The Club Insider Archives: April 2021
REX Roundtables
Providing Industry Leaders With Advanced Learning and Sharing
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesMy name is Norm Cates, and I've been very blessed to be involved in our great industry for 47 years. While some of you youngsters may not want to hear it, I've been around long enough to know a "Real McCoy" organization when I see one. Eddie Tock and REX Roundtables are the "Real McCoy." I'm Co-Authoring this very special Club Insider Cover Story with my son, Justin Cates, who also happens to be the Publisher of our 28-year running Club Insider. Our purpose here is pure and simple: It is to help club owners and operators do better in their clubs and to succeed tremendously in the field they've chosen to pursue in life.
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Leaders Aspire to Inspire
By: Frank Guengerich
Frank GuengerichRecently, I was approached by a member, and he was very complimentary about the operation, service and brand delivery at our multi-sports luxury athletic club called VERDURE. I'm always thrilled to hear positive feedback regarding service delivery, especially because our ownership group and management team are very focused on delivering an amazing experience for our members. The member asked me: If I had one piece of advice to provide a new owner or manager in the club business, what would it be? The answer has always been simple for me: To be a Servant Leader. To me, these are the keys to being a Servant Leader...
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The Fight for Independent Club Operators
From The Battle of New Orleans to The Battle for Independents
By: Geoff Hampton
Geoff HamptonHistory has a way of repeating itself, doesn't it? As we begin to move forward from the challenges 2020 brought to the industry, I see so many similarities from where it all began. In the beginning, there were two distinctly different types of "fitness" businesses. One was the long established, traditional health club and the other was the racquet sports business, featuring mostly racquetball and tennis clubs. The racquetball clubs used a membership system called, "pay as you go," with a small annual fee; then, you only paid again when you used the club to play racquetball. Tennis clubs had the same basic format...
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Keeping Your Gym in Shape
Ways Your Gym Billing Company Might Be Losing You Money
By: Jim Thomas
Jim ThomasThousands of gyms and fitness clubs are doing their billing and member management using gym software. But, just because you have gone digital does not mean you are ahead of the game. There are many ways that your gym billing company can actually cost you money if you don't know the right questions to ask, and this article discusses several of those ways.
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Digital Deluge or Delusion
Is the Virtual World Becoming a Real Reality?
By: Jeffrey Pinkerton
Jeffrey PinkertonAs the world cautiously reopens from a global shutdown, the future of fitness seems to be very much up for debate. With an influx of digital platform providers, the industry has been flooded by technology companies sponsoring virtual conferences, contributing to publications and hosting webcasts. It would appear that "everyone" is talking about digital fitness and the necessary and novel pivot of providing both live and digital fitness experiences for your members. It's hard to wade through the muck of the moment and think clearly about what the future might really look like. Maybe looking to other industries could shed some light on the road ahead.
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IHRSA Reports Widespread Damage to the Industry Due to COVID-19
BOSTON, MA - After posting record numbers in 2019, the U.S. health club industry was off to a promising start last year. No one would have imagined that by spring, virtually all gyms and studios would be closed. The pandemic took a harsh toll on fitness club operators, employees and consumers. And, it may take years for the industry to recover from the damage. Five indicators speak to the indelible mark COVID left on the industry last year...
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Using Courts and Court Sports Programming as a Competitive Advantage
If you have 20' x 40' courts in your club/facility, you possess a competitive advantage that others don't. Their very existence is Part I. Part II is how that advantage can be leveraged for membership growth and retention. This second article offered by USAR and USHA introduces some court sports programming best practices and food for thought.
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Norm's Notes for April 2021
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Founder and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in with our 328th monthly edition of Club Insider! Please read on as I have an important message for our great industry and its future!
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