Trials memberships and delaying prorated billing
Hi!
I'm exploring Rock Gym Pro for our business and have a question about trial memberships that kick in after a certain amount of days.
We have an offer where we give 10 days unlimited access for $10, and then normal billing kicks in.
Using RGP would I POS charge them $10, and then add a future payment manually to start 11 days later? And if so, will the future payment be prorated for the first charge?
Thanks!
Comments
You can't create a "future payment" in RGP with the exception of a payment to occur on the normal billing date (which is fixed per month). RGP has a fixed billing date each month - that is all members are billed on the same day. This is by design for streamlined operations.
As for a 10 day trial membership for $10 that automatically turns into a billed membership... I can't think of an easy way to do that. I will confess it seems like an unusual incentive. For a $50-$60 membership, the additional 10 days of proration is probably only a few dollars more (since a $60 membership would be about $2 per day, or $20). And then customer is going to pay the prorated dues anyways with your incentive. So the whole thing is kind of a head scratcher to me... sorry :)
Many gyms offer a discounted first few months of billed membership and then use the "future dues change" feature to bump up their dues to the regular amount.
Alternately you could charge them the $10 at POS, and invoice their account for the prorated dues. Then on the next billing date they would be billed the prorated dues PLUS the new billing month.
Thanks for the quick response.
I also have a question about prorated billing. Does it POS charge them immediately, and then commence normal EFT billing on the bill date, or does it invoice them, and then charge them a prorated month and the next normal month at the same time?
If it's the latter, I can imagine some customers getting frustrated with a big first charge (potentially double if they start on the day after the bill date) and also, there's the risk of them using the facility for most of the month and then their card declining.
You can do either in RGP. You can collect the prorated dues + payment at POS, or just invoice them for it.
Though almost all gyms collect the money up front.
Many gyms collect the prorated dues + first months dues at POS, and then set the bill date to be one month ahead. That's a popular approach if there is no startup fee.
Oh that's pretty cool.
Is that done by selecting the "Next Bill" drop down?
I suppose for my 10 for $10 I can just POS charge them as prepaid for 10 days, and then when their status is up, let them know and prorate and charge them that and first month and do it that way.
A little extra work, but not the end of the world.
Thank you for making such a great product, making it available for free, and also even answering questions on this forum.
Yes... Next Bill drop down.
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