Mindbody Gives Growing Brands Unwavering Support With Messenger AI

While some competitors were hesitant to tap it, Mindbody wasted no time acquainting itself with artificial intelligence (AI), launching several products over the past few years implementing the tech. As a result, the software provider for fitness and wellness brands now finds itself atop the AI game, helping clients run their gyms more efficiently — primarily with Messenger AI.

Messenger AI, the AI-powered assistant that automatically responds to missed calls, fields questions and helps clients book or buy services, assists both sides of the fitness industry. Its seamless nature and insightfulness save members time, while operators benefit monetarily as it eliminates the need for a front desk attendant.

“Selling memberships and packages has never been easier,” said Jessica Huang, Senior Vice President of Product at Mindbody. “Missed a call? No problem. Messenger AI is there so you don’t have to be.”

Key Features

Picking up What’s Left Behind

According to Mindbody, gyms or studios typically miss 850 calls per year. That’s something no successful fitness business wants to endure — whether it’s a potential or current member at the other end of the phone. Messenger AI reduces that number to zero with its 24/7 functionality. The product works like an ocean-wide fishing net, catching any and all phoned-in inquiries.

“With 24/7 coverage, Messenger AI can boost bookings, simplify staff’s workload, and answer questions with custom responses in your brand’s voice,” said Huang. “And if it doesn’t know an answer, it collects information and prompts your team to respond.”

Messenger AI follows up on those missed calls with texts to answer questions or make bookings. Doing so not only enhances engagement but also increases profitability. Such messages have a 98% open rate and 40% of missed calls are converted into bookings. Doing so has increased annual revenue by $37K on average for top customers, which represents a 15x ROI, per Mindbody.

The software is also capable of making sales on its own, able to both chat conversationally with potential new members and process transactions. With pre-approved answers installed, it also solves FAQs with ease. Both features provide a smooth process for clients and lighten the workload on any staff.

Real World Results

Messenger AI in Action

There’s no shortage of clients who’ve already benefited from Messenger AI. The Hot Room, a multi-location yoga studio based out of Indianapolis, experienced unprecedented early growth, leaving its staff unequipped to handle the increased customer service calls and emails that came with its growth while still providing a personalized, in-studio experience.

“The staff was bogged down with manual handling of communications, leading to missed sales opportunities, operational inefficiencies, and high staff workload,” Huang explained.

After bringing Messenger AI on board, those issues dissolved immediately, eventually being replaced by capital gains. With the software handling 78% of those conversations, The Hot Room reeled in $4,644 in annualized revenue via membership and package sales.

“It allows us to serve our customers in a more efficient and effective way,” said Hye Jin Kalgaonkar. “Messenger AI is a critical component of our sales and operations.”

Future Development

Planned Upgrades

While Mindbody is proud of the ground it’s already made with Messenger AI, the brand has no plans to slow down with scheduled upgrades coming over the next few months.

“This Fall, Messenger AI will feature an upgraded Large Language Model (LLM) that significantly improves how it understands and responds to user inquiries,” said Huang. The new LLM integration will reduce the need for manual intervention and simplify FAQ management by eliminating the need of trigger words, making Messenger AI more intuitive and efficient for handling general inquiries.”

• 24/7 Automated Call Answering: Handles missed calls, engages customers with follow-up texts and converts a significant portion into bookings.

• Sales Automation: Streamlines the sale of memberships and packages through conversational AI, freeing up staff and improving efficiency.

• FAQ Handling: Reduces staff workload by providing instant, on-brand answers to common client questions, enhancing the customer experience.

• Upcoming LLM Upgrade: Promises to significantly improve natural language understanding and response generation, making the AI even more intuitive and efficient.

• Increased Bookings: Captures missed sales opportunities by automatically following up on missed calls and converting them into bookings.

• Reduced Staff Workload: Handles routine tasks like answering FAQs and processing transactions, allowing staff to focus on core responsibilities.

• Improved Customer Experience: Ensures clients receive prompt responses and have their questions answered efficiently, contributing to overall satisfaction.

• Enhanced Brand Consistency: Responds to inquiries in a way that aligns with your brand’s voice and values, maintaining a cohesive brand image.