When Active Newham was looking for a new software supplier it turned to leisure specialist Gladstone, which completed the switch over of its three leisure centres in just six weeks

After deciding to move from our previous supplier, we needed a fast turn around to a new software company. I had previous experience of working with Gladstone and knew that, not only were they a company we could rely on to deliver, their software and services could make a real difference at Active Newham.

During the switch over Gladstone worked tirelessly to get things ready and never said no to our requests, helping us to tailor the system to our needs. Active Newham runs three leisure centres in the London Borough of Newham and is the preferred supplier of volunteers for the Olympic park. But Gladstone achieved the impossible, moving the leisure business without any help from the previous supplier in just six weeks.

We’ve really seen Gladstone’s software develop over the last few years. They have brought to market a fantastic range of products that really speak for themselves. We bought into a wide range of support services over and above the Plus2 membership management software, including Connect online bookings, Join@Home online membership sign up, MobilePro smartphone app, Kiosks, Call Centre, Learn2 course management for our swimming, football and trampolining classes and Contact Manager for prospecting members.

But just one of the products alone, Learn2, could pay for our entire switch over in efficiency gains and control over course payments. Installing Learn2 helped us identify 2,000 spaces on the previous system that were filled with either duplicate students moving up to the next class or pupils that had left but not been removed. This loop hole meant they could potentially swim for free, which could represent a staggering £96,000 in lost lesson fees.

Keiron Butcher, IT manager for Active Newham