My Members Take 400 Classes Per Month

In Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, a group of enthusiastic employees are finding out what high member involvement in their health club really feels like. The club installed Fitness On Request to increase the availability and convenience of their group fitness program, but hardly anticipated the incredible member response.

Fitness On Request is, like many of their amenities, free for members to use. But Marklyn Behling and fellow employees saw it as a huge opportunity to leverage and create an experience that differentiates them as a fitness facility. They installed Fitness On Request in January of 2012 and in three months following the installation they saw that group fitness classes were played over 1200 times, averaging to be about 415 class plays per month! With unlimited class plays available on their kiosk, they can offer this many classes and more, without worry of increased expenses.

This extreme level of involvement didn’t happen by accident. Marklyn and fellow employees worked hard to spread the word about their system, both throughout the community and in their facility. They make sure to show the system at the beginning of every tour as well as at the end. “Double exposure puts it back into their minds as the tour is ending.” Marklyn is confident in her sales pitch promising people, “This is a feature you will absolutely love.” And they do.

Marklyn and her team understand that group fitness can be intimidating for some, and insecurity can prevent people from taking a class. “Most people worry they are being watched while they exercise,” Marklyn says. “Fitness On Request is a way for them to do the classes while feeling comfortable.” Word spread naturally for them, and sales increased with it. “Word of mouth and referrals are big for us,” Marklyn says, “Roughly 1-2 out of 10 will join because of Fitness On Request”

Marklyn and her co-workers are a testament to the power behind proper leverage of a tool like Fitness On Request and the effect it can have on the bottom line. “Being able to do whatever class you choose, whenever you want, is huge!” she says. “People flock to that room. They are instantly comfortable with the system, and it’s way for them to gain confidence before trying other things. I love it, and I can’t imagine our club without it.”