Have any of your patrons complained about others blasting their music? It happens more than we want to admit. Some people just aren’t courteous.

People bring almost as many iPods as water bottles to the gym. It’s no secret why. Listening to music can be an awesome way to stay motivated while lifting or hitting the treadmill.

The problem is, some people don’t use earpieces. They workout with a few of their buddies and end up playing songs for their entire group. Most of them don't intend to disrupt anyone else, but they unwittingly create an unpleasant atmosphere.

This can cause a lot of problems for a gym. One gym lost around 50% of its members over the past year. A lot of factors played a role. But interviews with former customers found a common complaint. Older members were sick of coming in and hearing young guys blasting their rap music. The manager never did anything about it, so they bailed.

So you need to take it seriously. Recognize that these patrons probably aren't trying to cause issues, but be firm with them on it.

Here are some tips that you will want to follow.

Find a Tactful Way to Address the Issue

While you need to get your point across, you need to do so in a polite way. Instead of just railing on customers that have been blasting their music, try to explain why. Let them know that having equipment around can be a safety issue. People can trip over speakers. They can also steal their MP3 Player if it is unattended.

Of course, you don’t want to minimize the fact that it is an inconvenience to other customers. The goal is to show that you are looking out for everyone.

Offer Reasonable Compromises

Your goal is to try to make everyone’s experience as pleasant as possible. While enforcing rules on music usage is important, being too rigid with them can cause issues of their own. People may feel you are being unreasonable if you don’t let them play their music in a back room that nobody ever uses. If people make these requests, you can tell them you will make exceptions for certain areas, provided the music is kept at a reasonable volume.

Be Consistent

Being polite and reasonable is important, but you can’t be a pushover. Don’t make exceptions for your drinking buddy or the kid brother of the girl you met on Tinder. You also don’t want to get in the habit of saying it is okay to play music while other people aren’t around, because they may notice when other patrons come in.

Enforce the rules consistently and things should go much more smoothly.

Many of history’s most profound and prolific brainiacs, creative prodigies and business moguls have prioritized physical fitness, incorporating it into their daily routines. In fact, countless steps, swims, rides, reps and stretches have resulted in some of the world’s most influential discoveries, inventions, creations, and compositions – not to mention millions of energized hours of productivity, focus and plain old hard work.

All of these people have had two things in common: regular physical activity and the claim that such physical activity has directly impacted their career success. All of these people understood the power of movement and sweat. Below is just a brief list of fitness’ geniuses:

• Charles Dickens was addicted to a daily three-hour walk around London.
• Tchaikovsky and Beethoven were unwavering walkers, too – as was Freud – who could be considered an original power-walker.
• Alan Turing rowed and ran marathons. He also regularly jogged the 10-mile commute back and forth to his laboratory.
• All-around genius Hypatia was also an all-around athlete. She was a polymath and a three-sport athlete (horseback riding, swimming, and rowing). In Hypatia’s case, her sports program was purposefully designed to keep her mind sharp.
• Einstein was an avid cycler. Ideas often occurred to him while he rode his bike, including the theory of relativity.
• Nikola Tesla – walker and toe-xerciser. What is a toe-xerciser? It’s a person who exercises their toes by curling and uncurling them. Tesla claimed that this helped stimulate his brain, but we think it was more likely his daily 10 mile constitutionals.
• Neil deGrasse Tyson wrestled in high school and college. Apparently, he hasn’t lost his touch. He chalks his wrestling and lifting accomplishments up to physics. Give a little, take a little.
• Mark Cuban takes kickboxing and aerobics classes. He’s a six-day-a-week worker-outer.
• Warren Buffet keeps active to burn calories, offsetting some admittedly not-so-healthy eating habits.
• Oprah Winfrey is a cardio and crunch fanatic.
• Charles Darwin took three 45 minute walks each day to keep his brain strong.
• The Dalai Lama has been known to meditate while taking morning walks. In inclement weather, he’s done both on a treadmill.
• Barack Obama works out almost daily, for almost an hour a day. He claims that as a youth, starting a regular workout routine helped him become focused and disciplined. It also made him a better student.

