mising levels of customer service. The challenge here is to instill a passion for service in each team member in every club at all times—a tall order on any given day. What can we do to create an environment to motivate every team member to perform like the CEO of their own business—to care that much every time they make a decision? That’s a challenge I think about daily.
MORRIS: Taking over several businesses and having to restructure them, which inevitably involves changing personnel, is a frequent challenge that no CEO can shy away from—knowing when to show loyalty to staff worth keeping, compared to letting go those who don’t have the necessary skills. The most difficult challenge is maintaining the forward
progression of the corporate ship, against strong headwinds and amidst choppy economic waters. Having a good team is essential, and finding the best people is a significant challenge.
CBI: What do you look for when hiring in the health club industry?
MORRIS: We look for people who are experts in their particu- lar field, passionate about and willing to share their expertise, and outstanding when it comes to customer service. They not only must be able to anticipate members’ needs, but also must be able to over-deliver to and delight members. We train people to be competent, but it’s impossible to train individuals, in any sort of reliable way, to have the right attitude.
MILLION: We seek people who share our corporate values— mostly, a desire to serve others and to enhance their lives
ASPRIA: INTERNATIONAL LUXURY AND SERVICE
Founded in 2000 in the U.K. as a private sports, spa, hotel, and health club business, Aspria today consists of eight premier, award-winning facilities in Belgium, Germany, and Italy that serve some 30,000 members, as well as overnight guests and day spa visitors. Each club is designed to reflect its unique envi- ronment, tailored to meet the needs of its members and guests, and boasts its own distinctive style and energy. Each club is also committed to helping members stretch themselves culturally, physically, and mentally, so they can become their best.
The current business grew out of the development, in the 1980s and 1990s, of the Riverside Racquet Centre and Espree Executive Health Club chains, and the operation of the Chelsea Harbor Club, in the U.K. —|
through excellence. We can teach technical skills, but what’s in someone’s heart is either a desire to make a difference … or not. We work hard to find people with technical skills, but, more importantly, we want those who have a deep passion to deliver unique experiences with unparalleled service. If a CEO can recruit and retain “A” players, the rest will take care of itself.
CBI: What are the greatest rewards that your job provides?
MILLION: Coupling my passion for the people on my team and those whom we serve has blessed me with an enormous opportunity to touch people in meaningful ways—this is both my motivation and reward. The leadership road has lots of twists and turns, but it’s one that I cherish daily and never take for granted.
MORRIS: The rewards are significant. Personally, for me, the greatest reward is for my team to share in the upside of our success.
CBI: If you weren’t a CEO, what would you like to be doing?
MORRIS: If I left business altogether, I’d spend more time with my family and driving race cars.
MILLION: I’d love to be a news anchor, or be rich enough to travel the world, buying and redesigning homes for pure pleasure. —|
– Julie King,
julie.king1@
comcast.net
MILLENNIUM PARTNERS SPORTS CLUB MANAGEMENT, LLC: ULTIMATE ENRICHMENT
Millennium Partners Sports Club Management, LLC (MPSCM), based in Boston, operates six premier health clubs: the Sports Club/LA complexes in Boston, Miami, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and New York’s Upper East Side, as well as the Reebok Sports Club/NY, also in New York City. The company is committed to helping members achieve their fitness goals, and offers spacious, upscale, state-of-the-art facilities; an extensive range of amenities and programs; and access to experienced fitness professionals. The Sports Club/LA locations comple- ment club visits with exceptional spa treatments.
The company was founded in January 2006 when Millennium Partners, a national real estate developer specializing in luxury, mixed-use, real estate developments, purchased the clubs from the Sports Club Company. —|
ihrsa.org |
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