When choosing a facility to start training at and become a regular member, it can be a good idea to figure out what your goals are and what you’re looking for from your gym.
Some fitness enthusiasts may want a sense of community, while others want a place to go and relax. Some may need active group coaching while others just want to focus on private training.
Here are some of the key things you may want to keep in mind while looking for the perfect business to visit, or while setting up your own facility for your members.
Whether it’s a trainer with a specialization, a particular piece of equipment you desperately want to use but can’t find anywhere, or a level of hygiene you want to see, finding a good gym can be a tough business.
What makes a gym ‘good’ may be largely subjective, but there are some core aspects that lift some to higher levels of comfort and satisfaction for members. Help with progress, feeling motivated and encouraged, and providing members with personalized experiences are some of the few things that make gyms amazing compared to others.
Regardless of the kind of service, the quality of customer service provided to consumers can make or break the brand.
It’s what leads to growing feedback, improvement, and customer loyalty. If you as a gym member don’t feel heard, you won’t be telling your friends to join you there and will look for other options for yourself too. If you seek the extra mile and want personal management that remembers your name and greets you, perhaps a smaller gym or club would suit your needs better.
Equipment that allows you to monitor your heart rate, calorie burn and more can be a plus to the engaged gym-goer who wants to monitor their progress.
The ability to access and make changes to your membership, bookings, and contact information online can also be a great feature for a gym to offer. Gyms that work with digital infrastructures tend to provide a more streamlined experience for their users and help make their service information as accessible as possible.
Additionally, mobile apps that provide an interactive and immersive experience for users can help generate a more personalized experience for all users.
If you prefer to go to a gym that wants you to be a part of their community, you may want to look for a gym that is active on social media such as Twitter and Instagram.
Creating hashtags and trending them with fitness challenges, healthy recipes for snacks, and tips and tricks for the best gym experience are what make gym members love their spots and stay loyal to them. Additionally, having access to tips and blog posts from experts in the field may be a bonus for those of you seeking advice from the very best.
Gym staff, whether trainers, receptionists, management, and cleaners usually ought to be respectful, helpful, and qualified for the roles they occupy in the running of the gym.
Some of the best-ranked gyms in America boast great customer service and communication between clients and staff. Gym enthusiasts ideally prefer to be greeted by trainers who are invested in their fitness journey and offer a friendly and supportive environment.
The layout of any space is important, and for a great gym experience, it can be helpful to know where to find exactly what you’re looking for.
The placement of equipment also matters in terms of space provided per person. If you need space to stretch and extend your arms, you don’t want to go to a gym that thinks storing a lot of equipment close together is a good idea.
Mirrors, on the other hand, are often a controversial topic for gyms. Many people love mirrors not just to check their progress out, but also to make sure their form is correct while working out. Some others though may find the presence of mirrors distracting. Depending on what you need, it’s best to judge where you get a membership. Some of the best gyms across the country have at least one full ceiling to floor mirror to ensure that customers who need it can glance at it.
An integral part of the layout that most people forget to consider is the floor. If your workout involves a lot of standing, sitting, and hand contact with the floor, you want to ensure that the material of the floor is comfortable, sturdy, and cleaned regularly. Even preparing for a heavy deadlift or dropping the same is greatly impacted by the kind of flooring and padding provided.
You’ve invested in your fitness journey and are pumped about becoming stronger. But when you search for the perfect gym, you find them full of cheap equipment that is worn down and seems unstable.
You will usually want to prioritize finding a gym that can boast of good quality equipment. Their investment shows that they care about durability, and don’t compromise to save on money. Each piece of equipment should be the highest industry standard to ensure a great workout experience each time. Additionally, it’s usually a good sign to see a gym responding to customer feedback promptly in the case of an equipment malfunction.
Access to a variety of types of equipment and weight options can also be useful in providing a varied and well-rounded workout experience.
Fitness classes and group training for different martial arts and training techniques are some of the best ways to attract and retain customers, and if they work for you, you may find yourself drawn to these gyms.
Classes may include MMA training, balance, wellness, yoga, pilates, weight training, HIIT training, and more! If you’re only comfortable attending gender-specific classes, you may want to look at gyms that offer those. Most of the best gyms in the country offer many variations of the same classes at different timings and with different trainers to provide a range of options.
If you work a 9 to 5 job then you may want to prioritize finding a gym that offers early or evening coaching sessions.
Not everyone wants to buy an annual membership plan, and not everyone can afford one.
Once you’ve decided what your goals are, what you need from a gym, and the time of day you can dedicate to your health, it can be worth doing your research into the various packages and memberships that are available.
Some gyms, for example, may offer a weekly rate, while some provide consultations with nutritionists, more flexible personal training session scheduling, and more.
Having the option of having a flexible membership on your own terms is something that is attributed to some of the best gyms in America and gives customers a sense of independence.
A well-managed fitness facility will often place the priorities of its members first, be well-organized, and be able to answer any queries you might have. Fitness management software can be a great option for gyms looking to keep their establishment running smoothly, making everything from scheduling to finances a great deal easier.
To learn more about how you can take your business to the next level, book a demo with Wodify. Our premiere fitness management software is an all-in-one solution that is specifically designed to facilitate growth. Get in touch with us today!
