When she first took over an existing gym in January 2023, Jessica Lee knew she wanted to include an unattended access component at some point.
But she wasn’t quite sure how to make it happen.
So for two-plus years, Four Suns Fitness Center in Honesdale, PA—which is also home to CrossFit Sunrise—didn’t have a 24/7 access option.
Recently, though, the time seemed right to add unattended access for a couple of reasons:
- One: Lee’s gym is open 365 days a year, even on Christmas Day, which has meant “having a human body there,” she explained. As a result, her payroll has also become a bigger expense than it needs to be.
- Two: One of her coaches—the one who is always happy to work on Christmas Day—is 67 and ready to retire.
“He has been more reliable than the postal service. We’re very grateful for him,” said Lee, a mother of four boys.
With him preparing to retire, Lee didn’t feel like she’d be letting him down to cut his hours. Further, she knew it would be difficult to find a replacement coach who was as dedicated as he was.
As a result, the time seemed perfect to add unattended access to her business.
- “It just made the most sense,” she said.
So in May, Lee took the plunge with HybridAF and couldn’t have been happier with the process and the result.
- “Seamless is the word I would use to describe how implementing HybridAF has been,” Lee said. “Outside of putting up a couple cameras, I didn’t have to do much. A local installation company came for half a day and that was it. It has been extremely easy.”
One other task she did have to do was update her waiver, but she reached out to Matthew Becker with gymlawyers.com and he guided her through the process, which ended up being a breeze.
Three Quick Results
1. Cost Savings
Although Lee isn’t charging her existing members for unattended access, she is now saving $1,600 a month on payroll, a huge savings for a small gym owner.
She is still working a full-time job on top of being a gym owner, but this savings is the first step she needs to start the transition of leaving her job to run the gym full-time.
2. Accommodates Drop-Ins
3. Accommodates Shift-Working Members
Four Suns Fitness Center is also located near a county prison, so a handful of Lee’s members work at the prison and often get off work at 2 AM.
Prior to HybridAF, Lee handed out physical keys to some of her members so they could workout at 2 AM when they got off work, but now these members are able to access her facility through the HybridAF app, and the cameras she set up give her the peace of mind she needs to know her gym is safe even when she isn’t there.
One More Thing: HybridAF also helps Lee in the event that something unexpected happens.
- For example, a little while ago she had a flat tire and was “panicking” as she was late to open the gym at 5 am. Today, it’s no longer a problem, as members can access the facility if something unexpected happens.
Final Thoughts
Financially and operationally, unattended access with HybridAF has changed the game for Lee and Four Suns Fitness Center.
By reducing payroll costs, simplifying access for drop-ins, and better serving the gym’s shift-working members, HybridAF has created a more flexible, efficient gym environment.
