In this blog from ukactive Strategic Partner and contribution partner on the Digital Futures programme, Xn Leisure, Jo Weelen, the organisation’s Sales & Marketing Director and Phil White, the organisation’s Chief Product Officer – explain the role of cloud-based legacy systems for the leisure industry and the opportunity it can bring for the sector.
Cloud-based legacy systems combine the reliability and industry-specific functionality developed over many decades with the benefits of cloud accessibility. However, as technology and customer expectations evolve, leveraging the experience embedded in these systems while planning for modernisation to a true SaaS solution is essential.
Working closely with your leisure management system provider will help ensure a strategic approach to digital transformation and integration, so you can maximise the potential of your legacy system without compromising its strengths.
The value of cloud-based legacy systems
While cloud-based legacy systems are rooted in past technology frameworks, they still offer substantial benefits with cloud accessibility and established functionality:
- Proven track record and industry-specific features: Cloud-based legacy systems have a long history of supporting complex business processes specific to the leisure industry. Years of refinement make them reliable and well-suited to the unique needs of leisure management, including member engagement, scheduling, and operational workflows.
- User familiarity and stability: These systems have become part of the organisation’s workflow, meaning that staff are well-versed in their use. Migrating or significantly altering a system that employees know well can risk disrupting business operations, making a strategic approach necessary to avoid service interruptions.
- Centralised data access with established security measures: Even as legacy systems, cloud-based platforms offer centralised data access, which means teams across locations can access the same information in real-time. Additionally, long-standing legacy systems include robust security protocols and compliance measures that have been tested and refined over time.
- Established integrations and customisation: Cloud-based legacy systems include custom integrations and configurations developed over years to match unique business needs. These can be difficult to replicate in a newer system, so preserving and optimising these integrations is key to maintaining service continuity.
The experience and flexibility of modern cloud solutions
While legacy systems offer stability, newer cloud-based capabilities provide enhancements that are worth considering for long-term growth and flexibility:
- Enhanced user experience: Modern cloud solutions prioritise user experience with intuitive interfaces, responsive design, and accessibility across devices. This is increasingly important in the leisure industry, where both staff and customers benefit from smooth, easy-to-navigate systems that allow for self-service, mobile access, and efficient interaction.
- Agility in updates and innovations: With modern cloud solutions, updates and new features are rolled out automatically, keeping the system aligned with the latest security standards and industry trends without the need for downtime or manual upgrades.
- Advanced analytics and reporting: Modern cloud solutions integrate advanced analytics and reporting tools that provide actionable insights. For a leisure management system, these tools can help better understand customer behaviour, optimise scheduling, and increase operational efficiency through data-driven decisions.
Collaborating with your leisure management system provider
To ensure a smooth and successful digital transformation, partnering closely with your leisure management system provider is essential. This collaboration will enable a tailored approach that builds on the strengths of your legacy system while planning for the future, that is SaaS.
- Assessing and optimising existing integrations: Your provider can help evaluate existing integrations to ensure they are compatible with any new digital tools or platforms. They can also suggest enhancements to improve data flow and efficiency, creating a more unified system without disrupting established workflows.
- Strategising for phased digital transformation: Your provider can assist in developing a roadmap for modernisation that aligns with your business goals, be it enhanced customer engagement, streamlined operations, or improved reporting. With their expertise, you can take a phased approach that reduces the risk of disruption and ensures a smooth transition.
- Balancing legacy strengths with new capabilities: The provider’s understanding of both legacy system functionality and modern cloud solutions allows them to recommend the right balance, maintaining key legacy features while integrating innovative tools and enhancements where they add value.
- Staff training and change management support: Providers can offer resources for training and change management, helping ensure your team is fully supported during the transition. Familiarising staff with any updates or new functionalities will reduce adoption barriers and help them leverage the system’s full capabilities.
While cloud-based legacy systems provide stability, reliability, and critical industry-specific features, collaborating with your leisure management system provider is essential for strategic digital transformation.
Through careful planning, integration, and a phased approach, organisations in the sector can take advantage of modern cloud capabilities without compromising the strengths of its legacy platform. Collaboration ensures that systems remain flexible and capable of meeting evolving customer and operational needs.
With new enhanced functionality delivered in a SaaS environment deeply integrated to existing systems we evolve together, leaving legacy parts of the system behind in a structured and well planned out journey to a point that the SaaS platform releases all ties to legacy and starts to grow and develop further with us, you and your business.”
To learn more about Xn Leisure, click here.
Xn Leisure is a member of the ukactive Strategic Partner Group – find out more here.
Disclaimer: Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of ukactive.
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