» Canadian Forum


Don’t Overlook the Soſt Skills


Nothing outweighs the influence of member/staff relationships


BY DON LONGWELL I


once belonged to a fitness club when a new manager was hired. Within a few months, the mem- bership experience had been


reinvented. While some new programs, a few


administrative changes and some new equipment were added, the most amazing change was with the entire staff. They quite suddenly became more interested in me as a member and what I was doing there.


administration that controls the hard realities of revenue and expenses. Where does training fit into success-


ful club operation? It starts with the manager who influences every level of staff performance. While high-quali- ty facilities, equipment, programs and staff expertise are obvious necessities, the total personal experience of each member often determines whether the member stays for years or leaves in disappointment. I remember the front desk crew at


another club I belonged to. They knew my name and why I was there, and they knew what was going on in the club that might be of interest to me. I started to look forward to just check- ing in! It became a regular bright spot in my day. I remember a group fitness class


where we were doing a repetitive ex- ercise that took several minutes. The group instructor started talking to us. Who were we? What did we do for a living? Why were we there? We started communicating with each other. It was great, getting to know other members. It was a positive opportunity to expand our total membership experience. Can we train managers and staff to


have good member interaction skills as well as the professional skills that are required? Yes, we can. Let’s look at what is available to help


How did this happen? I believe that


the new guy set a very visible example for the staff to follow – and they did. Quality leadership can make a big


difference. Great managers gain the admiration and allegiance of their staff through example setting and ef- fective staff training. The challenge at the top is to combine any of these creative changes with sound business


46 Fitness Business Canada July/August 2014


us do this: • We have one of the most success-


ful training organizations in the world, right here in Canada. Canfitpro man- ages fitness conferences and trade- shows across our country. Thousands of attendees benefit from outstanding presenters from Canada and around the world bringing the latest in fit- ness staff and management training sessions.


• IHRSA, the International Health,


Racquet and Sportsclub Association, based in the U.S., provides a window into fitness operations around the globe. Many other international or- ganizations also offer education and training. • Fitness Industry Canada repre-


sents fitness operators across Canada, and it continues to grow and serve the national interests of fitness clubs. We also have provincial associations that contribute excellent fitness profession- al certifications and training. • Of particular help are the many


industry suppliers. Many of these fit- ness equipment companies have major research organizations whose findings they share with club operators. • Fitness Business Canada com-


municates with the industry every month through FBC magazine and our monthly newsletter which provides continuing news, articles from suc- cessful club operations and how-to advice related to all club functions. The first survey of Canadian fitness club business parameters was com- pleted this year. FBC webinars pro- vide interactive learning on a variety of topics. • Social media and the latest devel-


opments in communication technol- ogy have opened new opportunities to connect fitness operators with each other and with numerous resources and organizations. FBC strongly supports all of the


above organizations and gladly assists in communicating their services. FBC


Don Longwell is the founder and former editor of Fitness Business Canada.


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