The Proven, 5-Prong Client Experience Strategy that Wows Members Every Time

“People everywhere are just completing tasks to move onto the next to-do item. They’re going through the motions. They’re reading scripts. There’s no ownership.”

That’s how a flourishing, multi-location gym owner recently described the state of client experience in the fitness industry. 

Sadly, his evaluation is more true than we’d like it to be. 

While most fitness professionals are bought in on the idea that client experience is no longer a differentiator but a necessity, not everyone subscribes to the vision of a highly-individualized, relational approach to client care.

To do it well, it takes work. A LOT of work.

It also takes intentionality.

And it takes a team that’s on mission to get it done.

Achieving insane client lifetime values and maintaining a nearly 100% retention rate isn’t impossible…but it’s not going to happen by accident. With a comprehensive 5-pronged client experience strategy, you’ll have the foundational elements in place to wow your members every single time they interact with your business.

If that’s what you’re aiming for, you’re in the right place! Let’s dive into the 5 essential prongs that make up an airtight client experience strategy: 

1.) Personalization:

Every interaction needs to be crafted to meet that individual’s needs. The pleasantries exchanged, the programs designed, the cards sent…they all need to speak to the individual member you’re interacting with. 

This is what distinguishes the “customer service as a task” mentality from the “customer service as a mission” mentality. Personalization demonstrates to members that you understand their specific needs, and that you actually care to personally connect with them (they’re not just dollar signs to you!). 

2.) Resolution:

Unfortunately, problems are inevitable when you’re running a business. Equipment will break; programs might disappoint; phone calls may be missed. The power in the Resolution prong is in YOUR ability to turn a poor experience into a great one.

Accepting and correcting an issue does wonders for humanizing the business, taking responsibility (which clients expect AND respect), and also fostering long-term relationships. As a gym owner, it is your responsibility to dictate resolution protocols so you and your team know exactly how to respond when (not if!) things go wrong.

The power in the Resolution prong is in YOUR ability to turn a poor experience into a great one.

3.) Friction Reduction:

Friction reduction is based on the idea that everything your members do to interact with your business – from paying for their services to throwing their car keys and water bottle in a cubby before class to walking out to the parking lot – takes time and energy. Precious time and energy.

In a world of instant gratification in which people would rather take a pill than exercise for better health, designing as many ways as possible to reduce friction for members goes a LONG WAY in building excitement and commitment in your gym.

Here are a few rhetorical questions to get you thinking about friction reduction…

• How fast and easy is your payment system for members? If you’re constantly chasing down late payments or you’re still selling training packages (versus recurring monthly memberships on auto-pay), what can you do to make the payment process simpler and less frequent for members?
• Scheduling can be a tricky topic for training gyms. Is your scheduling process user-friendly, intuitive, and done on-demand by members? Do you have automated reminders built into your system so members don’t have to spend energy on inputting each session into their calendars?
• How much friction do your members encounter looking for a parking spot when they arrive at your gym? Is there anything you can do as a business to make the in-and-out process painless for members?

4.) Empowered Teams:

One of our partner affiliates Rachel Cosgrove said it best: “We’re not in the fitness business; we’re in the relationship business.” Ultimately, everything we do is about people – both our customers and our teams. 

It can be shockingly easy to neglect our teams when building our client experience strategies, but that would be a huge mistake. Engaged employees create engaged customers. Employees are engaged when they’re empowered and part of a business where their voices are heard. 

5.) Compassion & Empathy:

This is the linchpin of your business. Don’t underestimate the importance of this fifth prong – your ability to understand your members; know their desires, needs, and values; and, demonstrate sincere care for them as well as your employees will make or break your business. Authentic human connections are so powerful in driving customer loyalty and belonging within your community. 

Lead with these FIVE qualities to design your customer experience and you will have a powerful mechanism for not only growing your business and retaining your clients, but you’ll also be making the fitness industry (and world!) a better place. 

Are you bought in on the proven, 5-pronged approach to client experience, but are stuck with how to get started and apply it to YOUR business? You’re not alone…but the good news is Naamly can help. Our super simple communications and operations platform helps gym owners everywhere deliver a stellar customer experience while reducing friction, empowering staff, and building strong client-business relationships.

Elevate your gym’s client experience with a proven 5-prong strategy that wows members every time – simplified by the Naamly Guide for Operations!