Figure 7. Perceived club cleanliness affects
Where’stheDirt?
says, “Staff are instructed to check all
member retention.
areas for cleanliness when making their
rounds.” While Langlotz comments, “Every
How likely are you to renew your current
THE GOOD NEWS is that two out of three staff person has some responsibility related
health club or gym membership?
members surveyed reported they had to cleaning.” Both operators agree that
neitherlikelynor
unlikelytorenew;8%
never been to a club they perceived as un- regularly scheduled evaluations and surprise
clean, and 84% view their current club as audits can help reinforce excellent health club
unlikelyto
renew;
clean (see Figure 4). Members’ perceptions hygiene. A facility’s efforts in promoting
12%
of cleanliness create an opportunity for cleanliness throughout the club can improve
clubs to improve and promote cleanliness its members’ perceptions of cleanliness,
standards and protocols. Staff can regu- making profit-center areas cleaner and
likelyto
larly inspect club restrooms, equipment safer and more attractive to members con-
renew;
80%
and beyond throughout the day with sidering the purchase of additional services.
checklists, looking for specific soils in the Health club members look to numerous
high-traffic areas that members assess for areas in assessing a club’s cleanliness (see
cleanliness. Many of the operators explained Table 2). Importantly, some of these locations
n=600
that keeping a club clean is part of their contain profit centers that generate impor-
daily business routine. For example, Craig tant additional revenue streams beyond
Figure 8. A club perceived to be extremely
clean increases a member’s likeliness to
renew.
Table2. Health club members look to numerous areas in assessing a club’s cleanliness.
How likely are you to renew your current
Where do you look when assessing cleanliness of the health club or gym you currently use? health club or gym membership?
Which areas of the health club or gym you currently use do you feel is the cleanest and the dirtiest?
What types of dirt do you encounter in the dirtiest location? unlikely
neitherlikely
torenew;
norunlikely
7%
torenew;
3%
HEALTH CLUB MEMBERS ASSESS AND CLASSIFY CLUB AREAS:
Where Mem-
bers Assess
Cleanest Dirtiest Types of Dirt
++
cleanliness
+
Area
++
Area Reported in Area
Restrooms 75% 10% 15%
water on floor,
trash, fingerprints
likelyto
Workout equip-
renew;
90%
ment surfaces
71% 13% 10%
sweat, finger-
prints, stickiness
Locker rooms 69% 11% 10%
water on floor,
trash, dust
n=299
Floors 68% 5% 14%
dust, water on
floor, sweat
Figure 9. A club perceived to be unclean
Equipment
decreases a member’s likeliness to renew.
areas
65% 17% 6% sweat, dust
How likely are you to renew your current
Showers 59% 5% 8%
water on floor,
health club or gym membership?
mold, stickiness
Front lobby 44% 20% 6%
dust, trash, finger-
prints
Exercise class-
unlikelyto
rooms
39% 8% 3%
dust, sweat, finger-
prints
renew;
30%
likelyto
Pool area 31% 5% 3%
water on floor, renew;
trash, mold
52%
neitherunlikely
orlikelyto
+Multiple mentions allowed; may add up to more than 100%.
renew;
++Single mention only; responses should add to 100%, however only 9 out of 13 selections are presented here. 18%
When comparing data from multiple mentions to single-mention questions, do not compare percentages, but
rather the ranking of the response.
n=61
6 2008 IHRSA’s Guide to Health Club Cleanliness
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