retention series
TAPPING INTO A
Gadgets that measure lifestyle activity and iPhone apps that can turn treadmills into exciting training locations: is all this new technology a good thing for the industry and its retention levels? Kath Hudson reports
lthough there is an argument to say that gadgets that design workout programmes and give motivation and
feedback can make individuals so self- sufficient they no longer need to visit the gym, embracing them does offer up a number of opportunities to clubs. Holmes Place International was one
of the fi rst to run with the ball in its partnership with Fitbug, designed to offer a membership category aimed at the deconditioned market. This uses the online health and wellbeing coach Fitbug – branded as HolmesPlace2Go – to record the users’ periods of aerobic activity, steps taken, calories burned
and active hours. Members are offered a monthly face-to-face interview with an instructor to chat about their progress and to be introduced to the facilities. These visits ease them into the gym environment and frequently convert them into full members. Holmes Place is also promoting Fitbug to lapsed members and is experiencing success in winning them back.
ENCOURAGING MORE ACTIVITY Elsewhere, independent users of Fitbug can wear the device all day and download the data it records to the website, where a weekly personalised training programme and healthy eating plan is designed for them. Ongoing feedback and motivation is provided via SMS and email. In theory, people could do this without having a gym membership, but as they start to understand the need to become more active, it can be a motivating factor to join a gym or keep up an existing membership. Fitbug managing director
Fitbug’s website creates weekly personalised programmes for users
Paul Landau points out that the company has worked with several PCT exercise referral schemes and found that those using Fitbug were more likely to use the gym on their non-referral days, as it made them aware of how little exercise they had previously been doing. “The other way in which health clubs,
and personal trainers, can use Fitbug is to keep track of members’ activity beyond their four walls. If members are choosing to jog in the park or take walks in the summer, giving them a Fitbug provides a point of contact and
Apps such as miCoach by Adidas, used here by Jonny Wilkinson, are
likely to become more and more popular
42
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
© cybertrek 2010
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 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84