In my April 2023 column, I shared a bold yet truthful insight. Most fitness facilities offer the same basic things: equipment, classes, personal training and the promise of a healthier, happier life. While each brand has its unique personality, the average consumer may not always recognize the differences in amenities, staffing or certifications. Perception is reality, and to many, gyms can feel interchangeable. So, the real question is: how do you stand out in a sea of sameness?
The answer, then and now, is the experience. In that 2023 article, I introduced four foundational customer expectations: accuracy, availability, partnership and advice. These concepts, which originate from the book The Elements of Great Managing by Jim Harter, are grounded in extensive research and remain deeply relevant. Members expect fitness facilities to deliver what you promise, be there when they need you, include them in the process and help them improve.
However, as I continue to work closely with fitness facilities across the country and reflect on my years as a club owner, my thinking has evolved. The most successful organizations consistently create experiences that are not only accurate and available but also easy, effective and enjoyable. These three qualities have become the foundation of how we coach teams, train leaders and shape the entire member journey. They are simple to remember, but when applied with purpose, they transform everything.
1. Easy: reduce friction, increase loyalty
At our club, we used to obsess over convenience. Could members find a parking spot without stress? Was the signage clear? Did the mobile app simplify or complicate the check-in process?
What we and many facilities we now work with have learned is that people do not return to experiences that feel confusing or frustrating. If booking a class requires too many clicks, if a cancellation policy is hidden under layers of dropdown menus, or if your front desk messaging changes depending on who is working, members will notice. And when they do, they start to disengage.
This is where two of the foundational expectations I mentioned earlier — accuracy and availability — become visible in the day-to-day experience.
Making things easy starts with getting the details right every time. Your class schedule, billing process and policies must be clear and consistent across every channel. Just as important, your services must be accessible. If your systems are down, your staff members are unavailable or your signage is confusing, it creates friction that erodes trust.
The best way to uncover these deficiencies is to walk through your systems from a member’s point of view. Try registering for a class, canceling a booking or navigating your website from a mobile phone just like a first-time visitor would. I do this regularly with clients, and it consistently reveals small but significant opportunities for improvement. When you eliminate obstacles and make the experience feel seamless and straightforward, people tend to stay and recommend it to others.
2. Effective: deliver on your promise
Early in my career, I thought friendliness was the gold standard. And while it still matters, I have learned that effectiveness — actually helping members get results — is what drives long-term loyalty. People join a fitness facility with a goal in mind. If your product or service does not help them move toward that goal, the experience falls short, no matter how warm the welcome.
Effectiveness means your systems work, your employees are equipped to support members, and your services deliver what they promise. At our club, we built onboarding around helping people get started with intention. Not just handing them a keytag, but guiding them toward the right programs and resources to meet their goals.
We also took feedback seriously. We utilized the Net Promoter Score to track member loyalty, hosted a member advisory group to gather honest insights and trained our staff to conduct quick pulse surveys at key moments in the member journey. These tools helped us listen, adapt and improve, while demonstrating to members that their voices mattered. That sense of partnership is key. When people feel heard and see their input lead to action, they feel more connected and committed.
Members want more than mere access. They want to learn, grow and improve with your support. If you can consistently deliver that kind of value, they will see your facility as essential to their success, they will stay longer per visit and long-term, and they will be more likely to encourage others to seek membership, as well.
3. Enjoyable: make it memorable
This is where fitness has a natural advantage. We are not just providing access to equipment or classes. We are creating a space where people can feel better, both physically and emotionally.
What makes the experience enjoyable is not the machines or the facility. It is the people. It is the energy. It is the relationships.
At our club, we trained staff members to focus on connection. We encouraged them to get to know our clients by name, ask about their families, follow up on their goals and look for small ways to show they care. The result was more than good service. This approach created a sense of belonging.
Years ago, I heard a speaker at a conference say, “People quit gyms, but they do not quit Jims.” That stuck with me. When the experience is enjoyable because of a real relationship with someone on your team, members stay. They keep showing up, even when life gets busy or motivation dips.
I have seen other clubs embrace this by empowering staff to create personal moments. Whether it is a handwritten note, a welcome back message, or just a warm and sincere greeting, these efforts build trust and connection. This is also where the idea of partnership becomes real. When members feel seen, supported and genuinely cared for, they stop feeling like just another number. They feel like they’re part of something. That emotional connection is what makes the experience memorable and keeps people coming back.
And this dynamic benefits not only the member, but the team, too. When staff are encouraged to engage, their jobs become more meaningful and more fun.
Easy, effective and enjoyable — these principles build on the customer expectations that I had introduced previously in this space. They do not replace those ideas of accuracy, availability, partnership and advice. They bring them to life.
Accuracy and availability lay the groundwork for ease and effectiveness. Partnership transforms a routine interaction into something meaningful. And advice, the most advanced level of service, turns your facility into more than a place to work out. It becomes a place to grow.
So here is my challenge, viewed through an evolved lens. Take a fresh look at your member experience. Are your systems intuitive, or are they causing frustration? Are your staff members solving problems, or just being friendly? Are you building genuine emotional connections, or merely providing access?
The good news is that you do not need a large budget or a major tech overhaul to start improving. Begin by identifying one area of friction. Empower one team member to take ownership of a better solution. Create one unexpected moment of joy for someone walking through your doors. Small changes, applied with intention, create powerful momentum.
When the experience is easy, people show up. When it is effective, they stick around. When it is enjoyable, they tell their friends. That is how we set ourselves apart in this industry, and that is how we make a lasting impact.
