TECHNOLOGY SERIES
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
What do operators consider to be the future of technology in health clubs? Jon Nasta reports
L
ast year, we asked some of the industry’s leading technology providers where they saw the future of technology in health
clubs (see HCM Oct 12, p57). Now it’s the turn of the operators to share their thoughts on this topic. So what can we expect to see in
health clubs come 2023? That’s a tough question of course – were you able to predict, 10 years ago, what the scenario would look like today? Did you expect to see low-cost clubs opening their doors in 2013 with over 5,000 memberships sold during a six- week presale? Did you imagine some
clubs would be getting 100 per cent of their members to join online? Did you envisage your members competing with members from other countries, in real time, while exercising? Or did you imagine that a 140-character messaging system would become one of your most effective CRM tools? Crystal balls are never the most
accurate tools, but we do know the next 10 years will be an era of unprecedented connectivity. Successful operators understand that we are in the relationships business. As people’s connections grow wider and more intimate, so will the frequency of
PHILLIP MILLS
CEO Les Mills International, New Zealand
T
echnology offers enormous opportunities; the challenge is in understanding what it is
able to bring to the heart and mind of the customer. At the end of the day, it comes down to the fundamentals of motivating people to work out. In that sense, technology is a tool which can be
deployed to create high motivation, high stimulation environments. My latest club in Auckland, New
Zealand, has a NZ$1m-worth of plasma screen mosaics pumping out music videos. In my view, AV entertainment will continue to be the most important technological opportunity for clubs to entertain and keep spaces energised. Globally, convenience is key, and
virtual workouts where participants are guided by on-screen instruction will become prevalent. Originally I was something of a cynic on non-instructor- led exercise, but having trialled a virtual product at Les Mills I am now a convert.
their connectedness – and as such, operators’ understanding of just what kinds of relationships are possible will be stretched and revolutionised as much as any piece of technology. When it comes to adapting and
implementing new technology in our gyms, the biggest challenge remains the need to understand – and effectively communicate – what these technological advances bring to our customers’ hearts and minds. It will be this humanisation of the benefi ts that helps the traditional gym evolve and get more people, more active, more often – both within and beyond its four walls.
Allowing members the convenience of receiving a group exercise experience at any time of the day is compelling. Our research has also revealed a correlation between members moving on to live group exercise classes after trying virtual workouts. In that sense, technology will act as a feeder to the live experience. For clubs, it’s a massive way to add value as facilities increasingly become 24/7 operations. Social media has been a boon to the
industry. It has given clubs the ability to deepen their relationships with members and become a part of people’s lives. Its importance will only grow and it’s imperative that clubs continue to evolve online as technology develops. Apps will also play a deeper part in
the exercise process. Personally, I feel it will be apps that create experiences, rather than results-focused apps, which prosper. Although results help motivate people, the apps that bring people together, forming communities and bonds that go deeper than shedding calories will have longevity. In combination, online, smart and AV
Virtual trainer-led sessions can be a feeder to live group exercise classes, says Mills 54 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
technologies can enhance the fi tness experience, and clubs will need to work out how best to deploy these tools.
February 2013 ©Cybertrek 2013
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