» Technology The club also uses it to create


friendly weekly or monthly compe- titions that track the top 10 exercis- ers for categories like total calories burned, power generation and dis- tance travelled. Prizes might be an in- club service, like a personal training package or a $50 gift certificate from a local business. When a club member hits a challenge


objective (e.g., top calorie burner for the week) the achievement is automatically posted to all participants and the winner is sent a congratulatory message. For club owners with multiple fa-


cilities, the technology also facilitates competitions between clubs where members can compete in real time.


Attracting and retaining One reason for adding the new tech-


“One reason for adding the new technology was to increase member retention.”


happened about 18 months ago when it purchased seven new cardio ma- chines plus a wireless communica- tion platform that had just launched in Canada. Now, unlike most clubs, instead of utilizing a pen-and-paper exercise log, exercisers use a personal RFID (radio-frequency identification) card to track their cardio workouts.


Making workouts interactive “Members slide their cards into


a reader on the machine that logs them in so they can collect infor- mation about their workouts,” says Verbruggen, noting that the system is compatible with numerous brands of equipment. “The software tracks data like calories burned, watts generated, average heart rate, distance travelled, etc. The information is displayed on a monitor, saved to their personal on- line profile, and they also get an email summary.”` It’s a significant step above the


club’s previous equipment that would flash very basic data on the screen, but only for a few seconds before it disappeared forever. The club’s six personal trainers find


the technology helpful for tracking their clients’ workouts and monitoring their attendance and performances.


28 Fitness Business Canada July/August 2013


They access a dedicated trainer web- site, which the software manufacturer provides, to efficiently view and man- age their clients’ data.


nology was to increase member reten- tion. “It’s important to offer something that maybe the club down the road doesn’t offer,” says Verbruggen, who has two competitors within a 12-min- ute drive. “We’re seeing that the people who use it come in more frequently and they work harder than in the past.” While the feedback from word of


mouth and surveys has all been posi- tive, Verbruggen notes that some members choose to keep their cardio simple and low-tech and bypass the new technology. “We expose them to it, but then it’s


up to them to use it or not. It doesn’t seem to be an age-related issue, just a personal preference. But because the technology is installed as an add-on, of course it’s still a great piece of cardio equipment on its own.”


Looking ahead Verbruggen sees this interactive as-


“We’re seeing that the people who use it come in more frequently and they work harder than in the past.” ~ Valley Health and Fitness owner Forrest Verbruggen


Helping members connect with members While technology is often criticized


for isolating people and discouraging interaction, Verbruggen is discovering it can do the opposite. “It encourages members to interact


because they can share their data with friends on FaceBook, Twitter or on the equipment monitors.”


pect of club workouts as the way of the future. “We plan to add this interactive fea-


ture to all of our cardio equipment in the near future and to also use it for our group exercise program. Members will scan a QR code outside of the stu- dio to track their monthly activity lev- el and then earn reward points for at- tendance.” FBC


Photos by Kim King Free Range Photography - (250) 510-0454


Barb Gormley is the senior editor of Fitness Business Canada, a freelance writer and editor, and a certified personal trainer. Contact her at www.barbgormley.com.


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