In the case of one particular chain of luxury fitness clubs, upholding the very highest standards on all those qualities is a cornerstone for success.
When you think about health club experiences, what differentiates one club from the next? Chances are, qualities come to mind such as cleanliness, service and whether or not the equipment is always in good working order.
In the case of one particular chain of luxury fitness clubs, upholding the very highest standards on all those qualities is a cornerstone for success. More than aesthetics or top-notch amenities — which the clubs certainly have — what really sets them apart as a five-star experience is premium service.
A manager who runs one of the company’s flagship locations says he runs the club as though it belongs to the members. The ability to immediately respond to members’ needs is a key element in always making them feel valued and important.
To promote the ideal that members have the best experience at any given moment, the club relies on communication solutions – specifically, paging devices and two-way radios – from LRS in all its locations from coast to coast.
The devices have helped improve communications with customers and increase staff efficiency, leading to an even better guest experience.
Pagers Calm Anxious Parents, Make Staff More Efficient
The club provides members with a child care center so parents can leave their little ones in good hands during workouts. As the manager explains, some parents get anxious being separated from their children if they can’t be reached instantly.
Another challenge for for the club is accommodating the dual role of membership advisors. The club needs staff out on the floor, getting to know the members and attending to their needs. However, membership advisors also need to be available up front to greet and assist prospective members, and to ensure all equipment is clean and in good repair at all times.
LRS paging devices have helped the club with both challenges. To provide parents with peace of mind, members who leave their young ones in the child care center during workouts are given a guest pager so they’re reachable if needed.
“It’s a huge comfort level for parents to know that they are always connected if their child becomes upset or needs anything,” the manager says.
Membership advisors use an LRS staff pager, allowing them to optimize time not spent with prospective members. Since they know they’ll be paged when a guest walks in, membership advisors are free to walk the floor, interacting with members, resetting equipment, picking up towels and keeping the club in tip-top shape.
“We have a high level of service expectation,” the manager says, and pagers allow staff members to provide it. “We are there, getting to know the members and being out there, always on the lookout. This gives another four to five sets of eyes.”
Two-way Radios Keep Staff in the Loop
At the front desk and in the maintenance department, managers on duty (MODs) are equipped with two-way radios from LRS. The instant one-to-many communications allows MODs to respond to safety issues immediately, quickly address member inquiries and monitor the condition of equipment.
The radios also improve teamwork because trainers, front-desk attendants and other staff are able to relay needs to the maintenance staff quickly.
“The last thing I want is a member to have to come notify us,” the manager says.
Overall, he says, the adoption of LRS technology has led to grateful parents, improved staff efficiency and better response times to guest needs. The use of two-way radios for club maintenance is key to the club’s commitment to member service.
“Having the ability to be in contact so quickly is an important part of how we deliver exceptional service for our members every day,” he says.
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Michelle Strong is chief marketing officer at LRS and an advocate for meaningful customer engagement.