According to The Weather Channel, winter storm “Nemo,” has the potential to be a historic, crippling blizzard that will seriously impact fitness clubs and their members throughout the Northeast.
The Weather Channel reported that the storm has the potential for two to three feet of snowfall, along with hurricane-like wind gusts and some coastal flooding.
Boston Sports Clubs, which has locations across the Boston, Mass. area, has prepared its clubs to close at 3 p.m. EST as a result of Nemo. “Upper management has been meeting to decide the best course of action,” said Alexandra Palmer, the customer service manager at Boston Sports Club in Bulfinch, a suburb of Boston. “Whenever we close early, we put a message on our answering machine that informs our members of the early closing, and we post a sign on the door.”
In addition, Palmer said social media could be a great aid in keeping in touch with members about unexpected closings. “Social media is a platform that’s very helpful for that,” she said.
Keith Worts, the CEO of Crunch Fitness, said the company works hard to be as prepared as possible for severe weather conditions, such as Nemo. Superstorm Sandy affected many of Crunch Fitness’ New York clubs — it caused power outages and flooding damage — when it hit the East Coast in October 2012.
“First and foremost we want to ensure that our employees and members are safe, so when there are dangerous conditions or transportation shutdowns, we have had to modify our hours or close a club,” explained Worts. “The majority of our employees use mass-transit; as long as that is up and running, then we are typically open for business. However after Sandy, several of our staff walked from the outer boroughs of New York City to get our clubs open and ensure operating supplies were available.”
To communicate effectively with members and staff during severe weather, Crunch has turned to social media, e-mail and club signage. “Because we are making decisions as the storm progresses and information from the city is released, it’s important to keep our members informed,” said Worts.
After a severe weather situation, Worts said the company reviewed what occurred and how they could improve. “After every major storm, our operations team gets together and discusses areas of opportunity to continue to make improvements to our emergency procedures and communication plans,” said Worts.
For information about Nemo’s progress, and if your area will be affected, visit www.weather.com.
By Rachel Zabonick
Stay ahead in the fitness industry with exclusive updates!
Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
