Handled correctly, a reasonable proportion of potential leavers could probably be persuaded to stay and give it another go


immediately. They let me leave and I will not go back.” But there were other underlying


reasons for his decision to leave. He mentioned that the gym was very crowded, and that he would prefer to pay a higher membership fee for a better level of service and the advantages of a more exclusive gym. For Neil, it’s about perceived value for money rather than absolute cost. But for many of our leavers, cost


made all the difference – and in most cases, their reasons for leaving were directly linked to frequency of usage. For example Ray, 32, a student paramedic, said: “I just wasn’t using the gym enough.


January 2014 © Cybertrek 2014


“Evidently the health clubs and leisure centres our focus


group used felt no obligation to make members feel valued”


My financial situation is difficult at the moment and gym membership seemed an easy saving. I was only a member for four months. I work near the gym but didn’t attend as much as I hoped I would.”


Apparent indifference Once the group had decided to leave, how was their decision taken by the club, and how was the process handled? None of the 12 members felt their


request to leave was used as an opportunity to recover the situation. Not one was asked to discuss why they were leaving, and only two went through any sort of exit process. Mark, 54, a retired office manager,


was typical: “I rang and told them I wanted to cancel and they just said I would have to come in to sign a cancellation document. This annoyed me. I thought they would try and make me change my mind, but in fact the whole


Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 63


PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM


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