Arthur McColl, business and brand manager, LA Fitness A


year ago, LA Fitness found itself


low in the ranks of an independent survey of health club cleanliness. As a result, it has


introduced a new cleaning strategy across its 80 clubs, as Arthur McColl, business and brand manager, explains: “As a chain of 80 clubs, it can be a


challenge to maintain standards at all our sites. However, ‘pride in club’ is a pillar of our business strategy – I can create the most fantastic gyms but if the changing rooms are dirty, none of that matters. “To track standards,


we have a self-assessment


programme that each club undertakes monthly. Each club and its contract cleaners are also audited monthly by head offi ce. We have monthly member ‘Pride’ surveys, along with feedback cards in clubs. This is all reported monthly, with league tables produced. It’s very effective at highlighting any clubs that are falling behind and enables us to tackle any problems. “In the clubs, the challenge is creating


the culture that everyone is responsible for cleaning. We introduced a programme called Essentials to drive ownership of cleanliness among staff. This includes ‘pride sessions’ before each peak period, where staff go through the whole club cleaning everything. This happens at all 80 clubs at the same times – 8.30am, 11.30am


Jelte de Kiewit, managing director, One Fitness, Holland


Fitness is green in every aspect of running the gym. From generating its own electricity to


D


buying Fair Trade coffee, it makes every effort to minimise its carbon footprint. Its cleaning is green too; the group –


which has two clubs, in Amsterdam and the nearby town of Hilversum – uses exclusively green cleaning products. The only challenge owner Jelte de


Kiewit now sees is encouraging other operators to go green. “It was very easy for us to be green with our cleaning,” he explains. “We hired a cleaning company


utch operator One


and told them what we wanted and they did it – simple as that. It didn’t change the cost of the contract at all and the products are just as effective. “People may think that it costs more,


but it really isn’t expensive. The things we buy ourselves, such as dishwasher tablets and laundry powder, are slightly more expensive, but not a great deal. We have no need to pass on any additional costs to our clients and they appreciate our ethics. “Being environmentally friendly in


your business is getting more common these days and, really, it should be normal. Clubs think it’s diffi cult and expensive, but it isn’t. Let’s give them a wake-up call. I also hope that customers will demand it more and more.”


Stephen Petherick, commercial manager, leisure@cheltenham


centre was famously fl ooded in 2007 (see HCM Nov/Dec 08, p60), but as a result underwent huge


T january 2010 © cybertrek 2010


redevelopment. Commercial manager Stephen Petherick explains how they now keep the club looking new. “Our main challenge is keeping on top of the cleaning throughout such a large


he council- run leisure@ cheltenham


leisure centre – the building measures 6,100sq m (65,660sq ft) and has a footfall of 11,500 people a week. We have three pools, a sports hall, fi ve squash courts, a four-pitch indoor cricket centre, a fi tness suite, three studios, a sauna, steam and spa area, a hairdresser, beautician, osteopathy clinic, a café, three meeting rooms and an athletics stadium. “We run a seven-day schedule of


cleaning. Our cleaners focus on a different core area every day, so we know these are well serviced every


week. They also target the high footfall areas each day, such as changing rooms and toilets. In addition, all our staff – including the leisure attendants and fi tness team – are responsible for keeping their section clean while on duty. “This time of the year also provides a


challenge, as it’s wetter and colder and you have more cleaning to do. “And an ongoing challenge is that


customers’ expectations seem to rise every year. We try to keep pace with it or get ahead of it to minimise complaints.”


Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 69


One Fitness runs a totally green operation, including its cleaning products and techniques


Last year, LA Fitness found itself low in the ranks of a club cleanliness survey and has since raised its game


and 4.30pm. In addition, we have hourly checks of toilets, showers and locker rooms, with lists of what needs checking. “To help staff, we’ve installed hygiene


stations – wipes for cleaning equipment – throughout the clubs. We also ask our members to play their part with polite notices on equipment and in the toilets. “We also think long-term in terms


of our property department – using washable paints, for example, and introducing new wall and ceiling materials in showers that are easier to clean.”


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