The list goes on and on (and on). From musicians to mathematicians to masters of design, movement is key. There are real, tangible reasons behind all of this. Some may not be surprising at all. Others will be eye-opening. All are based on body science. Our next email will delve into this. In the meantime, keep building bodies and brains. And keep doing all the other great stuff you do.

We released an update on 11/04/2017, which contains the following changes.

1. Added the following fields to a scheduled event:
   
   • Cancel Refundable Days Cap
     This field is used to set the number of days before an event starts where a member can cancel an event and receive a refundable credit. For example, if you set this field to equal 3, then a member will receive a refundable credit if they cancel at least 3 days before an event occurs. If they cancel less than 3 days, then they will not receive a refundable credit.
   • Prebooking Minutes Cap
     This field is used to set the number of minutes before an event starts where a member can pre book an event. For example, if you put 60 in this field, the member will be allowed to book this event any time before 60 minutes of the start of the event. As soon as 60 minutes before the event occurs, the system will not allow any more pre booking. If you set this field to 0, pre booking will be allowed up to the start of the event.

1. Added a new screen to enhance booking members to scheduled events.

1. Added Saudi Arabia locale ar-SA to support arabic language and currency formats.

If you have any questions or issues with these changes, don't hesitate to contact us.

10 million years ago, fitness was just part of life. Between hunting, gathering and running from predators, keeping in shape wasn’t a choice. And it wasn’t a challenge. Prehistoric men, women and children didn’t have to find time in their busy schedules for sports and gyms. They didn’t have to ‘commit’ to fitness. They stayed on the move or they didn’t have any way to survive.

Today, fitness is a choice – an extracurricular activity that for many, is simply not a priority. The United States isn’t alone in its lackadaisical attitude toward keeping in shape. Sedentary lifestyles, obesity and a deterioration of general health abound the world over.

There are many reasons for this. The vast majority of humans are no longer trying to survive in the wilderness. Modern conveniences have impacted the amount of movement that was once incorporated into everyday life. Stress causes people to want to shut out the world and curl up with a box of donuts. Long, draining work days leave little time or desire for ‘getting to the gym’. An hypnotic addiction to technology doesn’t help the cause either. Is this the beginning of a decline from which the world won’t recover?

Probably not. After all, this isn’t the first time in history that fitness has seen a downturn in participation. In fact, physical fitness has had a few dark ages.

For starters, there was the Dark Ages. Following the fall of the Roman Empire, the pursuit of physical perfection in the Western world went from being glorified to being basically shunned. A world at war with barbarians, plagues and poverty became dogmatic in its adherence to religious beliefs. This meant, among other things, that taking pride in the body’s appearance, was discouraged – and, in fact – a sin. A religious-based education was solely about hitting the books. The idea of developing the mind and body as a formal, holistic pursuit became ignored and, for more than a few centuries, forgotten.

The pursuit of physical fitness resurged during The Renaissance, a time of relative peace and prosperity. Slowly but persistently, it spread throughout the western world, arriving in the early 1800s, by way of German immigrants, in America. And thanks to institutions like public school gymnasiums and the YMCA, it caught on big, for a while. It took about a hundred years before the United States experienced its first fitness downturn. It happened during a time quite different than the dark ages, though.

The Roaring Twenties was, arguably, one of the most prosperous and celebratory times in United States history. Following the end of World War I, America was, basically, partying. Food, drink and lavish fun was the pursuit of the decade. Working out at a gym lingered, barely, in the background. During the Great Depression, it became obliterated. Fortunately, it would find its way back into the American conscience – and then some. And thanks to pioneers like Jack LaLanne, Joe Gold, Jane Fonda, Bruce Lee, Richard Simmons, Shaun Thompson (and many more), fitness has seen a century of becoming more diversified and accessible than ever.

Today, gym owners are facing unique challenges. Those of us who love it, and devote our career to its pursuit, are marketing to different times, and different attitudes. But through passion, ingenuity and devotion to ‘spreading the good word’ of fitness, tomorrow’s revolutionaries will rise to, and from, these challenges. And then some. “That which is used - develops. That which is not used wastes away.” ― Hippocrates

We released an update on 10/16/2017, which contains the following changes.

