Recurring payments platform GoCardless has continued to grow its portfolio of gyms, leisure centres and university facilities by becoming the Direct Debit provider for both 1610 Active and King’s Sport Gyms.

The moves came at a time where both businesses were undergoing a digital transformation and required a transparent payments provider that could keep pace. In addition, each sought a solution that would allow them to provide a better membership experience.

1610 Active, a not-for-profit network of leisure centres with more than 15,000 members, decided to use GoCardless to benefit from lower failure rates and improve both revenue and member satisfaction. GoCardless has been able to help reduce failure rates, while also offering a reduction in overall payment processing costs.

King’s Sport Gyms at King’s College, meanwhile, is soon to open its third gym, with roughly 4,000 members using the three sites. The newest gym, based in the Strand, will be the College’s largest facility of this kind to date. The ability to easily combine ad hoc and recurring payments, along with improved clarity over costs proved deciding factors in the College’s choice of provider.

Ross Pert, payments specialist at GoCardless, said of the recurring payment provider’s benefits for health and fitness business: “With the ability to take Direct Debit payments any day of the month, and payment failure rates as low as 0.5 per cent, GoCardless is the ideal payment solution for any business in search of a modern way to take payments and build a loyal membership.”

GoCardless partners with a range of membership platforms, with 1610 and King’s College using PerfectGym and Open Play respectively. Both of these platforms have an existing GoCardless integration, as do the likes of Glofox, Virtuagym, TeamUp, ClubRight and others.