We’re witnessing an unparalleled evolution – both of the fitness market and in relation to consumer demand – and health club operators and owners who embrace these opportunities stand to benefit.
Despite economic challenges, consumers are prioritising spend on health and fitness and Xplor’s recent attrition research found that even with volatile inflation rates, just 4.4 per cent of UK health club members cancelled due to cost and financial reasons in the first part of 2023.
This prioritisation of health and fitness is further demonstrated by the latest data from insight firm, LeisureDB, which shows the fitness industry penetration rate has risen to 15.1 per cent in the UK. Members are returning to their health clubs and they’re spending more, with reported market value increasing 11.5 per cent year-on-year.
However, operating costs have risen rapidly and operators are facing staffing challenges, with demand for talent and salary expectations high, so doing more with less is imperative.
Personalisation is non-negotiable
As we head into 2024, member expectations are higher than ever and consumers are increasingly demanding personalised experiences.
McKinsey found 71 per cent of people expect personalisation and 76 per cent get frustrated if they don’t get it.
Other industries have set the bar high and on a daily basis, members consistently experience seamless personalisation from the likes of Amazon, Netflix and Spotify.
To satisfy members today and into the future, operators must pay attention to how they feel at every touchpoint and those who anticipate their needs and consistently delight will succeed in retaining members.
Work smarter not harder
Delivering personal service effectively at scale is challenging and tech is essential to overcoming this challenge – tech that makes use of automation can enable operators to scale personalised experiences.
A recent integration between Xplor Gym’s fitness club management software and the Technogym Mywellness CRM has been designed to deliver personalisation at scale.
Operators can work smarter, not harder, with this automation on their side, enabling them to easily personalise the entire member experience, from the initial on-boarding right through to programme customisation.
This helps each member throughout their journey with automated engagement, the management of payments and access to additional services – both in-club and at home.
“The integration provides a single app that can be tailored to the services provided by individual health clubs,” says James Barter, head of partnerships at Xplor.
“Even at scale, this exciting end-to-end solution allows operators to seamlessly deliver the level of personalisation consumers demand, so people get more value from their membership, staying motivated and engaged throughout their fitness journey.”
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