Advice from MobileFit on Facility Usage and Retention

Fitness technology experts MobileFit believe that making sure new health club members get off to a good start is key to increasing the membership duration.

MobileFit Australia's Lane Harrison explains that "one of the biggest problems health clubs face is in tracking members’ goal achievement and fitness progression.

“Using workout cards is a tiresome process and makes it difficult to spot trends. By contrast, MobileFit's exercise tracking system used in conjunction with our iPhone application provides a comprehensive solution allowing members to access their workout program and submit their daily exercise progress on their iPhone or from a touch screen kiosk.

"This technology can provide clubs with a huge amount of useful information about a member’s progression and allows clubs to develop a proactive approach to member engagement and retention."

MobileFit Australia are working with several well known clubs and organisations including the YMCA, where they have introduced their exercise tracking and retention technology.

As Harrison states "our main aim is to assist clubs improve their engagement of members and most importantly their retention.

"We believe by combining the latest technology with health and fitness we can help engage more existing members and attract new members to fitness facilities."

MobileFit refer to recent research that indicates that facility usage in the first month of a membership correlates directly with member retention levels.

Harrison adds "the more a member uses their facility in the first month the longer they are likely to stay."

According to the UK Fitness Industry Association the annual retention rate for those visiting their clubs less than four times in the first calendar month after joining is 59.1%. This compares to retention rates of 67.3%, 72.2% and 78.2% for once a week, twice a week and at least three times a week members respectively.

Harrison believes that "this research clearly demonstrates how important it is to have clear processes and support systems in place to assure all members get off to the best possible start in their fitness journey."

Reinforcing MobileFit's exercise tracking and retention technology, the company suggest the following these seven recommendations to start members on the right track:

1. Assure all new members undergo a health evaluation and receive a structured exercise program.
2. Set a goal for all new members to complete an average of two workouts per week for their first month (eight workouts in total). Be sure to set this expectation with the member.
3. Identify possible risk/low motivation members in their initial evaluation and provide additional support to these members. (Personal training, multiple program demonstrations)
4. Provide ongoing support to new members through direct engagement or via email or face to face.
5. Recognise and reward members who achieve the goal level of at least eight workouts in their first month. Provide a worthwhile reward!
6. Review the percentage of members who fall into the categories of, less than four workouts, four-seven workouts and more than eight workouts for their first month.
7. Refine your processes and monitor any improvements in the above metrics. The goal should be to ensure every new member completes more than four workouts in their first month!

For further information call 03 9841 5907, E: info@mobilefit.com.au, www.mobilefit.com.au