Turning Members into Cleaning Partners.
It takes a village to keep a fitness facility clean. The pursuit of cleanliness doesn’t stop at a few cleaning products or hiring a cleaning service. It takes a supportive staff and most importantly, engaged members to maintain a clean facility. Gyms that create an environment that encourages everyone to play a role in cleaning benefit from happier members, enhanced safety, longer-lasting equipment and a healthier bottom line.
Here are a few ways to turn gym members into cleaning partners:
Set The Tone
When new members sign up, walk them through what’s expected of them: from wiping down equipment after use, to disposing of paper cups and towels. It’s also valuable to mention the gym’s commitment to cleanliness to prospective members. A recent study found that 83 percent of gym members consider how clean a facility is when choosing between gyms.
Signage
A little goes a long way: using signs around the gym and on cardio equipment to remind members to wipe up after a workout can make a world of difference when it comes to keeping cleaning top-of-mind.
Stay Stocked
Be sure to stay sufficiently stocked on cleaning supplies like gym wipes, disinfectants, spray bottles and more. Some companies offer auto-shipment programs to eliminate any worries about reordering or running out of supplies.
Walk The Talk
Enlist the manager and gym staff to lead by example and make cleaning a priority. Staff should always pick up after others when needed and be trained and kept up-to-date on the latest cleaning protocol. By demonstrating a commitment to cleanliness, gym staff can inspire members to engage in keeping the facility clean.
Report & Respond
By allowing dirt or trash to linger unattended to, it encourages others to repeat the behavior. To prevent this, gyms should create a system to report wet floors, dirty bathrooms, littering and other common issues. Reporting can take place in the form of direct communication to available staff or through anonymous means such as a suggestion box or an SMS service. Additionally, offering speedy responsiveness to such complaints lets members know that a gym means business when it comes to tackling issues of cleanliness.
A Culture of Clean
A clean fitness facility plays an important role in membership satisfaction, and ultimately, the success of a fitness facility. Culture is not built or changed overnight, but by taking steps towards making cleanliness a priority, gyms can begin to reap the benefits of a member-driven effort to maintain a clean facility.
Jeff Stripp is vice president of marketing and sales at Zogics with more than 20 years in the service and customer experience industry. He can be reached at jeff@zogics.com or 413-776-0239.
