Troy Peterson, the chief operating officer for VASA Fitness, shares how to create a great member experience in the new normal.
Member experience is always top-of-mind for club operators. But after over a year of membership losses, it’s more important than ever to deliver a great experience.
According to Troy Peterson, the chief operating officer for VASA Fitness with 48 locations nationwide, one essential step to creating a great member experience is to make sure your members are well informed. “Club operators must ensure we are transparent with employees and keep them informed as to what’s happening in the business and why,” he said. “If we are clear with them, they can then be clear and transparent with members.”
In addition to clear communication, keeping equipment well-maintained, facilities spotless and providing employees with a fun environment — so they can create a fun and uplifting atmosphere in the clubs for members — are a few other elements Peterson said are vital.
“We at VASA think it will continue to be really important for members to feel safe working out in our clubs,” explained Peterson. “Cleanliness is a bigger priority now than ever before due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also believe members are looking for us to provide them with a human connection and a fitness community where they are recognized — all of this was absent from our members’ lives during the pandemic.”
People may be looking for more than connection and community after the pandemic. In a recent analysis by industry consultant Rick Caro, in partnership with the top membership payment processing companies in the U.S., a reported 22% of all fitness facilities have now closed their doors, so people may be looking for a new gym to call home.
With this in mind, it’s crucial for clubs to engage on a personal level with every single person who steps foot in their facility.
“Club staff should always be approachable, helpful, and willing to help solve problems and provide recognition,” said Peterson. “We try to always provide a good experience by knowing what’s happening in each club, so members feel supported and taken care of.”
Peterson and his team are able to communicate and track their members’ experiences through their proprietary VASA app. Members utilize the app to check-in, book classes, learn about club updates, earn badges for workouts, refer friends, manage their accounts easily, and more. This allows the team to fully understand what is going on inside their facilities and how they can improve the overall atmosphere.
With the trials and tribulations of closures, mask and vaccine mandates, and more it has been challenging for some facilities to provide a great overall experience for their members. VASA is taking what it has learned over the last year and a half to improve and prepare for the future.
“We are excited about the future and believe we will be a better brand and gym post-COVID by taking what we’ve learned and implementing new ideas and innovations like our Burn & Earn rewards program and our innovative new STUDIO FLOW infrared yoga offering,” said Peterson. “We look forward to future growth and continuing to bring accessible and affordable high-quality fitness to as many communities as possible.”
Great article and information. Customer experience is key!!