| IHRSA Report | First Set ®
The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association is a not-for-profit trade association open to investor-owned and member-owned fitness, racquet and athletic facilities. Associate memberships are available to manufacturers or suppliers of products and services of use to IHRSA members.
800-228-4772 USA & Canada 617-951-0055 International 617-951-0056 FAX
www.ihrsa.org www.healthclubs.com E-mail:
info@ihrsa.org
IHRSA Board of Directors
Art Curtis: Chairperson Millennium Partners Sports Club Management, LLC 617-476-8910
Mike Raymond: Curves International 254-399-9285
Susan Cooper: BodyBusiness Health Club & Spa 512-459-9424
Sandy Hoeffer: Clubsource Development Partners 415-459-1500
David Hardy: Franvest Capital Partners 780-953-4273
Kilian Fisher: ILAM +353 (0) 45 902235
Chuck Runyon: Anytime Fitness 651-438-5000
Kay Yuspeh: Elite Fitness & Racquet Clubs 262-786-0880
Bill McBride: Club One 415-477-3000
Richard Bilton: Companhia Athletica +55 11-5181-2000
Carol Nalevanko: DMB Sports Clubs 480-609-6979
Brent Darden: TELOS Fitness Center 972-458-2582
Scott Gillespie: Saco Sport & Fitness 207-284-5953
David Patchell-Evans: Ex-officio GoodLife Fitness Clubs 519-661-0190 ext. 238
SPECIAL ADVISOR EUROPE
Christian Pierar: De Fitness Organisatie +32 9-232-5036
Art Curtis IHRSA Chairperson
Technology: The Game Changer
For a number of years, customer loyalty has experienced a steady decline. It’s obvious that a wide variety of different factors have contributed to this development, but one of them in particu- lar—technology—has transformed customer buying behavior in a profound, dramatic, and irreversible way.
The New York Times has reported that, in 2009, 36% of business travelers were brand loyal (down from 42% in 2007), as were 20% of U.S. car buyers (down from 80% in the 1980s). If you’ve purchased a car recently, you’ve seen this change firsthand. In the past, you would have done your research by reading
reviews in newspapers, magazines, and Consumer Reports, and visiting dealers to kick tires, comparison shop, and negotiate. Now, you’d probably do all of this online. Today, there’s little difference between online and off-line
customers. People have become addicted to Websites that allow them to compare choice, availability, quality, services, and even price—conveniently and instantaneously. Do you have a technology strategy in place to help improve
your club’s performance? Here are a few questions you may want to consider: Do you regard your digital presence as something that can differentiate
you from your competitors, or as just another one of those things you’re supposed to have? Do you think about using technology to improve retention by strengthening the club/member bond, e.g., by making information about club activities easier to obtain? Do applications such as online booking or account look-up make it easier for clients to interact with the club? Do you view the member’s digital exposure to your business the same
way you think about the experience they have when they visit your club? Is your Website and online presence attractive, enticing, and compelling enough to prompt a prospect to request and make use of a guest pass? Are you using social media well to generate positive word-of-mouth? Do you have a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to measure the effectiveness of your Web strategy? Do you shop your competition’s online presence? In this brave new digital environment, traditional media advertising is
viewed, by many, as yesterday’s hype. Because the Internet is where the credibility and action are at, reviewing and constantly improving the quality and functionality of your Website is critical to creating and cultivating brand loyalty. We all know how important initial impressions are when it comes to prospects, and, today, the public is most likely to encounter your club for the first time online. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to make a great first impression! —|
– Art Curtis,
acurtis@mp-sportsclub.com www.
ihrsa.org | MAY 2011 | Club Business Internat ional 91
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 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114