Fast Five with Rob van Endt

From near-instant membership sign up to smart questionnaires powered by artificial intelligence, the way customers of tomorrow interact with leisure centres will be very different to the experience we’ve become accustomed to today.

This month we put five questions to Jonas Leisure’s Wellington-based IT guru Rob van Endt, to get his insights on the latest trends in IT and how recent advances could make it easier for people to interact with leisure centres in future.

What are some of the big IT challenges the leisure industry and others are grappling with these days?

Security is top of mind across all industries where important data is stored. Nobody wants to lose data or have systems become unavailable due to security breaches, hackers or ransomware.

We rely so heavily on things working well twenty-four-seven that we always need to be vigilant to keep it that way. But there is a challenge to balance the cost of additional security with the actual risks involved. And it’s important to avoid using policies that impede basic user functionality.

Do you think people are more conscious of how their personal data is managed these days? Does IT have an important role in that?

Yes, data breaches and accidental release of personal information are something people see regularly in the news.

I think we need to realistically balance the perceived risks of exposing personal data with the actual real-world impacts.

What are some of the most exciting opportunities technology and IT offer for businesses, particularly leisure centres?

Technology — and not just software but also smart devices and sensors – really brings businesses and leisure centres into the modern age where things simply work well and make people’s lives easier and more enjoyable.

Leisure centres are places where people go to have fun and improve their health, so it’s really valuable when the right technology can make a positive difference.

When taking the kids for a swim at the local aquatic centre, the last thing anyone wants is to be held up in a queue due to a poor admission or membership processing system.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is another exciting area that we’ve been hearing about for a while now. I think that over the next few years we’ll really see it take off.

Imagine registering for swimming classes or a gym membership on a website and, with AI involved, the process is so much smoother because the forms you complete are “intelligent” and ask just the right questions and nothing more.

On a personal note, I cannot wait for AI to be implemented at Subway outlets so I don’t have to answer 40 questions to get a sandwich made!

What do you enjoy most about supporting the information technology and systems behind Jonas Leisure software?

I know that what I do helps my colleagues do their work more efficiently. If I provide the right tools, at the right time, then our staff have what they need to provide great service to our customers.

Coming up with new and improved ways of doing things behind the scenes has a positive flow-on effect for everyone.

Lastly, how’s the weather in windy Wellington? Have you got your BBQ out yet?

Officially spring started on 1 September, but us Wellingtonians know it’s actually only in November that things start looking like winter is really over.

We still have chilly days here and rain that never seems to go away. I bought a motorcycle in July and the number of days of decent weather to enjoy a ride have been limited. I’m planning a BBQ for end of November, to be on the safe side!