Building More Than Biceps: Leveraging KwickScreen for Strong Customer Relationships

Fitness has the incredible ability to transform peoples' lives. Not only can they become healthier, but also more confident. Unfortunately, most fitness facilities just don’t make the average person feel welcome. At The Gym Group, we’re different. We’re all about value for money and the right environment. It's fitness and health without all the things that people don't want to pay for or don't use. It's no-nonsense fitness, in other words. The gyms are available to everyone, 24 hours a day. It's for everyone from beginners to elite athletes. Everyone can find their slot in our gyms. Hence, our motto is: "Find your fit."

Though our membership is low-cost, we exceed people's expectations with the service we provide, and the cleanliness of the gym and equipment. These things truly show people it’s a premium service at an affordable price. 

Our goal is to make physical fitness accessible to everyone, and we believe we can only accomplish that by focusing on our members’ experience and putting their needs first. Customer service is our guiding principle. If there’s ever anything that doesn’t live up to our standards, we need to change it.

Muscles, Motivation, and Management

I got into personal fitness because of how rewarding it can be. It’s gratifying to help people change their lives, both personally and professionally. I’ve seen firsthand the drastic change that healthy choices can make in people's lives once you show them how to do proper exercises. In time, they feel more energetic. They feel happier.  

The personal testimonies are what made me realise I wanted to devote my life to fitness—first as a personal trainer and now on the management side. As general manager I’m responsible for the business side, I’m focused on achieving targets whilst making sure members get the best service possible. We have measures in place to make sure our members can give us feedback. If the response is negative or neutral in any way, then we immediately take steps to improve the situation to the best of our abilities. It’s our duty to make sure everyone has a top-notch experience at The Gym Group.

A great thing about being a general manager at The Gym Group is that I’m given the autonomy to actually manage. They don't micromanage or tell us how to run our gyms. I’m trusted to uphold the company values, and that’s why when we face a challenge or situation within our gym, we’re able to seek out innovative or creative solutions to a problem.

Fitness for All

One issue we faced at our location was that there wasn’t a sectioned-off area for our classes. So a lot of women felt uncomfortable because people could look in and see them exercise. Understandably, a person—regardless of gender—doesn’t want to feel like they’re watched or judged when they’re focused on making the most of their workout. Obviously, this problem was the opposite of the environment I wanted to create at my gym. 

I searched online for a solution and found myself researching all different sorts of products. But many of the options wouldn’t have appropriately addressed the issue. They simply weren’t sleek enough for the gym or they wouldn’t be effective enough in sectioning off the area.

We looked at several different options including curtains and cones, but each of these wouldn't have solved all aspects of the problem. They maybe would have stopped people from walking into the area once a class is in session, but they didn’t properly address the visibility and privacy issue. 

A curtain solution would have been a bit of a problem because the installation would have been quite a large structural job. We would’ve had to cover a large area between two large pillars, which would have required the curtains to be oversized. Plus, curtains just aren’t sleek enough for our environment. 

Creating an Atmosphere of Comfort and Acceptance

While my regional manager and I looked for a solution together, we were contacted by someone in our marketing team who knew of a company called KwickScreen. We realised it was the ideal solution to the problem we were facing. 

KwickScreen completely solved both the privacy and the partitioning issue. Plus, it had that sleekness we looked for, without taking up too much space in the gym. No one would notice it was there until it was pulled out. Straight away, I knew it was exactly the sort of product I was looking for. 

Bright, Beautiful, and On-Brand

To keep up with our aesthetic, our KwickScreens have gym-focused artwork printed on each side, which is a real motivator and mood boost. It shows images of people working out, similar to the class environment our members are attending.

I love both the quality of the images and that the images themselves are motivational. It affects the whole environment, and it's pleasing to the eye because it's so much better than staring at a blank wall. It brings out a lot more energy, and on top of the motivation boost, the KwickScreens fit in with our brand as the logo and gym colours are also depicted on the sides. 

Also, perhaps most importantly, it says “Class in Progress” so it’s very clear to other members why the area is sectioned off. Those who walk into the area are now just the members attending the class. This clarity solves the secondary problem we faced. 

We conducted a survey of our class participants during the first few weeks. We asked them questions such as, “Did you come to classes before we installed KwickScreen? Do the screens make a difference? Do you think it will encourage you to come to classes in the future?” Almost everyone that came to the class said it made a big difference to the environment, and that they felt far more at ease with the screens installed.

Based on the feedback, it was clear the participants felt more motivated to actually train to the best of their ability without feeling uncomfortable or self-conscious. It had a positive impact quicker than anyone could have ever imagined. 

Better, Faster, Stronger: The Customer Experience

If you work to make the customer experience your main priority, it's only a matter of time before it becomes top-notch. We’ve noticed that, in our industry, not only will people be happier in the gym, but they'll stay for longer. That will help them with their personal goals and it'll also help us develop and grow as a business. 

Investing in KwickScreen is obviously an additional cost to the gym, but the improvement in member experience has been phenomenal. That’s what’s most important, and goes to show that people notice what you do for them. People actually care, and we actually want to provide a top-notch service. We want our members to feel comfortable and get the best out of their experience with us as possible.

We heard what members wanted and we responded accordingly. It's important for any gym environment to actually listen to what their customers need. It’s a simple way to help your business grow while you build strong relationships with your customers. But this isn’t just for gyms—it’s for any organisation. Investing in your customers is an investment in your business. We say we want to help people find their fit, and we mean it. We, of all businesses, know the value of going that extra mile.