Fitness & Lifestyle Group (FLG)

As one of the largest health and wellness groups in the Asia-Pacific region, Fitness and Lifestyle Group (FLG) operates over 300 fitness clubs across Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand, serving hundreds of thousands of members every day. With a diverse portfolio of brands including Goodlife Health Clubs, Zap Fitness, and Jetts New Zealand, FLG is committed to delivering a seamless, secure, and connected fitness experience, values closely aligned with Kisi’s mission of smarter access for modern fitness spaces.

This commitment to operational excellence and member experience was clear in our conversation with Rob Waldron, FLG’s Chief Technology and Security Officer. From managing aging systems across brands to unifying access under one digital platform, FLG’s journey with Kisi reflects a shift toward centralized control, smarter integrations, and a more frictionless experience for both staff and members.

Solving the challenge of fragmented access across FLG brands and locations

Before Kisi, FLG managed access control through a patchwork of aging systems spread across multiple brands and regions. From barcode cards to fobs and inconsistent hardware, each gym operated on its own setup, with little central oversight. The result: A disconnected experience for members and operational overhead for internal teams.

“So before Kisi, across all our different brands, we had different access control systems... we had different access cards, we had barcode cards, we had fobs... the systems were aging and we had different departments looking after ultimately all the different systems...” says Rob. “Some people who were on expired membership still had active cards, and some who should have been activated were taking longer to get the fob or the card sorted... it could have taken maybe 3 days... it led to a bit of a poor customer experience,” he continues.

The lack of a unified solution created friction for staff and members, especially in 24/7 gyms where real-time access was essential. FLG needed a single, centralized platform that could streamline control, improve compliance, and deliver a modern member experience. Kisi delivered on all points, so Rob kicked off with a proof of concept.

Swiftly rolling out mobile access at scale

Following the successful proof of concept, FLG began a phased rollout of Kisi across its brands, starting with Zap Fitness and Jetts in New Zealand. These locations, operating on end-of-life systems, were ideal starting points as they were already due for a broader tech refresh that included upgrades to their building management systems.

FLG used this opportunity to align access control with other infrastructure improvements. “It was a big shift for Zap, and there were a lot of moving parts,” Rob explains. “The systems were end-of-life there altogether — including the building management systems that were triggering lighting and music. So we had to scope in and stage the building management system change with the access controls at the same time. All our partners came together, and we effectively were able to do a few clubs per day during the transition.”

Clear member communication played a central role in the rollout. FLG sent early updates about the move to mobile access, encouraging members to download the app in advance. On launch day, trained club staff supported remaining members in person, helping them get set up quickly and smoothly.

The team is applying a similar approach to Goodlife, FLG’s largest brand, with over 280,000 members. While the clubs are busier and more complex, early adoption numbers show the same strong trend toward mobile access — a clear sign the strategy is working at scale.

The advantages of managing access with Kisi

After years of navigating disconnected systems across multiple brands, FLG now manages access through a single, modern platform. With Kisi’s global access management, the team oversees hundreds of locations from one place, supports members remotely, and rolls out updates efficiently while improving security, compliance, and the member experience.

From daily operations to long-term digital strategy possibilities, Kisi supports FLG’s vision of delivering consistent, high-quality fitness experiences across regions.

Key advantages include:

• Centralized management across brands and locations
• CRM and member sync in real time
• Improved member experience with mobile access
• Security and compliance uplift
• Swift installation, API, and collaboration
• Preventing revenue loss with credential control

Each of these plays a key role in helping FLG scale access without compromising experience, security, or efficiency. Let’s dive into the specifics.

Centralized management across brands and locations

With multiple gym brands operating across Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand, FLG needed a system to unify access management without compromising brand-specific configurations or regional requirements.

Kisi gave the team a single source of truth, a way to view, manage, and troubleshoot access at scale. Whether a member is using mobile entry at Goodlife or a fob at Zap, everything is managed from one platform. This has simplified member access, improved operational oversight, and allowed the IT and security teams to maintain consistency across all locations.

CRM and member sync in real time

Fragmented and manual member access management created frequent sync issues across FLG’s legacy systems. Some new members might wait days before gaining access, while lapsed memberships sometimes stayed active. With multiple systems and no central visibility, there was little real-time insight into who could or should be entering a club.