1. Added ability to add and link an existing member to a family.

1. Added ability to remove and unlink a member from a family.

1. Modified the member profile to display all custom fields in the main field display area. This allows you to view the custom fields without having to go into the custom field tab.

1. Modified the member custom fields report by adding the ability to filter by Custom Field Name.

2. Added a member select custom field type giving the ability to add custom fields where you can select from existing members.

If you have any questions or issues with these changes, don't hesitate to contact us.

The fitness industry is growing and competition is tough. Even in the smallest of towns, there is often more than one business that offers some type of fitness training. With such stiff competition in the fitness industry, it is very important to constantly find ways to make your fitness center better than your competition. Often there are simple things your business can start to do that will make you stand above your competitors.

1. Learn All Of Your Customers' Names

People tend to feel more welcome when they go to a place where they get greeted by their first name. Remembering and using all of your customers' names will make people feel as if the gym is their second home.

1. Help Customers With Their Workout

If you notice ways you can help your customers improve their workout, tell them. It is also a good idea to have personal trainers on staff to help answer customers' questions and to help them get the most out of their workout routine.

1. Send Out Regular E-Mails To All Of Your Customers

Sending out weekly e-mails to your customers makes them know that you care. Develop a weekly mailing list and send your customers motivational articles and health tips.

1. Get Feedback From Your Patrons

Ask your customers how much they enjoy using your gym and inquire about ways you can improve. Surveys are a good way to find out from your customers what your business does well and which areas you can improve.

Sometimes it is the little things that help add value to your business. In the highly competitive fitness industry, it is important to constantly improve your business. There are companies out there that can help you improve your fitness business.

Back in the day, fitness gyms had to have someone at the door checking membership cards or taking money whenever the gym was open. There are many gyms now that operate without a staff member at all. Many gym owners have found that new technology can aid in the operations of a fitness gym. Many gyms are incorporating new ways to keep their gym clean and attractive to customers.

1. Use An Advanced Security System To Keep The Gym Open When No Staff Is There

Now many gyms use card reader locks so that customers can use the gym twenty-four hours a day. There are security systems that stay engaged until a customer runs their card. The card systems can also help you keep track of when your customers came and how long they stayed. A high-tech surveillance system also helps you keep your gym secure when no staff is present.

1. Use Cameras To Make Sure The Gym Stays In Order At All Times

It is a good idea to have cameras inside your gym for security and insurance reasons. There are now cameras out that you can access and control from any remote location. Cameras not only help with safety, they also tell you when the fitness center needs maintenance and cleaning.

1. Automation Technology Can Make Your Gym Operate More Efficiently

New automation technology can do things like turn lights on only when someone is present in the area and needs it. The building's heat can also be adjusted when someone is in the room. Automation helps save energy and a lot of costs in the long run.

New technologies have made operating a fitness center easier and cost-effective than before. There are also many gym software programs that can help you management all of the paperwork side of the gym business.

In addition to increasing memberships, it's important for gym owners to retain current customers. Not only are they your largest source of revenue, but they also are your best marketing, as positive reviews and word-of-mouth go a long way when it comes to recruitment.

If you find that your retention rates are beginning to dwindle, there are some simple things you can do to halt the cancellations. Here are four ways to easily increase your gym membership retention.

1. Eliminate the pain points. Increase customer satisfaction by monitoring their experiences and eliminating any pain points. For example, do members have trouble accessing the class schedule? Are machines frequently unavailable? Is the water fountain oftentimes out-of-order?

2. Say thank you. Your customers have a lot of workout facilities from which to choose, so it's important to let them know that you appreciate them for choosing your business. Do this regularly.

3. Ask and act. Your customers are your best source of information about satisfaction, so ask them! Document both happy and unhappy customers through periodic surveys, then act to make any deficits better.

4. Go the extra mile. Take the time to genuinely make your customers feel special. This might include being an active listener, making recommendations for activities that members might enjoy, or implementing customer suggestions within the facility.

If you're looking for ways to increase your gym membership retention, start by implementing the above four tips. You'll find that your customers are happier, your cancellations are minimized, and your retention rates are increased.