| Last rep |
One Hundred Twenty Million
Krebs Cycle?
Members by 2010
Or Satisfying Customers?
What works best—one set or three sets? Free weights or selector-
ized machines? Super sets or pyramids? High- or low-intensity?
Ballistic or super-slow? Wait a minute! Maybe those aren’t the right
questions for us to be asking at all.
hese and similar questions are among the ones information had led to major decisions, facilitating
T
that exercise professionals study and debate, and significant changes with respect to design, program
rightly so. But which routine, or type of machine, offerings, etc. (See cover and accompanying Q&A,
or training approach “works best” is irrelevant to pg. 32, August CBI.) The company’s subsequent $35
all of those people who don’t exercise at all. million investment in improvements, renovations,
Why explain the Krebs cycle to a couch potato? and expansion has had a dramatic impact on mem-
We in the club industry love exercising. So, many ber satisfaction, sales, and retention.
of us have designed clubs, purchased equipment, Despite the economic “downturn” that’s turned
and created programs that into a recession, MPSCM’s revenues have been
Tracy
reflect what we’re familiar increasing 6%-7% per year.
Powell
with, what we enjoy, and what Curtis has a doctorate in applied physiology and,
we find exciting—not, neces- at one point, served as a strength and conditioning
sarily, what the community is consultant to the Washington Redskins, but I’d be
looking for. willing to bet that he never explains the Krebs cycle
And, of course, most people to his members.
don’t like to exercise. However, if his focus groups said they wanted
The halcyon days of “Just that sort of detail, I’m equally sure he’d provide it.
build it, and they will come” Other customer populations prefer things real
are long gone. There’s more simple, and Jeff Klinger and Chuck Runyon, the
and better competition, so cofounders of Anytime Fitness, the Hastings,
consumers have a large Minnesota-based fitness franchise, have met
Joe Moore
number of appealing choices. their needs with a unique business model. Their
IHRSA President & CEO People are looking for fitness clubs are predicated on a simple, straightforward
venues that are affordable, premise: many people really want an affordable,
convenient, and that meet their convenient, and rewarding place to exercise—
needs, and provide the experiences they’re seeking. sound familiar?
Today, the most successful club operators are Klinger and Runyon opened their first club in
those who—get this—have actually invested time, 2002, now have more than 1,200, and are plan-
money, and effort to research what people want ning to expand into Europe, the Middle East, Asia,
and then designed their clubs and programs and New Zealand this year. They’re able to bill
accordingly. Art Curtis, the CEO of Millennium their company as “the world’s largest 24-hour coed
Partners Sports Club Management LLC (MPSCM), fitness franchise.”
which owns and operates six upscale Sports Clubs/ The Sports Club/LA and Anytime Fitness are
LA locations, quickly comes to mind. strikingly different types of clubs, but, in both
A while ago, as he was giving me a tour of his cases, their success is built on the same principle:
newly renovated Boston facility, he talked nonstop Find out what people want. Then give it to them. —|
about what he’d learned from the focus groups that
MPSCM had conducted, and explained how that – Joe Moore,
jm@ihrsa.org
96 Club business International | September 2009 |
www.ihrsa.org
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