Zen Planner

Excellent product with futures that are practical, easy to use, and visually appealing

Comments: Endless , independence and function. Being a small business owner it allows me to run and automate many things such as financial reports, workouts, attendance. Reservation, automations of emails for customer retention , sales funnel , customer support, technically forward thingkong woth use of apps for iPad and iPhone to allow me to function on the run , away from the office, in the field, and manage coaches.

Pros:

I love zenplanner. They started out with few features and no apps but they promised to improve regularly and they deliver. In the short 4 years I have been using they have incorporated a staff app for the iPhone, a users app to reserve, keep track of workouts , PRs, billing and much more. an app for the front desk to use as checking in, reserving, adding new clients at ease. On each of these products they improve and incorporated new needed features faster than any software I have ever used. Their customer service is truly second to none. Helping you not only in the set up stage but anytime you need help and they work to resolve your problem immediately. The software not only is packed full of great functions for financial, workout writing and publishing, emailing automation, reports of attendance, finances , and mass email intervention but it does it with a sleek appearance that is not only visually appealing but with an easy of use that it's simple and powerful.

Cons:

Software is still growing and some features , not many anymore, can be improved. This is truly the worse thing I can think off as I have tried many many others do never been so satisfied and impressed with them delivering a great product and on a regular bases truly adding features to improve it without making it more complicated for the user.

A must for managing martial arts studios

Comments: 10/10 would recommend. We have had a great experience and enjoy using the software.

Pros:

We have been supported the entire way with their superior customer service. Everything from set up to troubleshooting tech issues, the staff at Zen Planner have been there to support and guide us in our day to day operations.

Cons:

We had an issue with a tablet that wasn't able to be resolved. However we found a work around and now have no problems whatsoever!

Zen Planner Review

Comments: We've used it for almost ten years now and it has been very helpful for tracking membership data. It's not very intuitive and training new volunteers how to use it takes a while, but its working for what we need it to do.

Pros:

We can document the important most data from our membership.

Cons:

It is not very flexible and report writing is very clumsy. There is a very bad bug with testing records that overwrites previous data with blanks if you not careful. This has lead to numerous problems and repeat data entry.

ZenPlanner Review

Comments: Not the best. I have looked into other apps and am reviewing a change with the [sensitive content hidden].

Pros:

Downloadable info into spreadsheets. Being able to customize search queries.

Cons:

App freezes and is inconsistent on a lot of features. Sometimes it works well, others it does not.

Terrible Customer Service / Worst Features and Updates

Comments: Awful experience, please save your business and stay away from Zen Planner.

Pros:

Nothing, they caused us incredible stress whilst using this platform.

Cons:

Terrible customer service, no loyalty, charged after cancelling subscription, deceitful about updates, not functional.

Good software; Horrible back office customer service!

Comments: ZP's back office customer service is horrible. In fact, "customer service is a misnomer; it is actually customer disservice. ZP's tech support is, from time to time, difficult to access by phone, but the tech support staff is excellent. Additionally, the software is highly evolved, fairly intuitive and reliable.

Pros:

Zen Planner has nearly all features we require to run our school of traditional Japanese karate, including payment processing, rank tracking, online store, class and event management.

Cons:

We started with ZP in late 2023 and had fully migrated by March 2024. In December 2023, we decided to change banks and asked ZP and its payment processor, Gains, to do so. For four months, we've been waiting for them to resolve this issue, but they don't answer our emails and refuse to telephone us to make this simple back-office change. We are mystified and disappointed. So, we've let them know we'll leave ZP if they don't resolve this matter by May 1, 2024.

7 year user

Comments: I've been using it for over 7 years because I haven't had a need to find something "better".

Pros:

The simplicity to have everything for my management in 1 place.

Cons:

Occasional network problems. But, when there is a network problem it's usually resolved pretty quickly.

Good program

Comments: pretty good app. Gets the job done. Would recommend

Pros:

Easy process to enter members. Gets the job done. Check in process is very easy

Cons:

trouble shooting. When there are bugs in the system and merging

Not bad, but not the greatest!

Comments: Overall, Zen Planner is not my favorite CRM, but it did was it was supposed to do well enough that I was able to do my job. All the bells and whistles are nice and do overall improve your product, but being able to work consistently without major errors is very promising! I am leaving the fitness industry so I doubt I will utilize Zen Planner ever again, but I hope they consider their customers feedback and make a good product!

Pros:

Relatively easy to learn basics, and was relatively snappy.

