The health and fitness industry is based on the premise of improving people’s health, but how well is the sector doing in supporting good habits and motivation levels? Are we doing all we can, or are we unwittingly causing members to break good habits?
A quick brainstorm in the office showed that everyone had an experience of how their club, or former club, had lost members as a result of not supporting their habits: changing the time of a popular class, for example, or causing a great instructor to leave by undervaluing them – quibbling over their pay, when an analysis of the loyalty of members within that class would have demonstrated the instructor’s worth to the club.
Both scenarios are prime examples of the operator not understanding the needs and goals of its members, and not properly analysing the drivers of retention. But why is this happening?
Is it cultural – an inherent lack of communication between clubs and members? Do clubs not really know their members, instead making decisions based on assumptions? Or, even worse, are changes simply made because they are more convenient for the club?
How do operators rectify the problem, getting to know members well enough to consistently support good habits? How do they find out member goals so they can support and motivate them?
Is it a case of regular member surveys, or driving more interaction between staff and members? Should member forums be used to get feedback? Is social media a reliable barometer? Would having a question of the week on a noticeboard work? Could members be asked a question each time they swipe their card? Or is it just a case of better analysing the data clubs already have?
And how can all the information generated be put to good use? We ask the experts for their thoughts...