Two Key Factors in Improving Your Retention

We’re heading into the home stretch of the year. Are you still looking for what you can do to improve your retention?

Here are two key areas that we all can improve in, regardless of how good we are currently doing: One, improve your welcome desk staff friendliness and two, increase club cleanliness.

Friendliness is a simple and yet powerful coaching opportunity for your front desk teams, and one commonly overlooked. We have found one of the top drivers for member retention is directly tied to the welcome desk team being friendly. It’s that initial and final experience that the front desk controls. In fact, the friendliness of the welcome desk can be even more important than the overall club friendliness. Sounds simple right? It is simple, yet not easy.

“H.A.P.P.Y” is an easy acronym to teach your teams to be happy at the desk. These even can be used to identify happy people in interviews.

Helpful: Look for opportunities to assist members.

Approachable: Body language, position and stance are important keys to be open and friendly.

Pleasant: Be a joy to interact with, smile.

Prepared: Be knowledgeable, expect questions and know how to respond to them.

You: Own it. Being happy and friendly is a choice that reflects on you personally.

The experience members have when they come through your doors and the interaction with your staff continues into the second driver: your club cleanliness.

This key driver of member retention gauges how well the club is maintained and cleaned on a daily basis. Having dirty equipment or simply running out of gym wipes are easy reasons for a member to look elsewhere. It is imperative to have a strong housekeeping team, managers and front line teams that are constantly aware of the club and its presentation. All of these factors can go a long way in reducing your member turnover.