Brian Rawlings, the vice president for FITLIFE, shares best practices to keep in mind as the weather gets colder and operations move online.
Over the past three years, the world has gone more online than ever before. Club members, operators and owners have needed to think creatively to tackle public health and economic challenges among others. This year, as the cold weather moves in, members will once again be seeking remote activities and indoor experiences at their clubs. For many club owners, this presents an opportunity to expand offerings and operations, but there are risks that they need to be aware of as we move toward winter.
With colder weather on the horizon, club owners need to keep the following best practices in mind:
1. Keep the indoors safe.
As more people ditch the morning run in favor of the exercise bike, indoor facilities will be pushed to their limits. The first priorities should be maintenance and hygiene. Prepare and implement a schedule for both and check that the schedules are followed daily. Also, as more guests move inside, consider setting dedicated storage areas aside for any equipment that needs maintenance. Additionally, confirm that your indoor space fits your needs. If a space is being used for indoor classes, make sure it’s well lit and has good sightlines for instructors and guests to see each other.
2. Equip your staff with what they need.
Just as your facility will need to be prepared, so too will your team. As we change seasons, now is a good time to review your staff’s certifications to ensure they have the training and skills they need to serve guests. Amid the current labor shortage, for those who can secure new staff, it’s likely that club owners will also have green team members who may need to be trained and certified.
3. Support your online guests.
During the pandemic, many clubs adopted live streaming and online classes for club guests who wanted to stay active from their own home. There is no reason not to provide these same services as the weather gets colder, but club owners should consider taking a a few extra steps to prepare for their virtual guests.
First, ensure all releases are signed and information is available for guests. This is for their safety as well as to protect the club. Second, check your streaming equipment and ensure all team members know how to use the cameras and computers needed to run an online class. Finally, do a test run to make sure all systems are working as intended.
Club owners, who want to ensure continued guest and employee satisfaction and safety should consider following these best practices for a healthy, profitable club that will take them well into the future.
