After the epidemic, fitness venues must transform according to these six ideas!

I don’t know how long everyone has been shouting this sentence, but it always thunders but never rains! On the one hand, everyone frequently criticizes the traditional gym model, and on the other hand, everyone sticks to the old rules without any courage to change!

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Under the huge blue ocean demand, competition has fallen into the red ocean.

Vicious competition has led to annual membership fees falling year by year, poor customer experience in one-on-one personal training courses, and business models becoming increasingly difficult to maintain under the high pressure of rent and labor costs. Many factors have made traditional gyms submerged in competition. unable to extricate themselves from the Red Sea.

On the one hand, the scale of the gym market has grown rapidly and has exceeded 100 billion; on the other hand, the entire industry is experiencing a mid-life crisis. Traditional gyms over 60 years old have difficulty operating and face losses or even bankruptcy.

Strange phenomena in gyms that are incomprehensible to outsiders are happening over and over again in various places. If it weren't for this epidemic, many gyms would still be muddle along and follow the same old path. The slight change might just be a new pair of shoes.

And this epidemic is very likely to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back!

The epidemic suddenly struck, and fitness venues that have been unable to resume operations for a long time. Online teaching seems to be busy, but it is just a loss-making business to make a profit. In fact, it is infinitely close to the life-or-death line.

At present, it seems that after the epidemic, fitness venues with more than 40% are expected to die!

Sometimes I think about it, this is good, so as to avoid the large number of gyms on the market that are still lingering on and continue to waste social resources! Of course, for most traditional fields, there will always be a minority of people who can accept and invest in changes without seeing actual results. The majority of people are more willing to follow the old path to maintain the current basic state of existence.

The gym market is in such a typical conservative state.

But as a veteran who has been in the fitness industry for several years and is currently an entrepreneur working on an Internet platform in the fitness industry, I have always had a pure heart and cannot just watch this industry grow. If you continue to sink like this!

I keep running and shouting for the development and reform of this industry, coupled with constant exploration and practice, I sincerely hope to open up a truly suitable gym for people in this industry who have the same love and persistence as me. A transformative path to development.

Below, I propose my own six reform and transformation ideas for the operational changes of fitness venues after the epidemic, hoping to bring collective thinking and collision to practitioners!

Although the ideal is very full and the reality is very skinny, we must have the courage to continue to be full in the skinny existence!

■? Optimize offline and focus on online

According to the development of the fitness industry, the online part is unavoidable. The black swan event of the epidemic seems to have accelerated the entire Online process.

However, the sudden epidemic has caused many gyms to rush online like a swarm of swarms. They all simply think that posting on Douyin, shooting some short videos, and doing some classes is enough. Now that it has gone online, this understanding is too simplistic.

At present, the so-called online activities of various gyms can only be temporarily used as a means to maintain customer relationships during the epidemic. The current home fitness cannot compete with human nature. The comfort of being isolated at home, watching TV series and snacks is far greater than "Painful" independent fitness.

In addition, there are too many tricks, and consumers have been collectively fatigued by the sudden variety of fitness videos and jokes. After the epidemic, we will no longer rely on online content. I believe that the mainstream of fitness will eventually be offline.

The truly correct approach should be for the gym to make all fitness data and interactive fitness content of fitness members online. It can be said that there are only a few gyms that can digitize fitness. Most members have such precious fitness The data was put on the shelf and did not play its due value.

At present, for gyms, the best path is not to develop their own online data platform, but to choose a professional third-party online platform to assist venues in online data management and optimization. Provide members with all-round fitness data analysis and interaction, more scientifically understand the members' entire fitness process from data changes and analysis, and then assist in using third-party online platforms to provide members with fitness services in multiple scenarios.

Only this kind of onlineization can truly play the efficient, intelligent and flexible role of online gyms, and truly empower the operation of gyms online! Other simple forms of so-called onlineization can only be superficial.

■? Change the traditional sales model, be customer-centered, and implement a short-term charging model

The current traditional business model of pre-sale system makes most gyms focus on sales and not on operations, and this This has caused the market to fall into a vicious cycle of word-of-mouth dilemma.

Traditional gyms, when they collect your money, are betting that you will come less often, or better yet, you won’t come. It does not rely on a positive value chain to make money, but makes money by storing value and betting that users will not come. That is the reverse value chain. The reverse value chain model has no future, and will end up with nothing but chicken feathers!

I heard before that the government is going to introduce regulations on prepaid management. Consumers are applauding and cheering, but the fitness industry is complaining, not because they are unhappy about less income, but because if the policy is really implemented, 90% of people will Venues will die "immediately".

In fact, short-term charging is an inevitable trend no matter from the policy level or the market customer level. Instead of waiting to be impacted, it is better to actively embrace the trend! Only in this painful struggle can we find a glimmer of hope!

I suggest that we should take advantage of this epidemic, long-term pain is worse than short-term pain, focus on improving the fitness effects of members through pay-per-view fees, and strive to increase members’ exercise frequency through fitness effects. Exercise frequency can help members develop exercise habits, and exercise habits are an important tool to ensure member stickiness. High-frequency members are the most valuable user group in the club. The more users visit the store, the more likely they are to renew. In addition, high-frequency users will also make spontaneous referrals, bringing more customer traffic to the club.

