I was recently asked by a journalist to recommend several IHRSA member clubs for an upcoming feature highlighting the “best” health clubs in America. This prompted me to think of how IHRSA as an organization defines a great health club, how consumers define a great club, and how any given facility might consider their club among the best.
Certainly, factors such as customer service, cleanliness, quality of equipment, space, classes, and programming could all be factors in this equation. Clubs with cutting-edge technology, cater to specific populations, employ green-friendly practices and are industry innovators could be considerations as well. We could look strictly at numbers – revenues, total memberships, facilities owned. To my knowledge, there is no set definition that would categorize a club as being among the best.
To attempt to answer this question, I would ask each club, “What percentage of your members are happy, getting healthy and meeting their fitness goals?” When it comes down to it, a club that has older equipment but happy members should be considered just as effective and great as one that has the newest products, most members, or significant square footage. My contention is that the clubs making a big difference in members’ lives, ones aiding members in living better in the here and now are the greatest, best clubs. The best varies for every individual.
If clubs struggle with measuring their effectiveness and their level of “greatness”, look to the members for answers. Ask them how you can help them meet their goals. Ask what it will take for them to be feeling better and living better. IHRSA has many, many member clubs that I would categorize among the best in the business.
-Rosemary Lavery
No comments:
Post a Comment