The verdict in three sentences
A franchisor with 14 gyms and 18,000 members that lets each franchisee pick its own tool sees neither real payment failures nor the revenue on which royalties are based. Shared membership and access control software handles monthly direct debits of 25 to 45 EUR, 24/7 QR code access and collections, with a consolidated view for head office. Against market software at 150 to 350 EUR per gym per month, a custom tool at 3,810 to 22,870+ EUR depending on complexity pays off mainly by cutting the 6 % failed payment rate.
What the software must cover for a franchise network
A 24/7 gym lives on monthly direct debits, SEPA in the eurozone, Bacs Direct Debit in the UK or ACH in the US. Every failed collection left unhandled becomes a member who keeps training without paying. At network level, members must also be able to train in all 14 gyms, the franchisor must calculate royalties on reliable figures, and franchisees must keep control of local offers.
| Function | Network requirement | What happens without a shared tool |
|---|---|---|
| Online sign-up | E-signed debit mandate, ID, photo | Paper files, incomplete mandates, rejections |
| Monthly collections | Schedule of 25 to 45 EUR by plan, failed payment handling | Failures discovered 2 to 3 weeks late |
| Collections follow-up | SMS and email reminder on day 1, re-presentation, card payment link | Manual chasing, 6 % failed payments |
| Access control | Dynamic QR code refreshed every 30 seconds, blocked when unpaid | Badge sharing, access without payment |
| Multi-site access | A network member enters all 14 gyms | Per-gym memberships, frustrated members |
| Franchisor reporting | Revenue, churn, failed payments and visits per gym | Self-reported figures, disputed royalties |
| Compliance | GDPR, limited retention of access logs, online cancellation | Regulatory risk, consumer disputes |
Market software or a custom tool: the 5-year math
Club management platforms are mature and fast to deploy. Their cost multiplies with the number of sites, and their royalty or multi-site rules do not always match the franchise agreement. A custom build starts from your agreement and your collections model.
| Criterion | Market club management software | Kolonell custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 500 to 2,000 EUR setup per gym (2026 ballpark) | 3,810 to 22,870+ EUR (2.5 to 15M+ FCFA) depending on complexity |
| Recurring cost for 14 gyms | 150 to 350 EUR per gym per month, i.e. 25,200 to 58,800 EUR a year | Maintenance at 53, 114 or 183 EUR a month |
| 5-year cost | 126,000 to 294,000 EUR before setup | 22,870 + 60 x 183 = 33,850 EUR in the high case |
| Collection fees | Payment provider, 0.20 to 0.50 EUR per debit | Same, provider chosen by the network |
| Royalty rules | Export to rework by hand | Automatic calculation per your agreement |
| Collections scenarios | Standard templates | Your rules, per gym if needed |
| Access readers | Imposed hardware or partner | Works with existing QR readers, integration quoted separately |
| Data ownership | Vendor | Franchisor |
Which scope for which budget
| Level | Typical scope for a gym network | Kolonell budget | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | Online sign-up, debit mandates, payment schedule, member profile | 3,810 to 6,100 EUR (2.5 to 4M FCFA) | About 4 months |
| Medium | Simple, plus dynamic QR code, multi-site access, automatic reminders | 6,100 to 10,670 EUR (4 to 7M FCFA) | About 5 months |
| Complex | Medium, plus member app, class booking, franchisor dashboard, royalty calculation | 10,670 to 22,870+ EUR (7 to 15M+ FCFA) | About 6 months |
Turnstile and reader integration, migration of 18,000 existing mandates and hosting are quoted separately. In the SEPA zone, mandates can usually be migrated without a new signature when the creditor stays the same, a point to confirm with your bank.
Mini case study
Thomas, franchisor of a 14-gym network headquartered in Poitiers, has 18,000 members paying 35 EUR a month on average.
- Monthly collections: 18,000 x 35 = 630,000 EUR.
- Current failed payments: 6 %, or 37,800 EUR a month.
- Target with a day-1 reminder, automatic re-presentation and QR blocking: 4 %. Gain: 2 points x 630,000 = 12,600 EUR a month, or 151,200 EUR a year for the network.
- Cost avoided: market software at 250 EUR per gym came to 3,500 EUR a month, or 42,000 EUR a year.
- Investment assumed: complex level at the top of the range, 22,870 EUR, plus 183 EUR monthly maintenance.
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Between recovered payments and cancelled subscriptions, the project pays back in under 2 months of operation. Franchisees see better cash flow, which helps recruit new franchise partners.
FAQ
Can we keep our current QR readers and turnstiles?
In most cases, yes, if the readers support server-side validation or dynamic codes. A hardware audit of the 14 gyms takes place during the kick-off workshop, and integration is quoted separately.
How do we reduce failed payments beyond reminders?
The combination that works best is a day-1 reminder, re-presentation of the debit early the following month, a card payment link and access blocked after 7 days. Networks applying it often drop from 6 % to 3 or 4 % failed payments.
Is online cancellation mandatory?
In France, a contract signed online must be cancellable online in 3 clicks, and similar rules are spreading in the UK and several US states. The software includes it, with a clear flow and automatic confirmation.
Can each franchisee create its own offers?
Yes, within the frame set by the franchisor: network plans stay shared, and each gym can add local offers, such as student or corporate plans, whose revenue feeds the royalty calculation.
How long does it take to switch all 14 gyms?
The project takes 4 to 6 months, then switchover happens gym by gym over 4 to 6 weeks. A pilot gym validates a full month of collections before the other 13 go live.
Let's scope your project. Share your franchise agreement, membership plans and failed payment rates per gym, and we will define the scope and a 4 to 6 month plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
