» Q&A
identified realistic goals and are not monitored as they progress toward these goals, they may never realize success. And lastly, clients expect that their
trainer will consistently monitor their daily behaviours and hold them accountable.
A
first and most important component is to ensure there is a process that culti- vates a symbiotic relationship with the three key stakeholders of our business: the club, the members and the staff. It has to be a win/win/win. The staff members need to be pro-
The most important thing is getting
trainers to understand their role in the bigger picture of the club–it isn’t just about training their clients and going home. Trainers who are working to- gether as a unit, rather than compet- ing for clients, create an environment where both the trainers and the de- partment flourish. To help trainers understand their
Corey Allison Personal Training Manager Fiſth Avenue Club Calgary, Alberta
role there needs to be lots of educa- tion. This begins with get- ting them to inter- act with all members, without necessar- ily having a sale in mind. In do- ing so, the trainers cre- ate an invit- ing atmo- sphere and an energy in
the club that attracts people. Trainers should also be as involved
with the club as much possible–for example, teaching classes, playing in the squash ladder, organizing run- ning groups or holding educational seminars. When trainers have multiple roles in the club it increases their ex- posure and approachability. It allows trainers and members to build rela- tionships without any pressure of a personal training sale.
A
fessionally trained, compensated fairly and communicated with frequently, and members need to receive a con- sistent, rewarding, fulfilling expe- rience each and every time they visit the club. If these two objec- tives are achieved, the club will most certainly be financially stable and profitable. Trainers play a key part in the mem-
ber experience, and their job is to find out what the ideal experience is for each member, be it socializing, com- peting, shaping, weight loss, etc. To initiate this, we spend a good part of staff training on the basics, such as greeting members by name and with a smile. This may sound basic, but we find it is one of the easiest ways to start
a rewarding experience for members each day. We also stress that, when time per-
mits, our staff ask open-ended ques- tions to help develop a broader perspec- tive and understand- ing of each member. Staff members then record the member name and the infor- mation in a binder. Out fitness de-
partment has had challenges to see how many new members they can add to their daily contacts lists. Then there is a weekly or monthly draw for $5, $10 and $20 gift cards. It’s a winning situation for everyone. Members feel welcomed to the club and staff mem- bers create potential new clients.
Jeff McCarroll General Manager Ontario Racquet Club Mississauga, Ontario
»
At the Ontario Racquet Club, we use
a variety of methods to ensure that not just the membership department is working in sales and retention. The
July/August 2012 Fitness Business Canada 29
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