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Customer Service

Best Practices

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Best Practices

Serving Your Base & Looking for Opportunity in Special Populations

The 16th annual IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Trends survey was distributed to member club owners, fitness directors, managers and program directors in order to gather information on current programming and equipment offerings and to gauge industry trends. As club owners and directors have continued to hurdle the challenge of a down economy, they have been forced to get creative with staffing, space, equipment and programming so as to meet the needs of a diverse clientele demanding more economical fitness solutions.

Systems for Customer Service Success

Think about the customer service provided by top companies like the Ritz-Carlton and Disney. Now think about your personal training business. Does your brand evoke the same image of exceptional assistance? Or is it time for you to borrow proven customer service systems from these top-notch names?

Maximizing your social media investment

In the last decade, the social media revolution has transformed the online landscape by changing the way fitness professionals communicate and engage with colleagues and clients. The functionality of popular social media tools like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube has opened the doors to new business-marketing strategies in the digital age.

Fitness Facilities Lack Adherence to Health Screenings

According to ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, “potential [exercise] participants should be screened for the presence, signs, symptoms, and/or risk factors of various cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic diseases as well as other conditions that require special attention.” Yet despite these recommendations, a recent study has found that many fitness
facilities do not require new members to complete pre-exercise screenings.

Creative Customer Service

No, this is not another run-of-the-mill article about how indispensable customer service is to the success of your fitness facility. It is, however, an article regarding creativity in customer service. Not excellent customer service, not superior customer service, but rather novel customer service.

Five People Walk Into a Fitness Facility . . .

The following people will not really appear in every personal training session or group fitness class you offer, but having conscious awareness of these imaginary attendees will dramatically enhance your service and teaching skills.

Tricks of the trade

When we introduce a new service, we spread our promotional efforts over a variety of media. If we want a big push, we take out a print ad in targeted local publications. It’s important to note that a print ad has to run for a while before it gains attention. You can’t just run an ad once and think that it’s going to produce anything. An ad has to run for at least a couple of issues before the event you’re promoting, and has to continue to run for several months before people actually start to take notice and inquire about your offering.

Pink Treadmills Raise Funds for Breast Cancer Research

In recognition of breast cancer awareness month last October, gyms across the country plugged in special pink treadmills from CYBEX®. The equipment manufacturer’s goal was twofold—to raise awareness of the disease and to promote the importance of exercise as a preventive measure. CYBEX also donated funds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) for every mile logged on the pink 750T treadmills during the month. “This is an example of wonderful corporate citizenship,” stated Myra J. Biblowit, president of the BCRF.

Where Have All the Men Gone?

I must agree that tapping into the male market is trickier than tapping into the
female side (see “Missing the Male Demographic,” Making News, September 2009 IDEA Fitness Journal). I don’t think it will remain a hard sell for the next few decades, however. Having been a trainer for 29 years, I have seen the industry go through a lot of changes. We must not forget that this industry was [populated mainly by men] when it first started. Most of the men joining gyms were tough guys strutting their stuff and intimidating anyone who was smaller and weaker.

Seasonal Change: Springing Forward

Despite the traditional name-calling, backbiting, mudslinging and criticism that seem to characterize U.S. presidential races in modern times, during this past campaign season one word was emblazoned on the minds of all Americans: Change. People want change. Change the economic situation, change healthcare, change the banking system, change energy reliance, change, change, change!

Creating a Fitness “Family”

I have attended clients’ weddings, birthday parties, Christmas parties and baby showers and shared their birthday lunches and dinners. I’ve enjoyed and celebrated life with this special family of people brought together by a common goal of improving health and wellness. In my struggle to create a strong and lasting personal training business over the past 20 years, I have witnessed the growth of a “family” business. Although clients do come and go, they feel part of a family while they are working with me.

Voicing Your Potential

Since the first generation of the iPhone was announced in the beginning of 2007, Wikipedia reports that cell-phone usage has evolved significantly (2008). From their interactive interface to their increased functionality, mobile phones have made our communication more dynamic, convenient and immediate.

Build Your Team

It is said that if you want to be successful, you must surround yourself with great people. One of the most challenging aspects of running your own business is finding great people and then keeping them.

Fine-Tuning Your Business

I have been blessed with 20 years of business, a great client base and a plethora of growing and learning experiences. Although I never feel that I have done all…

Dealing With Self-Destructive Thinking

As a wellness professional, you know how satisfying it is to watch a client make progress toward her health objectives. As she reaches those goals, you and she experience a mutual sense of success.

Servicing Your Market

Getting a solid start at servicing your market begins with every single interaction you and your staff have with prospective and existing customers. At Twist Conditioning, o…

Making Promises You Can Keep

What kind of promises have you made lately?
I have three kids. When I want to make sure they know I will follow through on a request, I say, “Promise, promise.” The fitness and wellness industry has never been stronger, but it needs a few more professionals not only to stand up and say, “I promise, promise,” but also to deliver, deliver, on their pledges. …

Creating Members for Life

Ask the managers of any gym, personal training studio or other fitness-based business what their biggest challenge is and you are bound to hear “member retention.” Getting new members is easy—keeping them is more difficult.
Holding on to members for the long term is a special science, one that makes you think about how you approach every aspect of your business….

Opening the Doors Wider

Programs: Leverage Your Existing Programs to Reach Out to and Attract People With Disabilities.