Is Customer Service Dead? - Gym Owner Monthly Article

When people ask what I do, I usually say that I help gyms to get their members to stick around. “Ah, that’s a big problem” they say, “what’s the secret?” Customer Service is my quick answer, at which point they often tell me a horror story of bad customer service, sometimes at a gym, other times completely unrelated to fitness.

Studies show that a satisfied customer will tell 2-3 people about their experience. A dissatisfied member will share their story with 8-10 people, and some will push that number to twenty.

With the advent of low-cost gyms, customer service has all but died across the fitness industry.
We assume, or believe, that a lot of members are experienced (hint: they’re not - see “Are You Experienced”, GOM Feb ’20). Boutique clubs have brought in new experiences, and are starting to revitalise customer service, but it should be one of your key differentiators, as it is an essential weapon in the retention battle.

Great customer service is not “is everything OK with your meal?”, or “do you want fries with that?” It’s listening and noticing something about your members and making them feel special. You need to under-promise and over-deliver, as most of the fitness industry does the opposite. Use this to your advantage, many members have low expectations, so it’s sometimes not too difficult to WOW them!

Here’s three ways to think about delivering great customer service and using it as a unique retention tool in your club.

First impressions

If you have discovered anything about a new member during the join process, show them you’ve remembered it (or read it in their notes). It could be from an online joining form, a messenger chat, or sales discovery appointment. Bring this information back up during the welcome session, rather than asking for it again. A common new member complaint is having to share goals or joining reasons 2 or 3 times in the new member process.

Think about booking a doctor’s appointment, sharing your medical condition with the receptionist, and then the doctor asks, “so what seems to be the problem?”. Isn’t it better when they know why you’re there already? And it saves time, energy, and embarrassment. Don’t be frustrating, be refreshing!

Another great first impression is to find an appropriate fitness class for a new member, book them onto the class, and attend the class with them to help them feel comfortable. Especially if it’s not one of your favourite classes! If you go to a new member’s first class with them, they’re more likely to attend. If a new member attends a class early in their membership, they’re more likely to stick around longer.

Follow-up

A follow-up after a class, or other appointment is another example of good customer service. Over-deliver by making a follow-up call or sending a message to personalise the experience, and show you care.

Calling a member 7-days after they join really should be a no-brainer. Sending a birthday card (not email), or a “Wish you were here” absentee postcard can make a big difference. These are simple WOW moments that will be shared with their family and friends.

The National Blood Service do this so well. You get a couple of reminders before your appointment, drinks and biscuits immediately afterwards (expected service), then an SMS saying thank you, plus a bonus SMS telling you where your blood has gone. It’s unnecessary, but a crucial part of getting more people to donate.

In-club

Look out for members who might need help. Let them know that you’re there for them if they need you. Many of them won’t be ready to ask for assistance yet, but when they are, you’ll be there for them. If you gave a great first impression and followed up the appointment, you should remember the member’s name. If not, check your front of house system, ask other staff, or failing that, bite the bullet and ask the member to remind you.

Just because someone’s wearing headphones, it doesn’t mean they don’t want to talk. Acknowledge them with a nod or a wave, and eventually they’ll nod or wave back. Now you’ve started the process, you can build up to delivering great customer service to that member. If you continue to blank each other, it’s going to be much more difficult, or even impossible!

Beat your competition

Deliver great customer experiences around your club and you will stand head and shoulders above your competition. Make sure first impressions count, follow-up with care and exceed expectations, and let people know you’re there for them… why else are you there?

Imagine that your job today is to deliver such an amazing customer experience that your members will talk about it to all their friends, and when someone mentions customer service, they’ll rush to tell everyone about the experience at your gym, rather than sharing a negative story.

This article was originally published in the March 2020 issue of Gym Owner Monthly.

Guy co-founded The Collective - a platform for fitness professionals to share, collaborate and grow. Find out more at facebook.com/groups/thefitlinkscollective.
Book a coaching call with him at ggfit.com/gom