No matter how good your club and staff are, you are going to receive complaints. Once you receive a complaint you have two objectives:
Tactical response: contact the complaining member(s).
Strategic response: look internally for root causes before taking actions.
Here’s a very common example:
TACTICAL RESPONSE Member: “Most of your staff is great, but your trainers will only talk to you if they’re paid. They seem arrogant.”
The wrong response:“Our trainers are excellent at their jobs and focus on their clients….Have you tried working with a trainer?” Member heard: “You’re wrong and we are not about to change anything.”
The correct answer is too say: “Thank you, for your input. I am sorry for your negative experience. We will be discussing what we can do to remedy this. I will personally let you know what actions we are taking.” Member heard: “Your input is appreciated. Thank you!“
STRATEGIC RESPONSE
To the discover the root cause the trainers were brought into a meeting and were showed all 15 negative comments specific to trainers (with the members blacked out). The 45 positive once were kept separately. When asked “why” and “how” the trainers were very defensive, but the root cause was revealed. The issue: trainer compensation. Immediate changes were made and all negative comments vanished.
Another Tip: Surveying is a great way for getting hints to problems before they turn into major complaints. Doing these quarterly will help you design your business around the customer experience and ultimately satisfy your customers. The most important thing in handling complaints is to keep your cool, listen and respond appropriately.
Get creative and expand your business by offering outdoor fitness classes!
According to recent studies, outdoor running, walking, boot camp, yoga and martial arts classes can take your club to a new level and increase membership sales. Add any type of outdoor classes to your schedule and watch your business grow. You can even introduce it as a membership upgrade package (iGo Figure Software Feature: Multiple Memberships).
Not only are you offering an exciting new way to exercise, you are also exposing your members to the natural environment which can be a great stress reliever. During outdoor exercise, endorphins and adrenalin are produced, which boost circulation, act as a mood elevator, and normalize the stress hormone, cortisol, in the brain.
A growing number of clubs are taking advantage of a formerly underutilized asset – the great outdoors. By offering training sessions, classes and other activities outside their walls, you are providing your members with fresh benefits that do wonders for your business.
Connect with your members and let them fan you on Facebook. Facebook has become a great tool to keep your members informed without having to send out a mass email which they might delete. A little reminder in their news feed is sufficient and sometimes more effective as they are “facebooking” for personal and business related matters.
Over the last 10 years the health club industry has changed drastically and it will continue to change. Some club owners have not kept up with the pace of change, and have found themselves struggling with little to no profits to show. However, during this most recent recession, the downturn in membership revenue has very little to do with the down economy. For many club owners 2009 was the most successful yearever! Further their profit line is continuously moving upward in 2010. The secret is that these health club owners have been willing to change.
Blaming the economy is a lot easier than taking action. People do have money to spend – it’s just a matter of priority.
It is up to you to show them that you have what they need!
Everything is constantly changing — the economy, your competitors, consumers and more. If you don’t continue readjusting your unique selling proposition (USP) or continue operating the same as you did last year, you will slowly kill your business. Change is key!
Analyze and identify your unique USP:
1) Cost (be the low cost competitor) – Analyze your business by running helpful reports with your management software
2) Convenience (offer 24-hour access ) – Welcome your members anytime with a 24-hour door access system such as the iGo Door Access
3) Service (focus intensely on the results of your members) – It’s all about results. Your unique fitness training program combined with a software to track and encourage your members, is a slam dunk.
You must differentiate yourself in at least one of these areas to become a more unique, or superior to your competitors.
It is crucial to consistently reevaluate your marketing and business operations to run a successful business.
Change today!
Go Figure, Inc., is proud to announce its certification as a Gold Partner in the Microsoft® Partner Program. Gold Certified Partners represent the highest level of Microsoft’s Partner Certification program, which recognizes Go Figure’s expertise and impact in the club technology marketplace. “Achieving Gold Certification status is another way of showing our customers that we are committed to maintaining a high standard in our products and it assists us in providing superior customer service.”, says Kyle Zagrodzky, President of Go Figure, Inc.
Thousands of facilities worldwide trust the of the iGo Figure® Member & Business Management Software to run their business to run their fitness centers, martial arts studios, yoga and Pilates studios, gymnastics centers and more.
Go Figure travels the world to attend many trade shows and conferences. Come see us to learn on how you can maximize your facilities potential by adding the iGo Figure Software to your business. Would you like to come see us? Check our Facebook for our latest events by clicking here.
