Online consumer insight into the UK health club experience Ray Algar (MBA) Oxygen Consulting, London IHRSA March 2009

Before the web

Companies controlled the communications channel

Companies used to just shout and interrupt consumers News flowed one way

Consumers found it difficult to be heard

The web changed the rules

Broadband rates rising

Printing press for everyone

Consumers now sharing wisdom

What is the online conversation regarding the UK gym experience ?

What aspects of the gym experience do consumers like ?

… and dislike

Identified websites where consumers post opinion

Gym experience boiled down into four categories

Brand

Facilities

Membership factors

Service experience

Then into 41 tangible and intangible attributes

Opinion then analysed

“ Great range of facilities, staff really friendly and helpful. I would thoroughly recommend it”

“ Management team extremely poor. They only have their own interests at heart and do not support the members”

The ‘tangible’ proposition delivers ‘ wow ’

The intangible proposition often disappoints

Positive opinion Negative opinion Current/ Past Members 40% 60%

Positive opinion Negative opinion Current members 50% 50%

Positive opinion Negative opinion Past members 17% 83%

Do clubs care ?

Yes, during the tour

“ the best salesman ever”

“ Cup of coffee bought for me and all the trimmings”

“ I remember how friendly the sales lady was”

… but after the honeymoon period

“ Once I had joined, she (sales staff) would blank me when I said hi”

Read this before you sign

“ I was not aware of the 12-month commitment period until I tried to cancel”

“ Visited once before being diagnosed with breast cancer. Informed manager. No response apart from the debt collection agency”

“ Customer care is non-existent . They only care about money”

“ After the initial session, they have never checked my circumstances in my two years of membership”

“ I had to chase for an induction session which took over a month to arrange”

Would they recommend to a friend?

317 reviews (6 chains) 10% promoter rate

22% highest chain

7% lowest chain

So what are the key insights ?

Very little positive word of mouth

Staff and member interactions unpredictable

Self-service proposition

Frustration with inflexible membership contracts

Exercise ‘ aimless ’

Poor measurement of outcomes

Not a sticky experience!

Questions