MARCH 11 LETTERS write to reply
Do you have a strong opinion or disagree with somebody else’s views on the industry? If so, we’d love to hear from you – email:
healthclub@leisuremedia.com
fi tness staff are key to driving revenues Our latest research is particularly relevant to the debate on pay structures (HCM Jan 11, p30): we’ve found that fitness staff can generate up to 600 per cent more income per member than the actions of sales people alone. Most businesses focus on selling
memberships, assuming that each sale is income-generating. However, in most cases the minimum guaranteed income is just one month (assuming no contract); a range of other factors, not involving sales people, then determine how many more months a member will pay for, their level of secondary spend and how many referrals they will make. All this increases the total yield from each member and thereby the financial success of the club. In our study, if members received one
Apprentices – such as those on the TAG scheme – focus on customers’ needs
it’s the vocational skills that count in our sector
I was interested to read the article on ‘Hiring graduates’ (HCM Nov/Dec 10, p26). As a provider of government- funded apprenticeships, we believe members’ gym floor experience can be optimised, operationally and financially, by blending graduates and non-graduates. While sport science graduates
undoubtedly arrive with a high level of technical knowledge, which will prove extremely important as we align with the health sector, apprentices bring ‘soft skills’ valued by many gym-goers. Graduates often enter the workplace expecting their technical skills to be in constant demand; apprentices focus on serving the customer’s needs, whether or not there is a technical demand. Eighty per cent of gym members look
for motivation and reassurance as they strive to achieve fitness goals. In our
6
experience, those who have taken the vocational training route are typically very strong in this area. Simply having a Level 2 fitness instructor qualification, an essential pre-requisite for gym employment, will not retain or attract members, nor guarantee better customer service. Naturally our industry will benefit
from attracting high academic achievers, but we may be over-investing without optimising our return. The sector needs to attract and retain people who can integrate well with others. The government is backing vocational training and our industry should embrace apprenticeships as a feeder to building enduring gym teams, as we strive to achieve higher standards of instruction and customer service for our users. nigel wallace director of training, lifetime
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
interaction from fitness staff during their membership, their average length of stay increased to 9.9 months – this compared to four months among those receiving no interaction after the initial sale. Based on a monthly membership of £35, that’s a net additional income of £206.50 that can be attributed to fitness staff. Four interactions leads to an even greater length of stay: 27.3 months and net additional income of £815.50. This figure grows exponentially when you include the impact of secondary spend and referrals. justin mendleton sales director, the retention people
Member interaction with fi tness staff can dramatically boost revenue
march 2011 © cybertrek 2011
MARCH 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76