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UPFRONT» Q&A


and store their belongings. After much deliberation we decided to bring in very upscale, fancy trailers that came equipped with lockers, showers and bathrooms. It gave the members a pri- vate and secure place to store their belongings and to shower after work- outs. We also erected tarps between the trailers and the building to protect members from snow and rain as they travelled between the club and the trailers. For the most part, members appre-


ciated the effort and costs involved to keep them as comfortable as possible throughout the months of disruption. It was like fancy camping – fun for all!


Julie Lepp director of marketing The Club at White Oaks Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.


Q&A W


Julie Lepp 12 Fitness Business Canada May/June 2016


sure that members don’t feel alienated during the process. Here are


T


How do you maintain a high level of member satisfaction during club renovations?


e did a massive renovation in 2006 which involved both floors of our existing facility’s main lobby, eleva-


tors, a completely new exterior façade and entrance, adding a third floor and a full locker room rip out. It may have been easier to just start over! Of course


we created a communica- tion plan to keep our mem- bers informed of progress and how changes would affect them as we moved through the renovation.


Notices went out to inform everyone of new temporary locations for group ex- ercise, spinning, the weight room and cardio room, and about full facility shut-down days. We moved our front lobby, club


desk and membership offices to the back of the building to create a make- shift entrance while the new lobby and front entrance was being constructed. Similarly we moved the spin studio to a new location when new squash courts were added. It was a grand game of shuffle! Most challenging, however, was


the rip out of the locker rooms. There was no easy way to accomplish this part of the construction and no fun way to explain to members that there would be no place to shower, change


some impor- tant principles to consider: • Prior to


starting any renovation, implement a marketing campaign to let members know the pur- pose of the renovations and to convey a vision of what the club will be like during and after the renovations. • Your communications to members


Anthony Janicas


should include the following: internal marketing posters; an email newslet- ter; perhaps a direct-mail letter com- municating that the club will remain open throughout the construction; the fact you will ensure disruptions to their club experience is minimal; the fact that the renovations will ultimate- ly enhance their club experience; and a thank you for their understanding during the brief period of disruption. • Coordinate a staff meeting before


starting the renovation to train staff on the following: how to respond to members’ questions and complaints in


his is a great question! This is a significant issue for club own- ers and one which requires de- liberation and planning to en-


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