Parkwood Leisure – a Legend customer since 2008 – uses Legend’s ‘One System, One Solution’ software across all 87 of its facilities. The system is powered by Legend’s GDPR-ready, single, central database.

The system’s new Customer Management Module has been designed to give Parkwood in-depth understanding of the prospecting and customer journey, providing a single, central database for all customers, including prospects, casual users and former members.

The new module has enabled Parkwood to automate elements of its sales process, improving task management and customer engagement, enabling the creation of bespoke customer journeys, the automation and control of personalised ‘enquiry journeys’ and ensuring optimal use of Parkwood's sales and marketing resources.

By leveraging high-level reporting, the system is also giving Parkwood a deep understanding of the customer journey, enabling better training and management of sales staff, resulting in growing membership numbers.

Testing the system
Chris Rinder, sales director at Parkwood Leisure, explains: “When Legend approached us with the concept of the new Customer Management Module, we felt there was a real opportunity to augment our sales function.

“We’ve significantly improved our joining results and revenues by better understanding our customers’ buying habits and then developing seamless journeys that maximise the opportunity for people to join. Also by quantifying the success of our marketing campaigns, and helping determine the best focus for our sales activities,” he says.

Parkwood and Legend collaborated to carry out a three-month pilot of the module at North Solihull Leisure Centre and Tudor Grange Sports Centre.

The new functionality worked so well in the pilot, it was decided to further enhance the system by developing additional personalised journeys for casual and former members, who represent over half of Parkwood’s membership joiners.

During the pilot, Legend and Parkwood also developed an innovative prospecting system that fully represented different customer enquiry journeys. They also mapped out the most effective customer engagement points within each journey and developed the range of outcomes and 'reasons for enquiring'.

Leveraging data
The Legend team also enhanced Parkwood’s Business Intelligence and Reporting Modules to work hand in hand with the final version of the Customer Management Module.

Rinder says: “All membership sales and prospects now go through the Customer Management Module. We capture all contact information from prospects, as well as their goals and exercise history and then we log which communication or marketing method enticed them to enquire.

“We set tasks and reminders to ensure our sales teams follow prospects to the conclusion of their joining journey – either to sign up and seamless addition to the Legend membership management system, or removal if they decide not to join.

“We track the success of both individual and company sales and marketing activity against targets, ensuring the teams are maximising the opportunity for people to join the club.

“Legend’s enhanced reporting shows the number of new enquiries, the appointments booked, the follow-up calls made and the tours completed. A dashboard then shows us the number of joiners or non-joiners, which has enabled us to roll out a motivational commission scheme across our sales team.

As part of a three-year contract extension, Parkwood has announced it will be increasing its investment in the Legend solution, following the collaborative development of the Customer Management Module.

Business transformation
Rinder concludes: “Our relationship with Legend has transformed our operational efficiency and customer experience. We now collect better quality contact information and have greater awareness of the sales journeys our members prefer. In addition we now understand the success rates of our marketing campaigns and are able to support and manage sales staff performance, by motivating and training them to deliver optimal results.

“Our long term goal is to continue to roll out the use of Customer Management Tablets and to have a completely paperless membership sales process.

“None of this would be possible without the evolution of the Customer Management Module. Legend continues to offer us a winning partnership and deliver a high pace of change and innovation which is tailored to our needs. Legend has transformed the way we run our business.”