Fitness: Page 135

Rules Of Engagement

A new fitness facility design guide will soon become standard operating procedure for all four branches.

Military fitness facility

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Turning Two Treatment Rooms into a Revenue-Producing Spa

With some basic management and programming, you can turn empty areas into customer-service-friendly, revenue-producing spaces of tranquility. First, you need to ensure that you have the appropriate equipment. You don't need to have Vichy showers or hydroculators, but, rather, a basic massage equipment package consisting of the following: massage table, face cradle, table cover, table warmer, bolster, stool, oil warmer, laundry hamper and hot towel cabinet. Typically, you can outfit a room for $2,500 to $5,500 (depending on the table and whether you want all of the "bells and whistles").Once you have your equipment in place, you'll need to hire a team of therapists. Be sure to set their compensation appropriate to the market -- usually somewhere between 25 to 50 percent of the service, plus gratuity. (You can structure compensation a variety of ways to include flat rates, hourly plus commission or percentages.) Develop a list of available therapists who will allow you to book services during most hours of operation. Also, if you can find therapists willing to work front desk hours, you might even be able to accommodate walk-ins. The idea is to open up your bookings to accommodate as many services as possible.In addition to having the right staff and equipment, you'll want to be creative with your menu of services. Offer all of the basics -- Swedish, deep tissue, reflexology, etc. -- but also more unique signature services that might appeal to your membership, express services for busy members and anything you feel will appeal to your base. For an additional $200 to $300, you can purchase a stone package and roaster to offer hot stone massage. Price your services appropriately; remember, you're not a five-diamond hotel or even a sophisticated day spa, but you are convenient and competitive and, if packaged and marketed appropriately, in line with your members' needs (wellness, pampering, performance, etc.).

Getting the Most Out of Your Equipment

Regular inspections and cleaning will help keep your equipment running smoothly and keep your costs down.WHAT'S THE MOST expensive thing in your fitness center besides the building itself? The equipment! With a new, good-quality treadmill running at about $8,000, and a good-quality remanufactured treadmill running about $5,000, keeping your equipment in good working order will save a lot of money in the long run.TreadmillsSweat. "The No. 1 thing that breaks down equipment is sweat," says Hipp.The acids and salt in sweat cause rust to form and parts to wear out faster. If you don't keep up with the cleaning, your equipment will rust and deteriorate more quickly.The areas around your machines have a huge effect on how dust-free they will stay. Cleaning underneath the treadmills definitely helps. Also, the type of flooring your choose for underneath the treadmills makes a difference. "Carpet is probably the worst [flooring]," says Rich Bumford, service manager for National Fitness Consultants, Rockville, Md. Carpet holds onto the dust, and the treadmill's belt will suck it right into the motor and computer boards. "Tile or wood is the best flooring," hesays. Rubber is good, too. If you have a carpeted floor, adding a rubber mat underneath is a good idea.Wear and tear. Roy Greenberg, vice president of Global Fitness, Gardena, Calif., says that keeping up your treadmill is about more than keeping up appearances. "Treadmills generally get the most user traffic and have the most moving parts," he says. "They get the most wear and tear because of this." While preventive maintenance is one key to a long life, replacing certain items that are prone to wear and tear is another. Parts like the belt and deck below the belt, for instance, if not replaced, can create unnecessary strain on the motor and electronics and will eventually cause the machine to fail. "You or your technician can set guidelines on when to replace these based on the amount of use the treadmill gets," says Greenberg.Keep an eye on it. As the belt and deck start to wear, they create friction that, in turn, creates an increased need for amps to run the treadmill, and makes the motor work harder to keep up the speed under the weight of the person using it.You can help your technician by checking out equipment yourself weekly. Take the belt, for instance. Is it worn? Are the seams starting to pull apart? If so, it's time to replace the belt. Lift up the belt and look at the running board underneath. Can you see the wood under the laminate showing through? If so, it's time to change the deck. It's much less expensive to replace the deck or the belt than to replace the motor or the electrical components, so it's a good idea to periodically check these. Always make sure to unplug your electrical equipment before inspecting or repairing it.Equipment placement. Not rotating your equipment can also add to its premature demise. If you find that your members tend to congregate by a certain TV or by a fan, you may want to rotate your equipment so that each piece gets even wear and tear.While treadmills and other cardio equipment get a lot of attention in servicing information, other machines have just as critical a servicing need to keep them in good working order. For instance, strength machines, though generally self-contained, need regular lubricant, and tightening of cables, belts and pulleys.Time to replaceOnce the final decision to purchase has been made, you'll need to decide whether to trade up with the manufacturer you bought it from originally, or trade it in for remanufactured equipment. While there is no such thing as a Kelly Blue Book for exercise equipment, as long as your equipment is one of the top brands, you'll get a fair market value for your pieces that you want to trade.You've heard it all before, but the importance of keeping your equipment and facility clean and free of sweat and dust is paramount to keeping your equipment for a long time. Vacuum above, inside and below to get out as much dust as you can.Your members can help to keep the surface area of your equipment clean, too. Encourage them to wipe down the machines after each use. Good habits are hard to break, and when they learn that cleaning will help to keep the equipment in good working order and their membership costs down (due to high repair and replacement costs), they'll surely comply.

