5 Ways to Improve the Overall Gym Experience
Whether you’re looking to attract new members or satisfy the ones you have, it’s always a worthwhile goal to work on the overall experience at your gym. There is often room for improvement, yet it’s not the most effective method to make guesses on what to change or to follow a trial and error tactic. Instead, you can make strategic changes designed to improve your overall gym experience in specific ways. Here are five methods for doing just that.
1. Ask Your Members For Specific Feedback
While you could look at your gym with a fresh perspective, you may still miss the true member experience. Get it by performing a member survey, whether you do it at the gym or online with other communications you send to keep them connected. Allow members to offer anonymous feedback about what they like and what improvements they would like to see.
A way to get more members to respond is to turn the survey into a contest or to offer a coupon for a reward for taking the survey. You could ask open-ended questions and decide which feedback would make sense for you to implement, as well as provide a list of possible changes to see which ones members respond to.
2. Encourage Two-Way Social Interactions
People can find gyms interchangeable based on equipment and classes alone, but social interactions can keep someone returning to a specific gym. Try taking a cue from tennis clubs, which have high member retention at least in part by encouraging a social atmosphere. These clubs offer a fixed practice time, encouraging people to see and play with the same members during each visit.
You can do the same with regularly scheduled classes and group workouts, with smaller groups encouraging better connections. Consider other bonding features as well, such as a smoothie bar where people can meet and events and activities people can attend.
3. Go Above and Beyond Equipment
In time, some of your members may lose interest in going to the gym just for the equipment. What else could your gym offer them that will get them excited about their visit and wanting to return? Consider assessments that show them their progress, new classes, lifestyle workshops, daycare and other features and amenities.
4. Involve Your Staff In the Day-to-day Operations
Your team is involved in the daily operations of your gym on the ground level. They may have valuable feedback about steps you could take to improve things overall. Provide a way for them to offer anonymous feedback, encouraging suggestions for change rather than a focus on complaints. This feedback should offer you ideas while making your staff feel heard and valued.
In the same vein, look for ways to improve the work experience. When you have happy, satisfied staff members, they are likely to pass that feeling on to members.
5. Focus on Your Core Offering: Improving Fitness
While you can improve the mood and enhance your services, you don’t want to overlook the basics of providing a seamless, enjoyable exercise experience each time a member comes.
Make sure your facility is clean, you have updated and working equipment, and that you don’t have scheduling snags or other problems that frustrate your members. Consider what the everyday user experience is like and what you can do to make it more effortless to enjoy your gym.
By gaining a fresh perspective on your gym through an in-depth look yourself as well as member reviews and staff feedback, you should find great ways to make improvements. When you know the changes you want to make, gym management software can assist you with streamlining the way the gym runs.