Therefore, fitness venues need to continuously improve and iterate their service systems on the basis of pay-per-use fees to bring better and better fitness experiences to members. This is the true royal way!

■? Focus on service and enhance experience

For most fitness venues, they seem to emphasize service, but they can truly achieve precise personalization for thousands of people. There are not many venues that provide high-quality services (not the so-called POS sales process). Without online data processing capabilities, precise service to members can be said to be just a slogan.

The service to members must not only provide a good fitness environment, but also provide customized service guidelines and processes based on the precise data of each member (refer to the first operation), so that members can experience Service experience from the heart.

Secondly, for traditional gyms, everyone has always taken it for granted that service is to serve members. However, as everyone knows, gyms have another service target that they need to pay attention to: the fitness instructors of the venue.

In the current situation where the proportion of revenue from personal training classes is increasing, the professionalism and service level of fitness coaches determine the quality and revenue level of private training classes. Therefore, current fitness venues We should operate ourselves as a platform. On the basis of building a good platform, we should provide the ultimate service to members and coaches, so that fitness coaches can exert their greatest professionalism on this platform to serve our fitness members. Only in this way can we achieve a Positive chain.

But such a change in concept requires our gym operators to reverse their long-standing business concepts! If you dare to make such an adjustment, I will definitely give you a big thumbs up. Because you have broken through your own limitations and reorganized your interests, what will greet you must be unexpected positive benefits.

■? Streamline staff, enjoy coaches

As a fitness venue, it has always been dragged down by high operating costs, and the invisible financial resources of various human resources The cost is not something you don’t know, and you will be shocked once you calculate it. Since the outbreak of this epidemic, it can be said that the hematopoiesis in the gym has basically stopped, but various costs have continued to accumulate.

This forces us to reflect on what kind of venue manpower composition and role allocation can reduce fixed costs and increase revenue?

In my opinion, after the epidemic, one way fitness venues must take is to clarify the various roles of the venue, streamline the staff, focus on operating the venue scene well, provide good services, and leave the rest to professional third parties. Three-party platforms and professional freelance coaches, this operation is especially recommended for some small and medium-sized venues to gradually accept and try it!

Perhaps this will be difficult to change for many venues at the moment, but the existence of freelance coaches in the future is unstoppable and will definitely become a firm professional force in the market. For some venues with high operating costs, it can be regarded as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Efforts to get ahead! If managed well, it will definitely be able to produce high efficiency and high profits that are not possible under the traditional model!

■? Embrace technology and integrate resources

With the development of technology, the power of technology has gradually penetrated into the gym. It is necessary to make full use of artificial intelligence to empower the gym. An indispensable link, especially on the basis of streamlining personnel, many gym service functions can be completed by smart devices.

Many gyms are already advancing this point, but it is not thorough and efficient enough. Next, gyms should maximize the unmanned service scenario in order to maximize the use of smart technology. power! Real cost reduction and efficiency increase!

At the same time, we use the professionalism of some third-party technologies to optimize the venue area in terms of venue aesthetics, circulation lines, regional divisions, internal equipment placement in each area, cost-effective materials, etc., and cut out unnecessary area, saving fixed operating costs.

At the same time, the outbreak of the epidemic has not only made people pay more attention to health and immunity, but also has obviously high requirements for the quality of ambient air. Especially in a closed environment like a gym, how can it be ensured? Air quality is an issue that our operators must face squarely.

After the epidemic, whoever can take the lead in introducing the indoor air improvement system into the gym will have a unique advantage, and the treatment of this air environment depends on the original intention of our operators! To be honest, the so-called fresh air and air improvement systems in many gyms nowadays are just superficial and have no substantive effect. They are more of a self-comforting function! Environmental upgrade, health first! Believe, you can do it.

■? Mergers and acquisitions, teaming up to keep warm

For strong gyms that can still have capital reserves after the epidemic, it is a good opportunity for mergers and acquisitions.

Although the fitness industry has various problems, the general trend is definitely booming, and after the epidemic, it happens to be a time when many venues cannot survive. At this time, for strong fitness venues , spending reasonable funds to carry out a certain degree of acquisition will lay a solid foundation for its subsequent development.

For some weak gyms, after the epidemic, either many small and medium-sized gym alliances will develop together, or they will find suitable acquirers to integrate into a stronger platform, or they will Just stop the loss in time!

To put it bluntly but very realistically, the gym market in the future will definitely become more and more concentrated on a few chain brands, forming an oligarchic aggregation effect. The remaining market will be divided up by some small stores or alliances with unique advantages. Having said this, I think as a gym operator, you must know what you should do next.

The above are some suggestions from me, an entrepreneur, to gym operators. I believe you will find answers to your questions.

In fact, for many gyms, not all of the above six points can be achieved, but you can selectively promote some reform ideas based on your actual situation. I believe you are already ahead of many people. in front!

This epidemic has had a real and painful impact on many gyms, and has brought many unexpected challenges and difficulties to our operations. As the economy faces challenges and the epidemic becomes increasingly complex, Charlie Munger said that the macro is what we must endure, and the micro is where we can make a difference.

In the current epidemic, crises and opportunities coexist. It is the time to test our own choices. We must remember: going with the trend will make you strong, and going against the trend will make you weak!