address the issue directly with the member before deciding on further action.
Why Did These Solutions Work?
Our expertise and faith in our systems meant that we had no reason to doubt these measures would be successful. Through use of biometric scanners, data-driven investigation and security protocols we have helped block Pass-Sharers for our partner gyms countless times in the past.
But we believe in showing our workings, the reason these measures were effective can be found below:
Data-Driven Access Control
– The identification of members likely to be Pass-Sharing has been achieved through entry pattern analysis through our BI Dashboards, a method Ashbourne recommends for detecting suspicious behaviour through member access data.
– Unusual entry frequency (such as multiple scans in a short time) was flagged as a red flag for potential pass-sharing to be investigated. Multiple offenders could be isolated, filtered and dealt with swiftly and with minimal manual searching.
Proactive Membership Management
– The “blocked member” feature allowed discreet intervention, preventing escalation while maintaining member relations.
– This aligns with Ashbourne’s principle of shifting from reactive to proactive enforcement.
Deterrence Through Technology
– Fingerprint scanners, as Ashbourne notes, are a key deterrent to pass-sharing. This is because biometrics are much harder to share than key fobs or PINs.
– Any attempt to circumvent them, as seen in this case study, are usually very easy to spot either within the facility itself or by interrogating the entry data.
– The psychological barrier of needing the actual member present discourages abuse. Members are most likely to Pass-Share if they believe there is very little chance they will be caught. Being physically present makes it an inherently riskier act than giving someone your key fob.
Results & Broader Implications
– Reduced unauthorised entries – The lockout period made it nearly impossible for groups to enter on a single scan.
– Improved member trust – Paying members saw that the gym took their concerns seriously.
– Scalable security- The solution can be adapted for other access points (Example: QR codes, key cards).
Guidance for Any Gyms Who Suspect or Know they are Facing Similar Problems
But that doesn’t mean it has to. Ashbourne has helped many clubs and gyms transition to the 24/7 model. When done properly and backed up by the correct technologies and procedures, Pass-Sharing can be effectively eliminated even in an unmanned gym or club.
Key takeaways from our Case Study:
- Monitor entry data – Look for irregular patterns using BI Dashboards and Access Control Monitoring (example: frequent re-entries).
- Use biometrics where possible – Fingerprint scanners significantly reduce fraud, making the paying member a requirement for entry. This makes it easier to spot the offending party and prove they had knowledge of the transgression.
- Implement flexible member controls – Temporary access blocks allow for investigations without immediate termination.
Conclusion
The situation our partner gym was in and how we were able to resolve it demonstrates how a combination of smart technology and responsive membership management can effectively combat pass-sharing. By adopting Ashbourne’s data-driven approach, gyms can protect revenue, enhance security and prevent dissatisfaction among your paying members.
Interested in learning more? Worried YOUR members might be Pass-Sharing?
If you are a gym or club owner or manager facing a similar issue, or even worried that your facility might be facing similar issues that you aren’t even aware of, we hope this case study proves that Ashbourne can help.
While problems like Pass-Sharing can seem insurmountable, we here at Ashbourne club management have been providing club and gym owners the tools, technology and training to combat these issues for over twenty five years.
By following the link here you can arrange a free consultation with our demo team, who can start talking you through in greater detail how our advanced access controls, cutting-edge software and versatile systems can help locate, isolate and deal with Pass-Sharing.