Personal Training: It's Not Just the Weights

By creating a fitness experience for clients, you will get better financial rewards for your fitness center. Are you still charging for personal training purely focused on the price per session? Rather than simply allowing potential clients to think about using personal training to exercise two to three times a week, open the door to new possibilities. Do your trainers serve as a resource for information on health and wellness? Outperform your competition in the way that your trainers stage an experience for their clients, not just in the way that they demonstrate a chest press. To do this, consider the stages of selling fitness offerings: selling goods, selling service or selling a "fitness experience."Fitness centers used to be able to open their doors and offer more machines and exercise options than anyone else and succeed. The typical tour simply pointed out equipment and floor space dedicated to fitness classes each week. This plan didn't work well, however, for the vast majority of people who don't like working out and lack the know-how and self-discipline to do it. They may have joined, but they didn't go, and so they didn't see results."Get started" orientations, first-time set-ups and personal training all aim to serve members better. However, glorified floor supervisors aren't enough. Personal trainers have to be more than babysitters standing by with arms crossed counting repetitions. Savvy consumers demand it. They demand education and clarification of all the conflicting information they receive. They want to be engaged, educated and entertained.A personal touch. Consider the following scenario for a potential member: Potential member enters. Details in the sitting area that she waits in provide a welcoming atmosphere from the start. She is offered a bottle of water and escorted to a comfortable office where she's asked about her concerns and goals in a customer-focused orientation to the facility or service. After careful listening to what she wants and values, fitness center offerings are explained as an integration of her specific needs. She's shown the facility only after talking about those features that will lead to the benefits she wants. She's already a part of the scene as her tour guide leads her through how she will check in, where her children will enjoy active play, and how she can use the television screens/music to extend her exercise time and enjoyment. The tour guide considers the personality of the guest. Is she relationship-oriented or task-oriented? Does she want details or bottom line? Is she fast-paced or slow-paced? The guide responds with a style of communication closely configured to the client.Customization. One way to provide stepped-up serviceis to customize. Personal training, in theory, does customize the fitness service. But how do you ensure that this service does not become more about a trainer's philosophy or style than about the needs of a particular client? The steps taken during each session will be similar, but the exercise prescription, rate of progression, and the kind of motivation and the extras that touch a client and exceed their expectations will be different. Recording information beyond the PAR-Q and health history is a start. This can be done simply by including space inside a client's folder to record statements that they make that reveal the true value of training for them - clues to why now is the time and why you are the trainer. Listening for cues to personal preferences in music, food, entertainment, color, etc., also provide information for connecting with clients in a deeper way. Tracking the value of the experience also ensures that the clients' experiences will exceed their expectations.Share success storiesTrainers can provide movie tickets, or arrange for a spa day or other surprise for client birthdays or anniversaries. Trade-outs with various businesses allow this type of extra to be an affordable option. An easy and inexpensive option is to provide a personal moment at the end of a session with stretching or relaxing to personalized music of the client's taste, available on headphones and a personal stereo.Industry professionals will continue to rely on foundations in physiology and kinesiology to deliver sound exercise programs, but will increasingly need to enhance their people-reading skills, and apply personality assessments and their own gut instincts when working with clients.People know they need to exercise. Cutting-edge service and facilities provided to an informed public is now the challenge. Beyond that, provide the experience people seek, and you will be ahead of the curve into the future. Cathart, J. Relationship Selling: The key to getting and keeping customers. Pergee Books, 1990.

