Why Uninterrupted SERVICE is Vital For Your Gym During Hard Times

Over the past few months, small business owners – including many gym owners – have had to grapple with incredibly challenging times. In the wake of such an unprecedented economic lockdown, gyms have been forced to shut their doors in accordance with shelter in place regulations.

However, the initial impact of a lockdown situation doesn’t have to mean all doom and gloom for gym owners. While it might be hard to focus on the bright side now, there is a way that gyms can bounce back from this setback. First and foremost, closing down for a brief period to protect the health and safety interests of employees and members does not mean that a business must shut down for good. There is a way for small businesses to survive a shutdown like the one currently happening in America, and that is through customer loyalty and dedication.

Of course, how does a business nurture customer loyalty? Through customer relationships and incredible customer service of course! There is a clear line between how connected a member feels with a gym and how likely they are to come back after a situation like the one many gyms and health clubs are in right now.

One critical thing for gym managers to remember is that just because a gym is temporarily closed and people aren’t coming in on a daily basis doesn’t mean that these people will never come back again. Additionally, it doesn’t mean that your team can go ‘radio silent’ on standard communications and engagement. In fact, this might be the perfect time to engage with your members outside of the gym.

Sending informative newsletters with at-home workout ideas, inspirational updates, and staying optimistic in spite of difficulties will keep your members engaged and ready for action when your gym opens up again. Also, your back-end service levels are still important – and in fact they might be more important now than ever before. If a member calls in with questions about their membership or payment plan or if there is a technical issue with a live-streamed workout session, it’s up to your team to address these issues right away. After all, keeping your head and delivering amazing service to members can separate your team from the competition, even in uncertain times.

If your gym is closed down for a larger reason or if you’ve had to scale back hours during hard times, your loyal customers will be the ones to follow you through to the other side. While it’s hard to ignore the negative impacts of hard times, it’s okay to look ahead – especially for your members and customers. Staying optimistic, keeping them in the loop, and proactively keeping service levels high can help ensure your team makes it through the hard times to thrive long-term.

You can learn more about how a full-service gym management platform can impact your gym here.