Cons:

Notes would not save, reporting system is very rudimentary, and not very straightforward with settings being scattered across multiple pages. Tasks are very bare bones and not very customizable, found that tracking them and keeping up with them became overwhelming due to the lack of separation between dates.

Zenplanner review

Comments: My experience with Zenplanner is average. Many items I do not like and find the product confusing and not flexible to the changing landscape of what we need it to do.
The web application is reliable.

Pros:

The uptime of the product is great for the web application. It is reliable.

Cons:

Complicated to use. Struggle to use it to its full capacity Reporting is confusing to set up Does not offer the flexibility needed for a business owner.

Great customer service, full of options, bit of a learning curve.

Comments: Positive, when I have reached out for help, they are quick to respond with thorough answers.

Pros:

It holds a lot of features that can make day to day and planning far less hassle.

Cons:

There can be a steep learning curve for many of the features and options. Sometimes the options can be confusing and there is almost too much to just get up and running.

Good Overall Studio Management Software

Comments: The migration process was rocky. About 30% of the database has inaccuracies. They need to improve and automate this process. Tech support is excellent. Customer support was slow to resolve a billing issue I had. They refused to speak to me on the phone and did not return emails. But everything finally got straightened out with persistence on my part, and an effort to make up for the issue on their part. Overall, customer support is generally very good. The software works well, is not buggy. Overall, I really like the software except for the way purchasing works.

Pros:

Reporting is excellent, the best I've seen. I like the fact you can create your own reports. After learning how to use the system we have been able to create any reports we need. That is definitely not the case for Mindbody or Wellness Living. The Kiosk application is nice to have and our clients like it, but needs some improvement. The Front Desk and Kiosk Applications are easy to learn which is helpful as we have 10 teachers at the center.

Cons:

The POS system does not work like all other online systems (choose what you want, put in user info, payment info then press complete or check out and credit card is charged), and works differently in their different interfaces. The Front Desk software does not allow for discounts (that is being addresses in a future release). The Dashboard processes the sale, then you have to process the payment separately in a different step. In the beginning we lost sales because our staff was confused. Many of my teachers are still unsure whether a sale goes through or not. When the Front Desk application can accept accept discounts and credit card swipes it will greatly improve the POS process. The client kiosk does not include a form for entering info for new clients and signing a waiver. For some strange reason that is on the staff side of the application. We keep it on the staff application but it means after a client signs the waiver they could get to a screen that offers a free class, which we do not actually offer. I have a hard time understanding why that is baked into their software, it is not considered a best practice. We have found work arounds for these issues but would like to see an updated and more robust kiosk application. The automated emails are very good and it integrates with Mail Chimp. You can also implement a retention process with tasks assigned to different people.

Would not reccomend

Comments: I regret switching to Zenplanner from Mindbody. Constant bugs in the app and website. Disruptive to employees and clients

Pros:

I can't think of anything I liked about it at this point.

Cons:

The app for customers and employees was awful.

Customer service is THE best

Comments: Once you learn how to use the system, it's easy to charge people and view membership history. There are so many financial tools available and that side can get a little confusing (like narrowing down your quarterly taxes is a bit of a hassle). I have yet to find a product with better customer support. They always answer promptly and always have a solution.

Pros:

This software makes it easy to track membership history, but the BEST thing about Zen Planner is their customer service. They're friendly, they answer fast and they ALWAYS know how to fix an issue.

Cons:

Zen Planner is quite an advanced system, so it is easy to get lost. Luckily, the customer service is always there to save you (except for holidays and off-hours of course). The app sometimes crashes. It could use an update.

[SENSITIVE CONTENT] at ZenPlanner is Top Notch

Pros:

The customer service is stellar. Everyone I've spoken to is smart, friendly and efficient. [SENSITIVE CONTENT] did our transition to GAINS payment processing and I couldn't have asked for more warm, knowledgeable and efficient support. Her follow-up with me has been outstanding.

Cons:

It's not great for use with membership under 18; we do a lot of programming for children and need a way to have both parents as primary email contacts, need a way to communicate both with parents and with the 13-18 year old group. Grading (movement between programs and belt levels) is difficult.

Happy to be back!

