Health Mates Fitness Centre aims to deliver consistently good service

Health Mates Fitness Centre is committed to beating the expectations of every member in their broad clientele base, based on a core aim of ‘keeping customers happy’.

Located inside the Revesby Workers' Club in Western Sydney and a multiple winner of industry awards, the management of Health Mates base every decision on whether their members will want and appreciate it.

Speaking to Fitness Australia, Health Mates Centre Manager Christina Vegner stated “we keep that in mind in everything that we do, from new equipment and the programs we offer to the atmosphere and decor in the facility.

“If our customers won’t see value in it, then we are wasting our time."

For Vegner, having staff who are able to show empathy is the key to determining what members want from a facility.

She explains “we encourage our staff to put themselves in their client’s shoes, to be sympathetic and to find solutions to their problems.”

To promote this sort of emotional intelligence (EI), Health Mates have implemented a rewards program where staff are awarded EI points for going above and beyond and acting in the best interests of members. These points can then be traded in for things like shopping or meal vouchers.

Vegner comments “(this) is our way of saying thank you for the good work and for maintaining the high standards we’ve set for our facility.”

While rewarding these individual acts has proved successful, delivering a truly quality service relies on consistency. Having policies and procedures in place that all staff understand has ensured that members receive the same top quality service every time they visit. Achieving consistency in service is also a team effort, requiring every member of staff, regardless of their position, to do their part.

Rather than dictating tasks to your staff, Vegner’s experience is that staff perform better if they are involved in decision-making, becoming empowered to act independently. Developing their skills and knowledge through education and cross-training opportunities has enabled Health Mates to function just as effectively without management being around. Vegner adds “the main benefit being that any member issues get resolved quickly and staff are confident making decision that will keep our members happy.”

Fitness Australia recently released a new set of principles to guide fitness businesses to prosper and achieve high standards of professionalism, client safety and customer care.

The Business Principles and Guidance for Fitness Businesses explain legislation in Australia and best practice standards, as well as offering practical recommendations for simple implementation.

Following their release, Vegner described the principles as, “an improvement tool that can be used by fitness businesses to set goals and refer back to.”

Relevant to both new and existing businesses, Vegner says they give a good indication as to “whether our standards are fair, the quality of our service is good enough and our safety procedures are up to scratch.”

One of the areas where Fitness Australia believes Health Mates stands out is the fact that they offer services that are appropriate to all members of the public, including those with a disability.

Health Mates accommodates individuals with a disability in a number of ways:

Infrastructure – Spacing in hallways, change rooms and toilet facilities.
Equipment – Arranging equipment so that it is easily accessible and offering wheelchair specific cardio equipment.

While these physical considerations are extremely important, where Health Mates really excels is in their attitude towards inclusiveness. 

Vegner concludes that when it comes to accommodating clients with any type of disability, facilities need the right staff. 

She concludes “this not only refers to having staff who are qualified, but that are non-judgemental and nurturing with their attitudes towards individuals with a disability.” 

Click here for more information on Fitness Australia’s Business Principles.
With thanks to Arava Riemer.

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