No health club is complete without complimentary towel service. Not only is it needed for sanitary reasons, but it’s also a nice amenity that keeps gym goers happy. But what happens when towel theft runs rampant at your local gym? For many health clubs, it means turning to technology for help.
And we can’t blame them. With prices that range from 50 cents to more than $2 (depending on the size and quality of the towel), a gym can lose as much as $50,000 per year if towel theft is left unchecked, as it did in one YMCA in northern New Jersey.
So rather than charge a towel fee, health clubs are seeking the aid of Linen Technology Tracking. This Miami-based company has developed a line of towels with embedded radio-frequency chips. Whenever a member checks out a towel, the chip information is inputted in the health club’s computer system. Should a member leave the facility with a towel in their gym bag, an alarm will sound at the door.
Sure, there’s a chance alarms will go off for no reason (much like they do at department stores), but until people can learn to respect the honor system, it’s the only viable solution to date.
[via The Star: How high tech is forcing towel thieves to come clean]