Don’t let locker room maintenance become a burden or setback for your club — make it an opportunity for improvement.
First impressions are the most important — they last. The first place club members go before hitting the treadmill is the locker room. So, making sure the locker room is always in tip-top shape is very important. Members expect clean, fully-stocked and accessible locker rooms. Here is some advice to keeping up with locker room maintenance.
Cleanliness is the most important aspect to keeping up with locker rooms. No one wants to walk around barefoot on a dirty floor, or shower in a moldy shower. Cleaning the locker room daily is just as important as keeping up with cleaning gym equipment and the rest of the facility.
The first step to cleanliness is disinfecting the locker room from top to bottom. Make sure to mop the floors and wipe all counters and shower tiles.
The next step is to provide sanitary products for members themselves to use. Whether it’s leaving out hand sanitizer or making sure dispensers are always stocked with soap, having sanitary products available makes members feel as though other members are also using the products. Therefore, they have a sense that your overall facility is clean, as well.
The final step to cleanliness is simply being tidy. Towels and any other amenities should always be in the same place, neatly organized and readily available for use.
Another important aspect to keeping up with locker rooms is providing amenities for clients. Club members pay good money to belong to the facility, and they expect to receive amenities and services to get their money’s worth.
The most important amenity to provide for clients is towels. Members don’t want to have to bring their own every day to shower with after their workout. Provide clean, quality towels daily for members to use. Again, make sure they can always be found in the same place and that they are always readily available.
Other amenities that are always appreciated in a club’s locker rooms include soap, shampoo, conditioner and lotion. Anything to make life easier for members, in terms of what they must lug back and forth to the gym, is usually well-received.
Another important aspect to keeping up with your locker rooms is simply having a presence. Rather then merely checking and cleaning up at the beginning and end of the day, routinely send staff members to make sure that all is well in the locker rooms. By having a presence, members have the opportunity to ask any questions or address any concerns they may have up front, and they have a sense that the locker room is clean due to continuous checking-in by staff members.
The last aspect to keeping up with your locker rooms that can be very important to the overall success of your club is the opportunity to provide suggestions. Locker rooms, unlike the workout areas, are a place for conversation and socializing. Any complaints or ideas from members surface there.
As health club owners, it is very important to listen and take into account any suggestions from members in order to make sure they remain satisfied with their experience. Provide suggestion boxes in locker rooms so that members can anonymously suggest their ideas. Try to accommodate at least one suggestion per month, showing members that the staff truly does care about their happiness and experience at the club.
Overall, the upkeep of locker rooms is very important to the success of any health club. The look and feel of the locker rooms leaves a real impression on members, and if members are impressed they will let you know! Keeping locker rooms pristine and clean, providing amenities, having a presence and providing the opportunity for suggestions are four simple steps that will really “wow” members and make them feel as though they are truly appreciated at their health club. Don’t let locker room maintenance become a burden or setback for your club — make it an opportunity for improvement.
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Jeff Stripp is the business development and marketing manager of Zogics. He can be contacted at 888.623.0088 or by e-mail at jeff@zogics.com.
