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One|DZ

Straight away they took out so much margin for error.

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Success Stories

One|DZ

Straight away they took out so much margin for error.

Request a Demo

How ONE|DZ Gym Thrived From Day One With Ashbourne Membership Management

ONE|DZ is an independent, family-run gym located in the heart of Darley Abbey, Derby. Proudly proclaiming themselves as “a gym to call home,” it has earned its reputation as Derby’s top-rated fitness facility by offering a unique, community-driven experience. Unlike corporate gym chains, ONE|DZ focuses on personalised coaching, strength conditioning and holistic wellness.

With 17 staff members, including 10 full-time coaches, ONE|DZ caters to a diverse clientele, from athletes to rehabilitation patients, priding themselves on providing tailored programmes rather than generic workouts.

However, ONE|DZ’s journey wasn’t always smooth. Our story begins over ten years ago, shortly before Ashbourne Membership Management and ONE|DZ began our partnership.

Originally a boxing gym, ONE|DZ’ struggled with membership management and administrative overload, relying on cash payments and manual tracking systems. With already around 200 members and no efficient system in place, the gym needed a solution to streamline operations and enhance member experience if it wanted to grow reliably and without massive strain on management.

Location

Derby, UK

Gym Size

200 Members

Facilities

3,000 sqft, high-level coaching and nutrition guidance, physiotherapy, sauna, sports massage facilities, sunbeds

Access Control

Fingerprint Reader

The Challenge: Inefficient Membership Management And Facility Systems

Before partnering with Ashbourne Membership Management, ONE|DZ faced several challenges:

A Cash-Based System: Tracking payments was difficult, leading to inconsistencies and revenue leakage.

Manual Processes: Admin tasks consumed valuable time that could have been spent on delivering the bespoke service ONE|DZ wants to give all of its members.

Inefficient Access Control: Lacking an efficient way to monitor gym entry, this could have led to security risks. Much like administration, it was also required time-intensive monitoring

Class Management Issues: Running and scheduling classes was cumbersome without digital integration.

These inefficiencies hindered growth, making it clear that a professional membership management system was essential.

The Solution: Ashbourne Membership Management

After talking with the management of ONE|DZ, Ashbourne stepped in with a tailored solution that helped transform their operations. From advanced access control to seamless payment processing, here is how Ashbourne’s expertise helped the gym thrive.

As we go through, we will be including quotes from ONE|DZ’s owner, James, about his experience with Ashbourne. It was a fun interview and it can be found on our social media pages.

Streamlined Access with Fingerprint Scanning

Once ONE|DZ had Ashbourne’s fingerprint scanner installed, both their facility security and member experience became greatly enhanced. As James also happily noted, it leaves a good impression on members.

“So slick. I absolutely love it. People walk in and just find it cool”.

Automated Payments & Reduced Admin Burden

Ashbourne’s automated direct debit system removed the hassle of chasing payments.

With reliable payment collection, ONE|DZ could focus on delivering exceptional service rather than administrative headaches and uncomfortable conversations. These delicate conversations about payment collection are exactly the kind of issue that our teams are well trained to deal with.

“Ashbourne stopped us from having to chase people for payments, which was just impossible, I’ve got a business to run”.

Ashbourne allowed us to split it into zones for classes, the main gym and the saunas. Ashbourne came in and sorted all the electrics out. Prepped it all at the drop of a hat, took all the strain out of it.”

“It feels like Ashbourne has people on hand all the time, you can just pick up the phone. Always helpful, always patient, especially on the tech side where that really matters”.

Zoned Access Control Membership & Class Management

Ashbourne’s system allowed ONE|DZ to segment memberships for different areas (gym floor, classes, saunas), simplifying access control and removing administrative hassle about who is allowed in where.

This flexibility revived the gym’s class system, making scheduling and attendance tracking effortless.

Unmatched Customer Support & Expertise

Unlike generic payment processors, Ashbourne provided dedicated support, ensuring smooth operations.

James kindly said that Ashbourne’s 25 years of club management experience helped make us the ideal partner.

“Experience is a massive one. Ashbourne has been going for 25 years, I’ve worked alongside you for 10 years. Just an absolute wealth of knowledge. And Ashbourne has a gym so they know how it works, how to increase membership, the support is just great”.

Cost-Effective & Flexible Pricing

ONE|DZ appreciated Ashbourne’s fair pricing and lack of restrictive contracts. Our pricing model is designed to make sure independent gyms, no matter the size, only pay for the service they are using. By tying our charge to the number of direct debits collected, this means it was as viable for James to sign on with Ashbourne at 200 members as it would be today.

“Price-point was a factor. Ashbourne’s price-point was great. Not feeling tied into anything also helped”

The Results: A More Efficient, Profitable Gym

Thanks to Ashbourne’s solutions, ONE|DZ saw immediate improvements:

  • Increased Efficiency: Automated systems reduced manual work and errors.
  • Better Member Experience: Seamless entry and payments improved satisfaction.
  • Reliable Revenue: No more missed payments or cash handling issues.
  • Flexible Growth: The ability to adapt memberships and classes boosted retention.
  • Scalability: More members no longer meant more hassle, allowing ONE|DZ to expand unimpeded by administrative concerns.

“Ashbourne helped make us streamlined and efficient. Straight away they took out so much margin for error”. – James, ONE|DZ Owner

Conclusion: A Partnership That Has Delivered for a Decade

You don’t just get a payment system, you get more. And that’s the big thing. There are plenty of direct debit collection agencies, but with Ashbourne you get a team on the end of the phone, ready to help you.

Ashbourne Membership Management didn’t just provide a payment system or a direct debit collection service, we became a trusted partner in ONE|DZ’s success. From cutting-edge technology to personalised support, Ashbourne’s solutions allowed ONE|DZ to focus on what it does best: helping members become the best versions of themselves.

This is the service we strive to provide for all of our partner gyms from the first phone call onwards. As James said, that first call happened over ten years ago, and it resulted in a partnership that helped ONE|DZ became the number one rated gym in Derby. A partnership that is still going strong to this day.

Let Us Help Drive Your Business Forward...

Book your free demo slot and let us show you how
we can help take your gym to the next level.

If you are a member of a gym, contact us here instead

Let Us Help Drive Your Business Forward...

Book your free demo slot and let us show you how
we can help take your gym to the next level.

If you are a member of a gym, contact us here instead