Cleaning services can represent a huge investment for health clubs, but the reward is greater member satisfaction


john treharne the gym group • chief executive


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leaning is hugely important for The Gym Group: it sits up there


along with high quality maintenance as a top priority. Apart from personal training, we don’t have other services and products to promote, so providing great gyms that are very clean and well maintained is part of our ethos. Both cleaning and maintenance


represent huge investment for us. The clubs are professionally cleaned by external companies twice a day, but everyone from the manager down has to partake in cleaning routines. It’s the company culture and we expect everyone to do their bit – it’s even built into the bonus structure. We think it’s positive for members to witness cleaning: if you go into one of our clubs on a Friday morning, you will find the manager and assistant manager cleaning the gym equipment. Developing so many clubs in a short space of time, we’ve


learned how to design to aid maintenance: we use materials and finishes that are durable and easy to clean, even if they cost more. We seek sites that are high-ceilinged and have natural light, and we paint them white so they feel clean and fresh. We also build in lots of power points to make cleaning easy.


” february 2012 © cybertrek 2012


stuart burden health club partners • operations director


the customers feel as comfortable as possible, so they keep coming. It’s important to develop a culture of


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cleaning, so gym staff take responsibility for keeping the club clean rather than waiting for the cleaning personnel to deal with a dirty surface or messy floor.


This extends to members too: provide anti-bacterial cleaning wipes so it becomes a habit to wipe down equipment after use. Twenty seconds that a member spends cleaning is 20 seconds less labour a club has to pay a cleaner. Having the methods of cleaning, and cleaners, visible helps


to reassure members that their club is well cared for, and that hygiene is a priority. Have a thorough checklist of cleaning duties and rotate them between staff. There are many products available to make cleaning easier.


One of our current best-sellers is the USOL anti-microbial wet area protector, which allows showers to be quickly hosed clean rather than scrubbed. Crucially, the product forms an invisible, protective barrier to help prevent future bacteria build-up, keeping clubs’ wet areas cleaner for longer.


” Read Health Club Management online healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 29


eeping clubs clean is hugely important: it’s all about making


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