ClubPlanner

A stable platform gives ClubPlanner the peace of mind and space to do what they do best

ClubPlanner develops smart software for fitness clubs to gain better control over their leads and members. The idea behind this software is simple: those who receive good guidance keep exercising for longer. The result? The number of inactive members decreases, churn is reduced, and the gym's profitability increases. However, an important prerequisite applies: a stable digital infrastructure. Because if the platform goes down, communication between the club and the athlete stops. "The phones would be ringing off the hook here immediately," expects Raymond Steffann, one of the two founders of ClubPlanner. "So, we cannot afford any downtime."

Quality, personal, and close by

ClubPlanner once started as an automation solution for Raymond's parents' gym. In just a few years, that basic idea grew into a mature SaaS platform active in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, and the Middle East. "We are software developers with in-depth knowledge of the fitness world," says Raymond. "But for hosting, monitoring, and platform management, we rely entirely on Fundaments. That partnership goes back to the very beginning of ClubPlanner, initially for hosting our website. That left a good impression: Fundaments was big enough to deliver quality, but also personal and close by. Today, ClubPlanner's entire CRM system runs on Fundaments."

The foundation beneath ClubPlanner

For ClubPlanner, Fundaments is the foundation of their daily operations. "After nearly twenty years of working together, there is still no reason to look elsewhere. Of course, the question sometimes pops up internally whether we should move to a large party, like Amazon or Microsoft. But if something goes wrong there, you are at the mercy of the gods. At Fundaments, on the other hand, I know exactly who to call. Moreover, Fundaments takes responsibility for uptime, updates, and the accessibility of the platform. If we receive a notification that ClubPlanner is down – which rarely happens – Fundaments is already working on it or takes immediate action. They solve it without us having to ask. That proactive attitude gives us the peace of mind and space to do what we are good at. That is incredibly valuable to me."

No guinea pigs, just proven solutions

Raymond also appreciates Fundaments' approach to new technology. "If there is something new on the market, Fundaments only offers it once the teething problems are resolved and its performance is proven. This also applies now that AI is on the rise. Fundaments deliberately does not offer us AI features yet because of the American companies behind them. Our clients in Germany, in particular, are very critical about where their data is stored and what happens to it. The 100% sovereign cloud from Fundaments is therefore exactly what we need. It allows me to guarantee all our clients that their data is stored locally and securely."

Trust, proximity, and short lines of communication

Finally, the physical proximity between the two companies – ClubPlanner had its office in Hengelo for years, and Fundaments is based in Enschede – also plays a role in the partnership. ClubPlanner is now based in Amsterdam and Oberhausen (D), but we don't notice any difference despite the greater physical distance. "The fact that we can easily reach each other if something comes up feels good." In addition, Raymond appreciates the human touch: "We don't want to be just a number; we want to be able to talk to an engineer when necessary. At Fundaments, that's possible. And if we have an idea or want something special, Fundaments says: 'We haven't done that before, but we can build it for you.' And if it's not possible, they are honest about it. That does them credit."