For aspiring Basketball players in Tasmania, getting to shoot hoops isn’t always easy. Hiring a whole court is an expensive way to practice unless a player can get a whole group of friends together; if you’re shooting alone, the number of shots you can take is limited by having to run and retrieve the ball; and in the chilly southern winters, outdoor courts are not always suitable or appealing.
David Bartlett, IT business owner, former politician and basketball aficionado, realised that this was a very real issue for basketballers keen to improve their skills. Along with business partners Mark Nash and Anthony Stewart, both former pro-basketballers, he saw opportunity to bring something new to the world of basketball
Swisherr runs self-service basketball gyms, called ‘SHOTLABs’. Each SHOTLAB is set up in a converted squash court, and is a high tech, members only shooting room, complete with lighting, music, speakers and a ball return machine that enables a player to take 500-600 shots an hour.
members
SHOTLABS across Tasmania, with Australia-wide expansion planned
new members per new SHOTLAB
David’s research led him to Salto, and to their Tasmanian agent, Kaleb Lehman of Securatech. “The Salto system was exactly what we needed”, says David. “We use the Salto KS solution to send members a digital key, straight to their phone. It makes access easy for the member, and at the same time keeps the venues secure.”
The Salto system is integrated with the Swisherr membership and booking app, and the process of sending out digital keys is fully automated.
Salto’s installation partner, Kaleb Lehman of Securatech has played an important part in Swisherr’s success: “We’ve now got a ‘cookie-cutter’ approach to new venues”, explains David. “We have three contractors - one for walls and lighting, one for floors and Kaleb for all the technology. It means that once we’ve identified a site and signed a lease, we can have a SHOTLAB up and running in a week. Kaleb has not only solved every technical issue we’ve had, but has improved our business model with his advice and insights.”
- Scalability - being able to manage access remotely has enabled Swisherr to open new venues faster, further afield and with minimal need for on-site staff. “I can see everything remotely from my desk”, says David. “I can remotely open a SHOTLAB - I don’t have to drive across the state. That makes a massive difference to our rate of growth.”
- Integration - being able to integrate Salto with the membership and booking app is a ‘game-changer’ for Swisherr. “It really transforms who we can sell to and when”, says David.
- Better member experience - The joining process for new members is smoother and faster - with a fully automated process, members get their digital key as soon as they join, and can be using a SHOTLAB almost instantaneously.
- Expanding to non-members - Swisherr can now also offer non-members access to SHOTLAB too - casual users can book a SHOTLAB timeslot using the Swisherr app, and, via Salto, receive a temporary digital key that gives them access only for the time they have booked.
- Efficiency - being able to manage access remotely
- Foundations for a franchise model - having a template, repeatable installation model means that David, Mark and Anthony Stewart have their sights firmly set on taking Swisherr from its Tasmanian roots out to the wider world. “There are squash courts everywhere”, says David, “just ready to be converted into SHOTLABS. Swisherr is an ideal opportunity for any former pros wanting to get a coaching business up and running.”
For aspiring Basketball players in Tasmania, getting to shoot hoops isn’t always easy.
