Gladstone Health and Leisure has launched MobilePro, a new smartphone app enabling operators to stay better connected to their customers and boost online transactions.

Early adopters for the software have welcomed the application, which can be customised, enabling operators to add any number of information pages to market their site to prospects, as well as update members with news, promotions and new activities or facilities on offer.

MobilePro also allows customers to book and pay on the go on any type of smartphone. The tiled app interacts with Gladstone's Plus2 Leisure Management System in real-time so that members receive all their usual pricing and booking benefits. It is the only app on the market that fully integrates with Gladstone's membership management software.

Mike Barber, Senior Leisure Manager for Wirral Council, which has been testing the app said: "We love the MobilePro app and have been working alongside Gladstone to get the contents together and to configure the modules ready for the launch to our customers. 

"We are very excited about this powerful business tool, which will enable us to adopt a completely new strategy around communicating with our customers. They can book and pay for fitness classes on the move and we can instantly keep them informed of promotions or changes to the programme. This will be the most efficient and effective enhancement to our Gladstone software package - it is very easy to administer and maintain, ensuring the customer information is correct at all times."

West Country leisure trust, 1610, also chose to be an early adopter of the MobilePro app.

"With 60 per cent of our web users now viewing our site through their mobile or tablet device - and this figure growing month on month - we needed our own mobile app to keep up with our customers' needs," said Rebecca Sawtell, Head of Marketing and Communications.

"MobilePro is so quick and easy to navigate that we hope it will encourage more people to book and pay in this way, easing the pressure on our front-of-house team."

Michelle Schwick, Leisure Systems Co- Ordinator at Huntingdonshire District Council agrees, saying: "One Leisure is always looking for ways to simplify the booking process for our customers. The app helps those who are always on the move to quickly book at their convenience, and within seconds of showing the app to a customer they had downloaded it and started booking their classes."

MobilePro, which will be available to download from the Apple and Android stores, also allows customers to interface with social media sites, sharing their activities and giving even more exposure to individual health clubs and leisure centres.

"The simple content management system and ability to send push notifications should enable us to communicate much more effectively with our customers, keeping them up to date on news, events and offers connected to their local centre," continued Sawtell. "We're also hopeful that MobilePro will encourage more people to share content about us on sites such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as interacting with us on our own social media channels.”

Tom Withers Sales and Marketing Director at Gladstone said: "We think the smartphone might just be the most powerful sales and service tool available to support today's forward thinking leisure operator.

"As well as a great communication tool with voice, text and email in your pocket, a member's smartphone is both a social media portal and a mobile shopping basket. With this in mind we created MobilePro to help you stay connected to your customers and let them purchase on the move."