In App Chat Feature

Title
In-app two-way messaging (Member/Guest ↔ Club Staff) with Admin Portal inbox + notifications

Feature Request (Description)
We’d like Gymflow to support true two-way messaging inside the app (and via the web/admin portal) so members/guests can contact the club without calling, and staff can reply in one place.

Why this matters (business impact)

• We’re rolling out self-service access control (turnstile / PDK integration) and removing booking/appointments. This reduces staffing, but it also means we need a low-friction support channel for common questions (access issues, membership/billing queries, guest passes, opening hours, etc.).

• Today, phone calls are the highest-cost channel. Email helps, but it’s fragmented and slower, and members often don’t know what to email.

• A built-in “Message the Club” channel would reduce front-desk workload, improve member experience, and increase retention by resolving issues quickly.

Proposed functionality

Member/Guest app

• A “Messages” / “Contact Club” entry point (e.g., Profile or Home)

• Member can start a conversation with the club and send text + optional attachments (screenshots)

• Push notifications when staff replies

• Clear threading (conversation history)

Staff/Admin (web portal + staff app)

• Inbox showing conversations, searchable by member name/email/phone

• Ability to reply, mark resolved, and optionally assign to a staff user/team

• Basic templates / quick replies (optional but high value)

• Audit trail (time stamps, who replied)

Nice-to-have (future)

• Auto-routing based on topic (Billing / Access / Bookings / General)

• SLA reminders / unread indicators

• Export of conversation logs (for disputes/compliance)

Acceptance criteria (what “done” looks like)

1. A member can send a message from the Gymflow app to the club.

2. Staff can view and reply from the Gymflow admin portal (and/or staff app).

3. The member receives a push notification and can reply back in-app.

4. Conversation history is retained and searchable.

5. Staff can mark a conversation as resolved.

Notes

We understand email-domain sending can enable “reply by email,” but we specifically need in-app messaging to keep support centralized and reduce phone calls during busy periods.

(If useful: we’re a resort leisure centre with gym/pool access control, memberships + guest passes, and we’re actively driving adoption of app-based entry. This feature would materially improve the rollout.)