This article is brought to you by Life Fitness
The 5 key elements of customer experience
Every gym and fitness centre is different and even though we all have a shared goal – inspiring people to live healthier lives – we sometimes need to find creative ways to compete.
Club members, especially after the pandemic, are looking for new experiences that fit with their lifestyle. They want to connect with their gym’s values and approach, and they need to like its design and technology. We need bring all these elements together to create a holistic solution that drives member acquisition and retention.
At Life Fitness, we work with clubs worldwide to help them achieve that goal. Based on our decades of facility design, we believe that success depends on delivering a meaningful customer experience based on five key elements:
- The Product. This is the exercise methodology offered, tailored to the needs of the customer. Product is what separates a Pilates gym from a bodybuilding gym or a traditional health club.
- The Relationships. In other words, the human connections between members, instructors and staff. It includes aspects such as coaching, motivation, communications and community building.
- The Facility. We all know that people feel valued – and motivated – when their surroundings make them feel good. Everything from choosing the right equipment to the lighting design, music, colour scheme and use of space can make a difference.
- The Processes. Having carefully planned processes to execute the club’s company strategy is key to consistently delivering a good experience. The onboarding process for new members, for example, needs to be carefully tailored to individual goals, existing knowledge and expectations, with advanced trainees needing a completely different process to absolute beginners.
- The Technology. This refers to the tools, software and gadgets that enable all the other components to shine. It needs to match your members’ preferences and expectations. Sometimes a simple online reservation system could be key to keeping them satisfied, motivated and engaged. In other cases, you may need to implement technology to not only improve the operational efficiency of the facility but also develop a member app or provide services such as HR monitoring.
The Life Fitness approach to helping clubs create great member experiences starts with understanding their unique brand ethos and values, and how to execute them. With a clear view of what potential customers need and how the club will deliver it, work can begin to co-create the right space.
If you would like to get Gymspired, our lookbook will take you into a world of facility inspiration, to continue inspiring your members to live healthier lives.