Comments: The reintroduction to Zen planner has been great. I'm learning new things and I'm excited about the dashboard that will show me exactly what's going on every day at first glance. It's exciting that I can customize it as well! I can't say enough good things about my onboarding coach. She was and continues to be amazing support with Zen Planner. I appreciate all of her patience and genuine interest in helping me utilize the software to its​ maximum potential for my business. I'm looking forward to growing with Zen Planner

Pros:

I left for about four years because I felt like the software was missing some integral parts for my business. Now I was needing something different and looked at Zen Planner again. The​ changes they have made over the past four years has been amazing. This is not a company that sits idle and is content with the status quo

Cons:

The system is a little complex but I believe it's more to do with the novelty of it and all of its features.

Bad service

Comments: After using their product for a couple of years and when covid forced our company to shutdown, they kept charging our business our monthly rate. After calling them to see if they would be kind enough to refund our payments they wouldn’t oblige nor would they freeze our account so I had to cancel our membership which was a big headache. I had to write a cancellation notice as well as call the different financial companies that had led our credit card transactions, etc. It’s u fortunate that after being a loyal client as well as referring a few of my colleagues to their business they would be compassionate enough to help our their clients with a small gesture.

Pros:

Data entry, membership retention, payment plan

Cons:

Couldn’t refund client right away after credit card payment mistake. Had to call a different company that dealt with the credit card transaction.

Frustrating, super buggy, unfulfilled potential with good customer service

Pros:

The customer service reps are very nice and helpful. Unfortunately you will get to know them on a first name basis.

Cons:

This is the buggiest software I have ever used. There is always something going on making what you can potentially do a hassle. It actually increases what you have to do relative to not being able to use the functionality and having to constantly call in to customer support. Not to mention having to put out fires with your members when the bugginess effects them.

Solid software, great support.

Comments: Zen Planner takes care of our membership tracking, payments, scheduling. It can be a powerful tool if you know how to use it.

Pros:

We've used Zen Planner in our gym for six years, and it's been pretty uneventful overall - which is what you want with such software. It does its job with a minimum of drama. Any issues we've had have been dealt with in a timely fashion. We do not use the workout programming feature (we went with SugarWOD for that), so I can't comment on that particular feature.

Cons:

Zen Planner is good about making constant improvements, but there have been some things over the years that are a bit clunky and not necessarily intuitive to use. It's likely a function of building incremental improvements into existing software rather than starting with a clean slate.

The best customer service crew on the planet!

Comments: Every (and I mean EVERY) time I contact customer support, I am astounded at not only the response speed, but in the quality and thoroughness of the help I get. Their support techs are incredibly helpful and friendly. I am always blown away at the level of service and support I get from them.

Pros:

I like that it is very easy to set up and use. From the daily dashboard to the automated messages and prospect funnel, the system is set up to save time (and $$). The website integration is also very easy and I have yet to discover the limits of their robust reporting system.

Cons:

That there is so much available that I probably only use a small percentage of its functionality.

Great Experience!

Comments: I absolutely love Zen Planner Help Desk. They are the most patient and helpful people EVER. Never have I called and hung up without a solution to my issue. I wish I could have them for my daily life!

Pros:

It's simplicity. It's not overly complicated and buttons are easy to find.

Cons:

Reports and the filters within it can be confusing; sometimes I'm not sure what terminology or keyword I need to use to produce a report I need - or if I'm supposed to use a whole number in a text box or spell it out...

Automizes your entire business

Comments: More time to work on my business instead of in it.

Pros:

Price point, functionality (never had any down time in 5+ years), great customer support, options to customize the reports and functionalities specifically for how I choose to operate my business.

Tried the others, using Zen Planner

Comments: Extremely positive.

Pros:

Extremely user friendly. I could figure out how it worked quite easily and i am not a tech Wiz which I found to be quite pleasing.

Cons:

the common problems that happens with all of the software like it. when the whole system goes down. It is not unique to ZP it has happened with others as well.

Needs a better app

Pros:

Support team is great, and really helps in the on boarding process. They are very fast in response time and give many options for helping solve situations.

Cons:

Scheduling ahead of the current week is a little confusing. The calendar keeps jumping back to the current week whenever a new appointment is added ahead. Also cannot add appointments within the day. A little confusing and not the most efficient. The app is terrible. No ability to schedule clients (at least as far as I have been able to do) and is pretty overall useless to me.

Easy Fitness Class Management

Comments: Zen Planner is easy to use and very responsive. It's the simplest and best option for fitness class management.

Pros:

I enjoy the ability to view upcoming classes and their descriptions. I can easily manage my attendance and reserve or cancel for a class.

Cons:

There is no feature to copy and paste the text from a class description.