Kids Battling the Bulge

How fitness centers are helping children fight obesity.DAVID RIVERS LOVES to explore outdoors. He is a happy, active, confident 11-year-old boy with a large circle of friends. However, a year ago, he was shy, overweight, and teased and bullied at school. He was lethargic and did not participate in playground activities. Tammy Rivers, his mother, credits the dramatic change in his lifestyle and attitude to California FitKids in Corona, Calif. "Prior to his joining California FitKids, it seemed like we were buying new pants for David every three months," shesays. "His face was so puffy he could barely open his eyes. He never ran anywhere; he basically just shuffled along. He now runs everywhere and participates in playground activities, and his grades have improved tremendously."David's parents were concerned about his weight gain, and even took him to a psychiatrist to determine the root of the problem. "[The psychiatrist] basically told us that we had the problem because we were concerned about David's weight; that it was not good for his self-esteem to acknowledge the fact that he was overweight," says Tammy. "That's when we decided to do something proactive, and signed him up at California FitKids."Read on to find out about FitKids and other fitness centers that offer programs to help children lose weight.Renee Spurlock, owner of California FitKids, says her fitness center is a labor of love. "Our goal was to open a facility that would offer an opportunity for change for overweight and out-of-shape children in a non-intimidating, fun atmosphere," she explains."A child who feels good about himself or herself has a jumpstart on the path to becoming a happy, well-adjusted adult. We emphasize fun, not winning or losing, [thereby]eliminating the fear of failure."Another success story is nine-year-old Anthony Cadena. Anthony, also an overweight child, has cerebral palsy, and for years endured poor posture and problems with large motor skills due to a bad leg. Anthony lost two pants sizes in his first month at California FitKids, and his posture has already improved. His school's physical education coach also noticed a tremendous change in his willingness to participate in playground activities. Anthony's mother, Hope Alvarez Cadena, says that there have been more than physical improvements. "Anthony's whole attitude, self-esteem and confidence have greatly improved," says Hope."He is so proud that he is a member of California FitKids; it's his gym. The staff works closely with him to encourage and motivate him. He loves the equipment and the fun activities. This has been the best investment we have ever made." Anthony is rightfully proud of his progress. "I couldn't make it across the climbing wall the first time; now I am setting world records," he says.Annette Walters, owner of Fitness Solutions for Kids in Akron, Ohio, has seen similar results with her elementary school-aged clients. "It is very rewarding to see the changes in our kids, both physical and psychological," she says. "We do assessments on the kids initially so that we can monitor their progress over time, but results are evident almost immediately -- especially changes in attitude. Our goal is to provide a fun introduction into a fitness lifestyle in a fun, non-intimidating, non-competitive supervised format. We are pleased that we have accomplished this goal in hundreds of kids so far," says Walters.Elise's mother, Yvette Rybak, says, "This program may just be an answered prayer for Elise and me. We live in a rural area without activities like biking and roller skating. After [I had] to go back to work, I didn't have a lot of time to prepare healthy foods, so we ate convenient foods. Both of these factors affected Elise's weight. Now she is excited about being healthy, and she is energized in school. She's actually doubled the amount of crunches she can do, and she's gung-ho on the program."Exercise, however, is only half the battle, says Registered Dietitian Lucho Crisalle of Exercise & Nutrition Works Inc., Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. "Actually, both halves of the weight-loss equation are equally important," says Crisalle."It is just as important to instill in children proper nutrition as it is to introduce them into proper exercise. It is also important to dispel some common myths of what is healthy for kids to eat. For example, most of today's juice drinks are full of sugar, and candy that says 'fruit' on the label is still candy."

