TALKBACK katie barnes • assistant editor • health club management
everyone’s talking about . . .
2010 predictions
We ask a selection of industry operators about their plans and predictions for the year ahead
– from broader trends to more detailed predictions on programming and equipment
W
hile 2009 was fi nancially Budget clubs have also thrived company Wexer. What are the online
tough, health clubs have recently. Will this trend continue in opportunities moving forward?
held their ground – this 2010? Rasmus Ingerslev, former CEO Looking at the bigger picture,
according to a number of Denmark’s largest chain, fi tnessdk, government and the medical sector
of studies including the FIA 2009 State certainly thinks so. Meanwhile Andy are fi nally beginning to acknowledge
of the Industry report, produced in Bourne – owner of independent club the potential of the health and fi tness
partnership with The Leisure Database Xpect Leisure in Braintree – feels that, industry. How can we continue this
Company (see HCM June 09, p3). while such clubs may attract a new, momentum in 2010? Nuffi eld Health is
The health club at Cadbury House younger audience of people in their making signifi cant headway in this area
Hotel, Bristol, which was presented early 20s, they may fi nd it diffi cult to and Nick Burrows, MD of commercial
with the Spirit of FLAME Award hit the high volumes needed to make fi tness, talks about what else might be
2009, certainly hasn’t suffered. Indeed the business model work. on the cards this year. However Bourne
club manager Jason Eaton reports an Another affordable offering that’s suggests that, before we steam ahead,
increase of nearly 140 members in making its mark is online fi tness (see we should fi rst take a step back and
September and October. So what HCM August 09, p39). Ingerslev has consider how commercial operators
does this forward-thinking operator recognised the huge potential of this can best align themselves with public
have planned for 2010? market by launching online fi tness organisations such as the NHS.
WHAT ARE YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR THE COMING 12 MONTHS? EMAIL US: HEALTHCLUB@LEISUREMEDIA.COM
andy bourne nick burrows
owner • xpect leisure managing director of commercial fitness • nuffield health
“T
here will be no short-term fix to
improve penetration levels. It will “O
ur strategy will be to differentiate
ourselves by delivering
be down to delivering value for money measurable health outcomes, making our
products and services, and hard work. health MOTs standard to memberships
With the rise of price comparison and focusing on post-operative or specific
websites and more savvy customers, medical conditions – we now have a
clubs may need to be more overt with team dedicated to putting together new
prices. This may lead to fewer prospects, specialist programmes.
but will improve conversion rates. A big focus will be our Type 2 diabetes
As always, the challenge will be to keep members coming membership, introduced in partnership with Diabetes UK. This
consistently to obtain results and value for money. includes health assessments and monitoring – particularly key
There’s also a need to sell the long-term health benefits of in the first three months – as well as exercise to support the
our products, recognising that consumer concerns about their specific needs of Type 2 diabetes sufferers. It also takes into
health continue to drive people towards taking up exercise. account the varying motivational needs of different individuals.
We need to seek partnerships with the medical industry, You can also expect cardiac rehab and weight management
but must first recognise the conflict between the commercial programmes, and a pilot – with the Chelmsford branch of the
goals of an operator [us], targeting those with an ability and Priory Group – on the use of exercise to help people with mild
willingness to invest in their health, and the public sector’s depression. We’ll introduce a back care programme and a Spine
[NHS] mass market audience who may be unwilling or unable Right class to tackle musculo-skeletal issues such as back pain.
to pay. There are existing links between private health clubs Our target customer for 2010 will be the ‘consciously well’:
and private medical insurers, but perhaps these could work on a those who want to be active in managing their health, rather
national scale. Locally, too, operators could have affiliations with than being a victim of it. These people will become increasingly
credible physios, rehab providers, osteopaths or a lead GP.
”
relevant and are a potentially big part of our population.
”
32 Read Health Club Management online january 2010 © cybertrek 2010
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
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