sibec
review
“CLIENTS ARE CAPABLE OF SHOPPING
AROUND ON THE INTERNET SO YOU
HAVE TO THINK AHEAD”
Holmes Place’s
www.citisteps.com enables visitors to plot a walking route, calculating the time required and the calorie burn
CHANGING DYNAMICS
“Mid-market operators can survive if they position so you have to think ahead – if you wait until a prospect
themselves correctly and provide a good service, but they comes to you, you’re too late, because nowadays most
must be proactive in this,” says Theo Hendriks, CEO of purchasing decisions are made in advance. You have to take
Sports and Leisure Group in the Netherlands – this in customers very seriously nowadays, identifying what they
response to a suggestion that the market might continue to want, creating a relevant positioning for yourself and pre-
polarise, with premium and particularly budget clubs emptively delivering against their needs.”
succeeding at the expense of the mid-market. Hendriks also stresses the need to create a sense of
It’s less about the market you’re catering for and more community within a club, something that has been taken
about understanding consumer dynamics, according to very seriously by Russian chain Planet Fitness, which has
Hendriks: “Nowadays, we’re moving away from Unique created Planet Extreme – a club-in-club for members who
Selling Points and towards Unique Buyer Appreciation. train together in facilities across the country and then go on
Clients are capable of shopping around on the internet, extreme travelling adventures.
REACHING OUT
our staff into the schools, we can These initiatives needn’t draw on
work with them, fi tting into their precious man hours. For example,
D
avid Lloyd Leisure is, says environment and timetable, without
www.citisteps.com is an internet tool
family and programming affecting our members.” that, while Holmes Place branded, can
manager Sarah Hobbs, Offering non club-based activities be used by anyone. Encouraging people
“setting a template for the future” can have benefi ts beyond balancing to walk more – to work, for example
in its outreach work with schools. the needs of different audiences, says – users type in start and fi nish points
Its pilot NG Kids site in Swindon is Neil Burton, CEO of Holmes Place and the site plots a route, calculates
providing services to around 15 local Central & Eastern Europe: “We need how far it is and tells them how many
schools including in-school PE, after- to be involved in more activity-based calories they’ll burn. It’s quick, easy,
school clubs and healthy living days. initiatives beyond the walls of our clubs accessible to all – and provides Holmes
“The schools have the funds and to build up our role as experts. It may Place with 1,000 leads a month.
we have the expertise to deliver not immediately add revenue to our
variety in the required fi ve hours’ core business, but we need to look long kate cracknell
PE a week,” says Hobbs. “By taking term and develop trust fi rst.”
healthclub@leisuremedia.com
60 Read Health Club Management online january 2009 © cybertrek 2009
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
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