Building Leadership Through Confidence

Create more leaders in your fitness center by finding and empowering natural leaders and building their confidence.

Value-Added Physical Activity

Your job as a fitness professional is to understand what activities or exercise programs will work best for each of your clients. Make exercise a rewarding experienceAs you discuss clients' health concerns and fitness goals, explore their reasons for coming to you. What do they say is motivating them at the present moment to improve their exercise habits? Obviously, your recommendations will want to address these factors.What are some common qualities of their successful experiences? Ask clients to identify these elements with you. You may find that they mention such things as exercising with a friend, a fun class, or a sport or activity they used to enjoy. Observe and listen carefully as clients describe these positive experiences.Ask clients how they feel after a workout. Have they ever experienced an "exercise high," feelings of relaxation or improved mood following exercise? Do they sleep better when they are exercising regularly?SOURCE

Optimizing Front Desk Performance

Facility management software is indispensable to a high-performance fitness center. Member management is one of a fitness center's most vital functions. The front desk is the hub of member management, and an optimal computer software system is crucial for check-in, tracking payments and attendance, scheduling, security and employee management. "Keeping track of this information is critical, and can be used to generate reports to help with sales, retention and facility programming," says Valdez.The front desk also has a powerful effect on service. "Front desk personnel are the first touchstone in greeting members, and are key toward setting the stage for the overall member experience during that visit to the club," says Steven R. Ruth, director of sales for Aphelion Fitness Management Software, Houston, Texas. Front desk personnel are responsible for accurately and efficiently checking in members and guests, for assuring that all who enter the fitness center are on current account status, for personally greeting each member, and for acting as a first resource of information for products, services and facilities. "But the most important thing that good front desk personnel do is deliver a personalized greeting to each member," says Ruth.Training"We provide more than just training on how to use software; we teach our clients how they can apply the software applications to manage the day-to-day operations of their facility," says Valdez. For the first 90 days upon signing up with ASF, facility owners and key staff members go through ASF's Core Training Program one-on-one with a certified ASF Training Specialist. A different feature of the software is presented at each session based on the business needs of the facility. Clients can call if they have questions or need help with any of the applications. Training is via phone and Internet sessions, and is complimentary to all clients.To fully use the management software, front desk staff needs at least some computer literacy. "One of the biggest things when it comes to training is how fluent somebody is in using any kind of computer system," says Nelson. Sound computer skills enable interactive training. Affiliated dials into the client's system and goes through and sets up everything -- from point-of-sale to contract templates and scheduling of items. "We can go in just like we are sitting there with them, and walk them through the configuration of their entire facility," says Nelson. There are also online manuals and documentation for reference.Through training, fitness center management can see an increased return on their investment in management software. "Effective training increases the confidence of all of the club's staff, and allows for much more effective utilization of the software," says Ruth. "Training is so important to us that we have extended our Client Care to 24 hours per day, five days per week." Aphelion clients can speak to staff, participate in telephone training, structured online classes and training at the Houston headquarters, or participate in an Aphelion University two-day program held throughout the United States.BackupAffiliated can write backup files across the network onto floppy drives, CDs or DVDs, and even tape. Clients can also schedule their own backups, and there is an assistant scheduler to do that during the evening hours or off times. "Affiliated gives them quite a few methods, and [they] have options where the software will remind them to back up if they are not doing it on a regular basis," says Nelson. The software also performs other internal backups automatically.EnhancementsASF receives feedback from clients on how existing programs can be enhanced, or on new features that could help them run their business better. "These are evaluated, with ideas that make sense incorporated into the program," says Valdez. ASF also gets inquiries about customization of the software to suit specific needs. "The reporting features are the easiest functions for us to tailor to a specific company; a few tweaks can give clients what they are looking for."Aphelion adds new features to its software on a daily basis through a team of 10 product developers. These are disseminated to the field immediately in the case of Internet versions of the software, and are distributed in a compilation CD to desktop edition users three times each year. Says Ruth, "We take to heart the direction we receive [from our clients]." New product features are implemented quickly, and then individual fitness centers can determine whether the features