Who you gonna call? Gym Owner Monthly Article

The phone has become such a vital part of our lives, we sometimes need reminding where it started. Your members might have an app (or several) that track their fitness, enable them to book classes, stay in touch with their PT, or receive a reminder about their next appointment. But did you know you can also make and receive phone calls?

Despite privacy concerns and worries over app addiction, the fitness industry is racing along on the wave of social media and internet, particularly for sales and marketing, but also for member engagement. In September 2017, the average person scrolled through 300 feet of social feed per day [socialmediaweek], which is the same size as the Statue of Liberty. (The article talks about engagement in a faster flowing social stream). I’m a big fan of technology, and have published some compelling case studies showing the positive effect of apps and software on member retention. But I want to show you that we shouldn’t forget the old methods too.


I encourage you to take a step back and make phone calls to your members. Phone conversations are like hugs; there are not enough of them these days. We rely on email, messages, or push notifications, which have their place, but they just don’t have the same effect as a phone conversation, or even a well-intended, succinct voicemail.

In the same way that a postcard or letter can have a bigger effect due to its rarity, a phone call will stand out. It takes time and effort but is worth it for the return. The wow factor of a call will be appreciated as great customer service, and shared with family and friends.

Sometimes members won’t answer because they don’t recognise your number (and sometimes because they do!), but you can leave a message, and show that you’ve reached out to them personally. If the first time you call a member is about being absent, a missed payment, or cancellation, it’s going to be a more difficult call. So, put in the groundwork now, and you’ll reduce the chance of making those difficult calls in future! When a member joins, you might want to tell them they’ll be getting a 7-day call so they’re expecting it.

Start with why

Before you start to dial, think about why you’re calling the member. What are they going to get out of it? How will you make them feel more motivated after the call, and what will they tell their friends? You need to make the call positive and think about giving rather than getting… after all, the person you’re about to speak with is paying your wages (even if they’re absent or about to leave). Give them some of that amazing customer service we were talking about last month!

7-day call

Many organisations claim to make the new member welcome call at 7-days, or sometimes in the first few weeks. Very few do it well, or consistently, and that’s a great loss. As a gym owner, you must call your new members in the first couple of weeks as a common courtesy.
Thank them for joining, ask how they’re getting on, have they had an induction/booked a class/downloaded your app. Check their expectations are being met (or exceeded), talk about their goals and the staff and members they’ve met so far.
If there are any issues, establish how you can sort them out. Make a note to call them back to check the issue has been resolved. If the conversation’s going well, ask when they’re bringing a friend, or check they don’t want to cancel.

Absentee calls

Some people still advocate not waking sleeping members because they might cancel. They are wrong. The trick is to call members who are recently absent, rather than those who’ve not visited for years. We offer member communications services to message absentees, but phone calls are by far the best way to get them back. A small percentage of absentees will cancel, but the rest always appreciate the call.
In recent analysis of over 1,500 absentee gym calls we found the word ‘back’ mentioned in 76% of calls, ‘busy’ and ‘thanks’ was said in 53%, ‘soon’ 34%, and ‘away’ 31%. There’s a big drop off, and lots more common comments before you get to ‘suspension’ at 11%.

Cancellations

Let’s bust another myth; not all members who want to leave hate you. Some can be saved, but if you don’t call them, you’re unlikely to save them. Calling cancellations gives you the chance to get the member back, or at the very least, get some feedback that you might use to save a member next month. Try to make time to call them all; the more you call, the more you’ll learn, and you’ll get the chance to save more members.

If you’re leaving a message, use a checklist to make sure you’re concise, mention all the relevant points, and give them a number to call back (preferably the number you’re calling from), so you can have the conversation. Follow-up with an email or SMS if it’s a critical call.

Who’s gonna make the call?

Finally, who is the best person to make each call? Should the 7-day call be made by reception or the salesperson, or is the instructor best placed? It depends on your club, but the best person is the one most likely to actually do it. Which is often you, the gym owner.

So, don’t be a stranger, or allow your members to become ghosts. Pick up the phone, make the call, and really get in touch with your members today.

This article was originally published in the April 2020 issue of Gym Owner Monthly.
Book a free coaching call (normally £75) with Guy at ggfit.com/gom during the COVID-19 lockdown.