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SWIMTAG has completed its 13th installation in Norway through its Nordic distribution partner, SWIMTAG Nordic AS.
The most recent install at the Gamlingen Pool in Stravenger on the West Coast of Norway is already attracting a significant number of users every month and helping the operator to deliver an enhanced user experience.
Speaking about SWIMTAG, Rasmus Gjesdal, General Manager at Stavanger Svømmestadion, Gamlingen, says : “We introduced SWIMTAG as a new offer in August 2017. After 3 months of use, we already have 450 users, of which, several participate in our local challenge and competitions. The system is easy to use (we offer SWIMTAG as self-service) and feedback from our users is exclusively positive. We also want to add that, the follow-up from SWIMTAG Nordic AS is of very high service, and I can, without doubt, recommend the product to other swimming pools. "
The first install in Norway took place in 2014 and since then there has been a steady increase in interest from various operators. Eirik Aksnes, SWIMTAG’s Nordic distribution partner, says: “In Norway, swimming is largely viewed more as a holistic pastime than a serious fitness solution but this is starting to change with more operators beginning to see the value regular pool based activity can have on a community’s health and wellbeing.
“Most operators investing in SWIMTAG are doing so because they see the added value the system offers to recreational swimmers. For the first time, pool users are able to log activity and build a record of their swims and performance improvements. This is extremely motivating. Add to this the chance to take part in a range of cloud based challenges, introducing an opportunity for social interaction with likeminded people, and suddenly the whole pool experience becomes much more engaging. This will keep swimmers returning to the pool for longer.”
Most operators in Norway offer SWIMTAG free of charge to pool users, viewing it as an opportunity to add value rather than drive revenue. Eirik, adds: “SWIMTAG is now installed in more than 200 pools worldwide and there is overwhelming evidence to prove that the system is most successful when this approach is taken. Some operators still insist on passing on the charge to the swimmer but this always results in lower engagement. The financial value in SWIMTAG results from the increase in swimmer retention and the positive influence this has on income rather than the increase in revenue generated from a point of sale approach.”
SWIMTAG Nordics AS operators across Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Germany. Across the territories there are now 24 pools offering SWIMTAG with a growing pipeline of installs planned for 2018.