Keep It Simple

With the end of the year just around the corner, I am sure you and your teams have been preparing for 2018. With that in mind, I was thinking about how we often over complicate our priorities and focuses. Sometimes we feel the need to start over or redo what we have set up for our plans and retention efforts from the past year.

In 2018, I encourage you to instead simplify your retention efforts. Focus on one area you want to improve and go after that. It could be your onboarding process, your member lifecycle, net promotor score or club usage. Most retention plans incorporate all of these things and many more. However, how many things can you, your management and frontline teams really focus on at once?

If you have had the “do it all” mindset this year, switch it up and focus on the largest impact area to start. Maybe that is the focus all year or the first half of the year. I would suggest spending at least six months, if not the whole year, on that focus before considering switching to a new one.

With that in mind, you can really spend adequate time on developing the actions to go behind your retention focus. Better communicate what behavior changes and processes are needed from your team — and then train those skills.

Below are a few areas you may want to consider choosing from. Remember, only pick one:

• Improving the member onboarding process
• Increasing member usage
• Soliciting feedback from members effectively
• Elevating customer service and staff training
• Helping members reach their fitness goals
• Preventative maintenance and timely repairs
• Eliminating an area of member frustration

Focus on one of the above topics and eliminate an area that is holding you back. Further impact your member’s life, add value, and then watch member loyalty and retention climb. Good luck in 2018.

Andrew Barranco is regional operations and aquatics manager for Merritt Clubs. Email him at abarranco@merrittclubs.com.