Member feedback is an essential component of a club’s success, allowing leadership teams to make adjustments and add new amenities based on what members want and need. MXM, Medallia’s partner in the fitness industry, makes it easier than ever for clubs to get, and act on, their members’ feedback.
Here, Diane Best, the director of club operations at East Bank Club, shares why her club considers MXM to be a critical part of its operations and member engagement strategy:
How were you introduced to MXM and why did you decide to partner with them?
DB: I was first introduced to Medallia back in 2006, and was part of the implementation team that brought the system into Gold’s Gym International. I kept in touch with Blair — franchisor/franchisee relationship at that time — through the years because his gyms were consistently present in the top rankings and we wanted to learn from him so we could improve our Net Promoter Score (NPS). When I became the director of club operations at East Bank Club, we needed to establish a consistent platform for feedback, so I sought demos and pricing from a few enterprise feedback management (EFM) systems. After reviewing the options, we determined that MXM was the best fit for our club. They provided exactly what we needed at an affordable price, and already having a relationship with Blair and his team added value and trust that we were making the right decision.
What changes have you made to your club as a result of insights from MXM?
DB: MXM initially custom-built an unsolicited feedback platform for us to replace our manual comment cards. After implementation, we went from receiving 15 manual comment cards to 70 digital submissions per week. We actively review and respond to the comments and suggestions received through both platforms (unsolicited and solicited NPS surveys) and have significantly changed our operating practices — from amenities offered to services we provide — as a result. Our green initiatives have expanded, guest check-in procedures at the front reception changed in order to minimize member wait times, and we added filtered water stations and extended our children’s activity center hours — these are just a few examples of how this valuable feedback has impacted our operation.
Why is it important for club operators to survey their members in some capacity?
DB: I think it’s important to remember when surveying, you need more than just the feedback. You need uniform metrics for each part of the member journey that allows teams, from your front desk to housekeeping, to understand their role in member loyalty. MXM goes way beyond Net Promoter Score. It is a system for building member loyalty. Our members want and need to be heard. It is amazing the things we’ve learned from our members’ experiences that we may have never learned otherwise. We have received so much valuable feedback from them, and they are appreciative when they receive a response or see a change was made based on their submission. We feel this is one of the most important things we can do to gauge our members’ overall satisfaction, and improve retention.
How would you describe MXM’s customer service and support?
DB: Unbelievable. From Day 1, their response and resolution times have been incredible. They make us feel as if we are their only client.
Why should other club operators consider working with MXM?
DB: I have worked with other EFM systems in the past and experienced challenges with the accuracy of the data, as well as poor customer service support. MXM far exceeds every platform I have experienced, as it relates to accuracy, support and overall ease of functionality.
For more information, check out mxmetrics.com.
