One of the biggest causes of membership attrition is a lack of interaction by gym staff with members.

A number of studies have outlined the importance of interacting with members and how this directly impacts retention rates.

For example health club members who were at risk of canceling and receive an interaction which lead to a commitment to utilize the health club at a future date, were 45% less likely to cancel in the subsequent month compared to similar members who received no interaction, according to the IHRSA Member Retention Report.

So how can you improve interaction levels at your health club?

Maximising levels of interaction with your members should always be a major focus for your health club.

Set time for gym floor interaction

What gets scheduled gets done!

As a manager, take the time to allocate time for each gym floor instructor that is set aside for interacting with members. It may be 1-hour per shift but if every trainer does this it can result in a large volume interactions being completed each month. Consider setting targets such as a certain number of interactions per shift or per week. This measurement can help drive accountability and give staff something to aim for as a team.

Automate messages

Your team only has so much time to allocate to interacting with members. A lot of their time is taken up in appointments, team meetings etc. You can substitute a lack of time availability by using automated communications to help interact and engage with members. Automated messages don’t have to be impersonal. Ideally, you want to create your copy in a way that seems like it is a direct one to one communication with the member. Automated messages are also great to help educate members and help move them through the steps of progression. You may also wish to segment automated communications based on member demographics, goals and experience levels.

The position of front desk

A simple trick to increase interactions with members of your health club is to change the position of the front desk. Consider putting the gym desk near the entrance of the gym where every member walks passed on their way into the gym. Generally, a staff member will be positioned at your gym desk and can therefore greet and start conversations with members as they arrive. All staff need to do is smile, make eye contact and say “hi” and this will instantly increase the level of interaction with members.

Hiring the right kind of staff

Increasing interaction and engagement levels with members starts with hiring the right staff. You want to hire gym instructors that are outgoing and have a friendly personality. Often we can make the mistake of hiring for technical skills whilst overlooking the personality type of the candidate. I would prefer a gym instructor with an average technical knowledge with a bubbly personality rather than a “guru” trainer that has the personality of a brick wall.

Messaging tool/help desk

Give members an easy way to ask questions and seek support. This may be a designated support email or messaging platform. You want to publicise this avenue as much as possible to ensure members are aware that they can ask for help whenever they require assistance. A simple email such as help@healthclubname.com can be a great start to encourage members to seek assistance.