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.

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

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.

Between Xbox, PS3 and Wii workouts, personal fitness trackers, boot camps, state-of-the-art home gym equipment and 'Skyper-cise', there are myriad ways for Americans to tackle fitness goals without a gym membership. Despite this, over 52.9 million Americans choose to join, and work out, at a club. They join with big fitness goals and great determination. The enthusiasm of a new fitness club member is almost palpable . . . for a few weeks.

After a while, enthusiasm often wanes. Many club members will continue paying for a facility they never use; some will show up less frequently, and others will cancel their membership altogether. The IHRSA estimates that over a third of gym members will stop attending during their first half year.

As fitness club professionals, it's our job to understand what attracts a person to a gym over all the other workout options. It's even more important to understand what keeps them motivated and coming back for more. We're in this business because we believe in what we do. And what we do provides people with a combination of value that can't be gotten anywhere else.

Why Do People Join Gyms?

A gym offers a combination of benefits. Though some of these benefits are found in other activities, 'the gym' is a place where they can all come together. Among other things, gyms are the top choice for many because:

• ·They offer in-person, face-to-face support.
• ·They offer motivation, both in their busy, fitness-forward surroundings and their staff.
• ·They provide both formal and informal feedback.
• ·They provide human contact and a social atmosphere.
• ·Gyms have all the modalities covered in one place, plus a great variety of options within those modalities.
• ·People believe that by pre-paying for the experience, they're more likely to not blow off their workouts.
• ·Most gyms offer classes. According to research by the IHRSA (International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association), people who attend regular classes at a fitness club are more likely to continue their memberships long term.
• ·A gym can be a great place to meet friends for a workout, pushing each other to stick to a mutual commitment.
• ·Attentive, interactive staff and instructors can be very motivating. Though there are lots of reasons to join a gym, perhaps the most powerful reason, and a repeating theme in the list above, is that people want to have expectations to live up to. And, they want to be told when they're doing it.

Why Do Members Stop Going To Gyms?

Generally, a member's first few weeks at a gym delivers on all or most of the above. But what happens when those first few weeks are up, and a member starts to feel like they are blending into the crowd? Don't stress. It isn't you. It's human nature. And in a busy fitness club environment, It's hard to keep that one-and-one, honeymoon kind of attention going for every member at all times. Fear not, though. We have got some great ideas for you.

We have heard of (and thought of) some successful ways to keep members more involved and more dedicated. From some far-out creative membership perk initiatives to the most effective uses of social media, coming soon, We will bring you . . . How to keep the gym love going . . . and growing.

(Comment below to share some of your thoughts with us, too. We'll include some of our favorites in our follow-up story.)

For gym owners, maintaining loyal gym members is key to building a profitable and sustainable customer-base. You want visitors to keep coming back and and renew their gym memberships. You want to be irreplaceable, and not just another gym option.

The Benefits Of Loyal Customers

Loyal customers can help promote your gym. Satisfied and happy members will recommend your gym to others.
Loyal customers are more profitable because they are more likely to extend their memberships long-term.
Because loyal customers already trust your brand and service, they will be more open and excited about new products that you offer in the future.

3 Ways To Build A Loyal Customer Base

Have Impeccable Customer Service: Members will judge your gym based on your customer service. It's inevitable. If they have a frustrating encounter, they'll less likely come back, and even possibly post their bad experience online. You don't want that! These can be prevented by training a kind and helpful gym team, from the front desk, to the trainers and coaches. To make it easier for members, you can invest in an auto-check-in feature in which members can sign-in digitally without having to wait in line.

Ask For Member Feedback: To make members feel valued, ask for customer feedback. This is a great way to show you care about your members and their concerns and opinions. This helps build brand loyalty by encouraging a community to create a better gym they are a part of. You can leave out feedback cards, an email to send concerns to, or do a gym-wide survey. To encourage participation, offer prize incentives like a free class or fitness product.

Provide A Special And Valuable Service: If you want to stand out from other gyms, offer a product or service that is not only valuable but one that keeps customers coming back. One service is Member Measurement Tracking, in which you can provide members a way to track, update and follow health and fitness goals like weight, blood pressure, or BMI. This is an extremely helpful service, and also not common at gyms. By being part of your members' fitness journey, you become more valued and build loyalty.

Loyal customers are crucial to a successful gym, and should be one of a gym's top priorities. To help build a larger loyal customer base, contact us today.

Attracting new members to your gym is often as easy as a savvy promotion. Keeping people in the gym is vital to building a solid and happy clientele.

Using a business method on the floor is just the thing to keeping customers coming. One of the top methods of goal management is SMART goals. Applying this to a workout means creating realistic goals for both you and your clients and satisfaction for all.

