Save Time, Eliminate Stress With the Magic of Sub Management

Text messages, emails, sticky notes, social media, Slacks, voicemails, spreadsheets, calendars—can you name the number of ways and channels you’ve received substitute instructor notifications through? There has to be an easier way! We are in the age of automation, after all.

With Walla’s sub management feature*, we’ve eliminated the last-minute panic, confusion, and manual work when finding and scheduling replacement instructors. That means you don’t have to think twice about who is covering class when a teacher is out, you can instantly keep your clients (and schedule) up-to-date, and you don’t have to pay an unreliable third party to project manage the details. So what do fellow Walla studio owners and partners have to say about automating sub management after implementing this functionality into their everyday operations?

“Absolutely love sub management—it’s been a game changer for our studio. I have so much less stress around subs,” says Meg Galarza, owner of YogaOne. “I was using texts, a Facebook page, and Google Sheets before. It was such a hassle to scroll through texts and Facebook comments. Now I can see everything in one place, on a timeline, and I have no anxiety about subs anymore.” 

Here are the top six reasons why Walla’s sub management can empower schedule simplicity, save time, and take one more thing off your to-do list. 

1. Never miss (or second guess) an instructor sub request again

Approve or deny—you decide! Streamline sub requests and get real-time notifications without ever missing a message or conversation using targeted communication and automatic notifications. Not only with this help your studio avoid any errors or missed connections, but it also helps when you have an influx of new teachers, multiple locations, adding staff, reevaluating your schedule strategy, or opening a new space.

2. A single place for all sub communication

Located under the Staff Center tab in the main side navigation, sub management allows you to get a concise, informative overview of all open, pending, and approved sub requests based on month, class, location, and instructor. This sub overview lets you easily see what requests are still outstanding so you can be proactive, avoid last-minute panic—and make sure you’re not missing someone on your schedule. You can also add a new request and customize communication preferences. Plus, we created an automatic alert bell for unanswered and unassigned requests within 48 hours of class time!

3. Simplify the sub management process and save time

No more manually managing who teaches a class when an instructor is out! Whether it’s a weekend vacation, maternity or paternity leave, emergency, sick time, or finding a permanent replacement for a staff member who was let go, you no longer have to search multiple resources to see who’s available—and who wants to fill in. Our sub management is a one-stop, mobile-friendly shop built into Walla that your staff will appreciate. And when you confirm who will be subbing, our system magically updates your studio schedule, showing clients schedule changes so they are always in the know (which you know they will appreciate).  

4. Empower instructors and build a stronger sense of reliability and community 

Walla’s sub management tool enables instructors to find, review, and select the classes they want to teach and automatically alert studio managers/owners for approval. Teachers can choose one or multiple classes they would like to have subbed, send volunteer opportunities to qualified staff—and interested instructors can select the “I’ll take it!” prompt. If the sub is approved, you can choose their assigned pay rate, and your studio schedule will be instantly updated. This process instigates reliability within and amongst staff members, building a network of instructors, developing relationships, and fostering a more positive internal work culture at your studio. 

5. Avoid burnout and offer clients an opportunity for fresh perspectives

Yes, automated sub management gives your studio an intuitive way to manage instructors, but it also allows your staff to proactively make sub requests when they need a break from teaching. Because we all know burnout is real! It also helps instructors avoid injuries, which could take them off the calendar for some time. What about the clients who always take the Monday 5 pm class with the same teacher? Experiencing a new instructor gives them a chance to take the same class with a fresh perspective. Who knows—it might even instigate them to book a new class they may have never tried with whoever their sub instructor was!   

6. Ensure classes always continue and improve your overall studio experience 

Walla was built to help your studio achieve sustainable success and operational efficiency—and sub management creates an explicit request and approval process that every staff member can align on. You’re making it easy for instructors to submit their requests, establishing an environment where classes can continue without interruption or last-minute cancellations while providing your clients with reliable in-person and virtual fitness experiences. 

‍Watch this video for some additional insight into the benefits of sub management from Laura, President and Co-founder of Walla!

*Sub Management is a Tier 2 feature at Walla but is an easy add-on to your software plan. Send us a quick message at hello@hellowalla.com to learn more.