suit their needs and turn them on or off as desired.Good management software can aid security by popping up photos of members as they check in, verifying that the member and person present are in fact the same person. "Access control capabilities can also be implemented to allow member access on a restricted basis to those entitled to certain facilities," says Ruth. For example, a swimming pool may have a gated entrance that allows only those above a certain age to gain access. A locker room facility can allow only those of the correct gender to enter that locker room. In the case of 24-hour facilities, where they often operate in an unattended mode during non-peak hours, access can be granted only to those who meet stated membership-type restrictions.Nelson says that one of the problem areas in fitness centers is guest pass abuse. Facilities will send out 30-day passes or a one-week pass in the mail, and will have people trying to scam them, often moving from one location to the next. With video imaging, though, you have a positive ID on everybody, for all your facilities. "Instead of trying to file a paper log or go by a name, if somebody comes back a month later to use a one-week pass, boom, you can pull them up and view their picture. That is probably one of the best ways to have positive ID besides [a thumbprint]."Crucially, the front desk information system alerts staff about membership status. "If members are late on their payment, or their membership is about to expire, your staff will be aware of this right at check-in, and can address this on the spot," says Nelson. Full information on correspondence between members and facility staff or members and your billing company is available at your fingertips."This center of information is also invaluable to your club's marketing efforts," says Nelson. You can generate letters, direct mail pieces and emails to your customers based on attendance, usage or any other criteria you have elected to enter and keep track of in the system.ASF InternationalAttendance control with image capture and/or fingerprint scanning. These features are unique to each member and are great tools for keeping non-members out and for determining the status of current and expired members' accounts.Contract entry. Easy way to enter new sales into the system. All information entered at the fitness center is uploaded to ASF offices and stored in its database.Affiliated Acceptance Corp.Online/remote access. This is a tool for employee communication. It allows facility owners to communicate with all their employees as they log in during the day, or send pop-up messages to them from the corporate office. Fitness center owners can log in and view what an employee is doing on their terminal, improving security. Also, it enables amanager to correct any errors an employee might make, or provide on-the-spot training.Personal training. The personal training application enables managers to track the number of sessions available and "no shows," view a member's personal training session information upon check-in and receive notification of sessions used. Users can assign members to specific trainers, view and print a training history for each member, and set trainer session rates and sales commission percentages.Point of sale. The point of sale application handles all retail/pro shop sales and inventory management. Managers can easily make and record sales for both members and non-members.AphelionFront counter module. The front counter module handles all of the requirements for the fitness center's front counter and pro shop areas. The front desk system includes proshop sales, member check-in, an employee time clock, scheduling calendars and class tracking.Personal training. The personal training module sells, tracks, commissions and counts-down each training session as it is used.Scheduling. The scheduling calendars allow staff to schedule any activity or group in the fitness center. Managers can schedule staff members, trainers, courts, tanning beds or other items. They can create calendars for all sorts of uses, each with its own start and stop time, and print calendars of events, activities or employee schedules.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

The Training Station began as a one-on-one personal training facility, and expanded to offer individualized circuit training.

Keeping the Germs Away

You can develop a three-pronged approach to create a cleaner workout environment for your members. Cleaning your facilityMember rules and policies* If a towel service is not provided, require members to supply their own towels to 1) serve as a barrier between them and the equipment, and 2) use to wipe down the equipment after use.* Instruct members to wash hands before working out and after using the bathroom.Educate members*Use one side of their towel face down on all the equipment at all times, keeping the clean side face up for direct contact.* Always wear flip-flops in the shower, wash and dry their feet thoroughly, and use anti-fungal powder, if necessary.Using the proper cleaning supplies is an important consideration, especially when it will be used by your members. Some members may be hesitant to use a product that they deem might be toxic. Make sure you use non-toxic products, and keep MSDS (material data safety sheets) of each product on file for your members to view.

Healthy Prognosis

The hospital wellness industry is experiencing unprecedented growth by creating a health club and recreation center hybrid.

Finding, Retaining Quality Spa Staff

The importance of retaining your staff and the relationships they build with your members cannot be over-emphasized.

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