interview
Keeping up to date: Equipment at HealthCity’s clubs is upgraded at least every four years
So is there a maximum size beyond
which Moos would not want the company to grow? “Only in terms of the number of markets – not in terms of number of clubs,” he states. “I think what’s diffi cult for Fitness
First, for example, is that it operates in so many countries. Each has a different culture and a different way of doing things and it takes time to get used to each other. I’d say a fourth country is possible for us, defi nitely, but in my mind a fi fth would be the maximum. You can then have maybe 100 clubs in each country – that would be easier to manage than having 500 clubs spread all over the world.”
changing places So are there any other changes afoot at HealthCity International? “We’ve been focusing on growth for
the last six years, and it’s only now that we’re starting to look at other things – in particular the development of secondary income streams. “At the moment, personal training
is only 0.29 per cent of our total turnover; if you look at other chains, it’s 10 or 15 per cent. That’s a huge opportunity for us to move into. “We’ve also started to rent out
fl oorspace to hairdressers, beauty therapists and so on, which brings in
30
rental income but which also increases footfall to the club. “Then we have our ex-members –
maybe 500,000 of them. We’re looking at how we can get them back in – for example, offering memberships for people who want to work out at home or outdoors, but who want to come in now and then for some guidance. “We’re also working on a deal with
a famous Dutch designer to make our clubs look sexier, more luxurious. Operators look at ways to improve their product, but the clubs themselves don’t change – someone who left fi ve years ago could walk into our clubs now and they’d see more or less the same thing. That’s not good. “We’re also building more of a sense
of community within our clubs. The social aspect is going to be crucial to our success, and it’s something we haven’t really focused on up ‘til now. “We’ve also become more fl exible with our memberships, as contracts
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
is an area the whole industry has traditionally done wrong. “Four years ago, we changed our
approach to be more fl exible. You can become a member for the length of time of your choosing – it’s normally 12 months, but you can opt for six months at 10 per cent more, or 24 months at 10 per cent less. But after the fi rst six months, you can leave at any time. “Our budget memberships are also
transferable – anyone in your family can borrow it, for example. I don’t think anyone else has done that yet. “I think the industry generally – here
and across Europe – should be able to double its population penetration rates if we improve our product in the right ways. But we have to think more about what the client wants instead of what we want. In the end, that mindset will also bring benefi ts for us.”
healthclub@leisuremedia.com kate cracknell, editor
february 2011 © cybertrek 2011
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