Kisi’s flexible API allowed FLG to integrate its access control system with the CRM, enabling automated, real-time syncing of member status and access rights. This has made it easier to ensure only eligible members have access and to resolve issues quickly when needed.

As FLG transitions to a new CRM, the integration work done with Kisi provides a solid foundation that can carry over, keeping access and membership data tightly aligned going forward.

Improved member experience with mobile access

For FLG, improving the member experience was just as important as upgrading technology. Previously, members often had to wait to receive fobs or cards, and accessing 24/7 gyms during unstaffed hours could be confusing or delayed. With Kisi’s mobile-first access, that friction is gone.

Members now use their phones to enter quickly, securely, and without digging through bags or waiting in line. Onboarding has become faster, and entry is immediate once the membership is active and the app is installed.

“Most people are quite happy to hear that they don’t have to dig in their bag to find a fob or a card anymore,” says Rob. “Most have their phone in hand anyway, and now it just allows them to tap in and go.”

This improvement has also unlocked broader engagement. With more members now interacting with the app daily, FLG is exploring new ways to connect with them, from fitness challenges to digital content.

Security and compliance uplift

For a 24/7 gym network, security isn’t just about access, it’s about knowing exactly who’s in the space, when, and whether they’re supposed to be there. With Kisi, FLG now has greater confidence in both member verification and location compliance, especially during unstaffed hours.

Previously, fobs and cards could be shared, making it hard to track who was entering. Now, FLG enforces one-device rules and links mobile credentials to individual users, a major step forward in ensuring accountability and reducing risk.

Kisi plays a key role in FLG’s safety and compliance process by helping ensure members complete waivers and safety requirements before access is granted. To further strengthen entry monitoring, the team is currently exploring camera-based tailgating detection with Kisi as part of an early-stage proof of concept.

“I think that will be the next iteration for us on the safety-security side. We’re really keen to start figuring out an overall security tailgating end-to-end camera setup with Kisi.”, says Rob.

Installation, API, and collaboration

Rolling out a new access control system across hundreds of locations could easily become a logistical challenge, but for FLG, the process was smoother than expected. Installation was handled in partnership with API Access & Security, who helped scope, configure, and deploy Kisi hardware quickly and consistently across sites.

“It was really straightforward, to be honest,” Rob says. “In some cases, they even delivered faster than anticipated and said, ‘We can do another rollout at the next club today if you want.’”

On the software side, Kisi’s API enabled FLG’s internal development team to integrate access control directly into the FLG member app, embedding access management into the existing digital experience.

Kisi’s documentation and technical support helped FLG align access logic with internal business rules and compliance requirements, like ensuring members complete safety steps before access is granted.

“Our dev team worked closely with Kisi’s technical team through support channels. We definitely threw some curly ones at them around our business rules, and everything got solved.”, adds Rob.

Preventing revenue loss with credential control

In any gym environment, preventing unauthorized access isn’t just a security concern but a business one. Before Kisi, shared fobs and cards made it difficult to ensure only paying members were using the facilities. There was no easy way to track who was entering or to enforce credential restrictions.

With Kisi, FLG implemented one-device-per-user rules to prevent sharing of mobile access. If a member attempts to switch devices more than once within a set timeframe, they’re prompted to contact support, a safeguard that protects against misuse while maintaining a smooth experience for genuine users.

Moving to mobile access has also reduced reliance on physical cards and fobs, which carry direct and indirect costs.

“If a customer loses the card, we’ve got to go through that whole process to reissue it,” Rob explains. “There are costs around that, both to the employee working through the process and the card itself obviously costing money.”

By going digital, FLG has gained better control, saved on recurring costs, and created a smoother experience for members. In many cases, members were previously required to pay to replace lost fobs or cards, a small but frustrating friction point that’s now largely eliminated with mobile credentials.

Built for gyms, ready for growth

For a growing, multi-brand gym network like FLG, Kisi offers more than just secure entry. It’s a scalable fitness platform that unifies systems, improves member experience, and supports smarter operations at every level.

Whether you're managing a single gym, a handful of locations, or hundreds across regions, Kisi gives your team the tools to move faster, support members more effectively, and reduce operational overhead — all while keeping security and compliance at the forefront.

Explore our fitness pricing tiers and schedule a demo with one of our security experts to see how we can support your access strategy at scale.