Seamless service means personal contact with your members. The key is to have some individual contact, which is not always easy – especially on a busy day. The iGo Figure Software helps provide personalized member contact with personalized greetings that display on the member welcome screen when a member scans in. The personalized greetings for some events are automated, and you can include any other greeting you can think of, such as “Happy Birthday, Mr. Member” or “Did you have a great vacation, Mr. Member?” Employees are also alerted on member scan in to special health considerations a member may have, such as high blood pressure, or any other attributes a club owner wishes.
In today’s economy a personal approach is crucial. Keep your members longer by adding a personal touch!
Why do members really quit? Is it because of standing on the same old treadmill watching the same old television? What can we do to avoid boring our members?
The study Why People Quit, published by IHRSA in 1998, cites reasons people quit their clubs that we’ve all heard before: can’t afford it, it’s overcrowded, new demands on one’s time, inconvenient location and lost interest or motivation. If someone wants out, these excuses are as good as any. One great way to help keep members longer is to develop a personal relationship with the member to help motivate them to make it their priority to find time to exercise at YOUR club!
Key is ‘creating constant opportunities for contact and interaction between the club and members on a daily basis.
Here are some tips:
Member Appreciation Month – Each day during this month, put out large bowls of complimentary fruit, hand out free bottled water, and create fun events that grab members’ attention. Hold special activities at the sports/juice bar, such as a Happy Hour every Thursday from 6-7pm with free drinks and snacks. Barter with a local disc jockey for in-club music during this time. Consider offering free one-on-one or semi-private group training for every member who wants to try it (this results in more training business during the following month).
Announce Adding or Replacing old Equipment – It’s all a matter of presentation. New pieces can be presented as a gift to members for their loyal support. But don’t just buy the equipment – announce it to your members through your iGo Figure Software Welcome Screen, a large sign, ribbon or anything else you can think of. Everyone will notice that you care for your members and share the appreciation.
Group Exercise, Weigh Management Programs, Personal Training – Motivation can work wonders and it is a lot easier to create this in a group. Seeing others doing the same exercise and looking great shows your members that your club is right for them. Don’t forget to mix it up and offer different or even additional classes like a boot camp for the summer. It’s easy to track them with the iGo Figure Member Management Software as well as providing their results and achievements.
Open 24/7 – Anyone can be available 24/7 with a Door Access System. Systems like the iGo Figure Door Access do not require any additional staffing, because members simply scan their card and your doors open automatically. Your members will appreciate the extra hours you are there for them and no longer use time as an excuse to quit.
Start creating an environment in which every member is touched every day. Do this, and a higher retention rate is practically guaranteed.
In times of recession “Service Means Survival”, but keep in mind the difference between customer satisfaction and loyalty is significant:
Member Satisfaction means meeting a member’s expectations and the member does not feel valued. There is no memorable “WOW” experience. As a result the member will be more price sensitive and consider competitors’ offerings. Member Loyalty means exceeding member expectations and he/ she does feel valued. Delivering a memorable experience that WOW’s the member. As a result the member will be a long-term customer, less concerned with price.
How do you drive a Member Loyalty-Centric Corporate Culture?
It must start with an unwavering commitment by club ownership and senior management.
Hire people who have an ingrained passion for serving people exceptionally well.
Develop and train all staff who interact with members on “best practices” based on members’ wants, not the club’s convenience. Everything that impacts a member experience. Ask “What would WOW me?” When did you receive exceptional customer service – How did it make you feel? How did it affect your shopping habits at that store? How many people did you share it with?
Don’t allow staff to use the word “policy,” as 99% of the time upon hearing that word, a member knows he/ she is about to be given an excuse as to why his/ her need will not be met. Train employees on how to innovatively problem-solve to say yes vs. giving excuses for saying no.
Coach staff to view angry members as an opportunity to convert them to members for life: teach them how to use “mirroring” to diffuse anger, then go the extra mile to exceed their expectations.
Ask for examples of “memorable experiences” and “exceeding member expectations” at every staff meeting. Hold employees accountable for achieving them, and give rewards to those who do.
Don’t cut expenses that negatively impact quality service delivery for short-term financial gain. That will cost the company much more in lost revenues and profits over the long term.
Reasons to implement a Member Loyalty-Centric Corporate Culture?
It’s far less expensive to keep a member than acquire a new one.
Positive word of mouth by loyal members generate far more new members than cold calling and other lead generation efforts – and it’s free.
A negative member experience will be told to at least 10 people (oftentimes many more), resulting in potential lost new members; and
The lifetime $ sales value (“LSV”) of a loyal member can be as much as 20 years and in addition the cumulative LSV of all new members he/ she refers.
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