Here's an example of a typical client and how to apply SMART goals.

Laurie is a 46-year-old banker, mom of 2, with only a little time after work to come in once or twice a week. She's unhappy with her energy level and feels self-conscious about lingering baby weight.

For Laurie, you'd want to create a plan that allows for her schedule.

Specific – Laurie's would like to walk the entirety of Prescott Park without fatiguing.

Measurable – Laurie should expect to lose 2 inches in her tummy.

Assignable – She will need to work out 2 days a week at Local Gym and go for a walk with her children the other days.

Realistic – This is achievable with an ab routine and cardio sessions.

Time-related – This goal is achievable in 6 months.

Developing methods to help your clients meet their goals is pivotal in creating an environment that they would like to come back to. Learning your client's desires and size will help you keep track of them, entering stats into your database. Being able to give gentle reminders, rewards and encouragement will change the dialogue. Keeping the conversation open will help keep members active.

While you focus on the everyday management and relationships with clients, it's important you have software to handle the things that are vital for running your gym. Contact us today to learn how MIS can help you spend more time building relationships with your customers.

Whether you're an established gym or just starting out, you know how difficult it can be to manage your employees, keep track of memberships, stay on top of the latest trends and keep your facility looking and feeling it's best. Now that you've seen what our software can do for you, it's time to go all in with a premium account. Here are some things you'll gain when you do:

Time

Stop wasting your time on the things that can be automated. Everything from guest check in to downloading reports to track your margins and see where you can improve can be automated with gym management software. This frees you and your employees up so you can focus your time where it matters.

Financial help

Invoice management makes it a breeze to keep track of members' invoices so nothing gets lost and everything gets paid on time. Each member can configure their own personal invoice payment schedule, so you get paid every month and they get to choose when to make payments based on their preferences and schedule. Our paid plan features space for an unlimited amount of members, so it's great for any size gym or health club. It can even scale as you grow without costing you anything extra.

Mobility

Cloud gym management software makes it easy to keep tabs on all of your important information from any device. This means you don't need to be tied down to a desktop. In fact, you might find that you don't even need a desktop in your facility, since your software is accessible from all mobile devices, including phones and tablets. This can free up you and your employees and make it easy to take care of other things in your facility instead of standing behind a computer all day.

Choosing the right club management software is crucial to a successful gym, and should be one of a gym's top priorities. Contact us today to learn more about how MIS can be the software to help improve your business.

Most gym rats don't really think about what goes into running a gym.

They're just there to make gains and improve their bodies.

But if they knew what went into running a gym, they'd pay some mondo respect to the gym owner or manager.

If you're a little overwhelmed by managing your gym, gym management software can help. With the myriad of features a software suite includes, you might not know what's essential and what's fluff.

After you read this article, you'll be confident in what you should look for.

1. Gym Management Software Features: Inventory and POS

Is your gym a store as well as a gym?

Even if you feel you can't call your gym a store, a lot of places sell shake mixes, t-shirts, and other equipment behind the staff desk.

You'll want an inventory and Point of Sale system to keep track of your supplies and the money you make.

A great gym management software solution will alert you before you run out of stock. This way you can call an employee up and send them to the store before a cranky weight trainer is missing his protein shake mix.

Why should you care about having an inventory and POS feature in your management software?

Because you'll no longer need to manually organize your stock each time you bring in new inventory.

You'll always know exactly what you have on hand and you'll be able to keep your employees accountable for the money.

2. Membership Managment

Your members are the heart and soul of your gym. Without them, you'd be nowhere.

If you aren't managing your members correctly, you'll lose money, you'll incorrectly charge people, and you might lose customers.

Instead, outsource member management to your computer.

Gym membership software can handle all member data as well.

Personal details, payment methods, debit details, check-in history, class activities, inventory bought, personal trainer sessions; you can keep track of it all.

With a current list of all member data, you can get on a first name basis with your customers. You can know better how to market to them and better how to cater to them.

Some management software will even allow members to opt-in to text messaging campaigns.

You can directly market to your members and remind them of specials, deals, and new classes.

3. Access Control

24-hour gyms are taking over the traditional gym model.

And to keep up with your local Anytime: Fitness, you might want to consider longer hours.

But longer hours means hiring more employees...or does it?

If you find a gym management software package that allows access control, you can keep your gym open longer and not hire more employees.

The ability to ban people is another nice perk of access control features. If someone is being a complete and utter jerk to the rest of your members, they don't have to be there for a while.

Implement a ban policy and a three strike rule and you won't even need a bouncer.

Conclusion: Many Other Features

While these are the main pillars of great management software, you should look at other features as well.

What are your concerns over buying gym management software? Let us know in the comments below.