Gym owners have a lot to manage in each member’s overall experience, and there’s one aspect that often gets overlooked: a better onboarding process for clients.
Too many gyms and studios don’t realize they need a better onboarding process for clients, one that starts before the first visit and extends well into their membership.
So, amid the fever to get new leads and the excitement of, say, installing new equipment or hiring top trainers, don’t neglect onboarding. A client’s level of satisfaction in the first days, weeks, and even months of a membership go a long way in determining how long the client stays with your business.
Here, we’ll share how you can streamline your client onboarding process with our expert tips. You will boost client satisfaction and retention with a smoother, more efficient experience.
Keep thinking about that word “smoother” as we go over these steps. Look for ways to reduce friction for the newcomer. Anticipate their needs and meet them with a system that lets them know you’re glad they’ve joined and you’re determined to help them reach their goals.
Read “From Newbie to Pro: Your Perfect Gym Onboarding Guide”
Consider these suggestions to build powerful new relationships with a better onboarding process for clients.
- Start Before They Walk In.
Prospects should have a clear, honest understanding of your business before they walk in – and your location and employees must match those expectations.
For example, if you’re pursuing a youthful, aesthetics-obsessed clientele, then that needs to be clear in your marketing and advertising. And when that kind of prospect walks in expecting that kind of emphasis, she needs to encounter it.
The same applies regardless of your ideal customer – whether you’re appealing to families, active agers, or people on a limited income.
Create matching expectations and experiences so no one walks in and thinks, “Wait – this isn’t what I was expecting.”
Send them personalized welcoming communications in the form of phone calls, texts, emails and even short videos.
- Sing from the Same Sheet of Music.
Next, imagine your prospect or new member coming in for the first time and being ignored by the bored employee at the front desk… overwhelmed by the crowds and machines and music…
OR:
Warmly greeted and shown around by team members who all share the same helpful messaging… given a “welcome bag” of branded goodies and printed helpful information…
Imagine yourself walking into a confusing situation and either NOT getting good customer service, or being made to feel like royalty. We’ve all been there! - Make Set-Up Easy.
Registering at your business should be quick and easy – not time-consuming and complex. So, make sure you have the right software to integrate newcomers, and that all your employees know how to use it.
Explain your communications practices and the tools you use to stay in touch.
Let them do as much online in advance as possible. Set up automatic payments for them. All this will boost confidence in the efficiency of your business and provide a better onboarding process for clients.
Keep initial tours and intro workouts less than an hour. You don’t want to overwhelm people with too much information on top of all the sights, sounds, and (maybe) anxiety they already are experiencing. - First: Assessment and Goals
New clients often join a gym with a specific goal in mind, so a standardized fitness assessment can set them on the right path from day one. This session must be an early component of your better onboarding process for clients.
It helps both the client and your trainers understand their current fitness level, discuss goals, and create a plan to work toward them. Learning about their desires and fears is key to helping them set realistic but challenging goals.
This is a good time to educate them about fitness. For instance, many new clients say they want to lose weight – and you could explain to them body fat percentage, body composition, and other key metrics that are often more relevant and motivating.
This is also a good time to discuss your business offerings. Maybe you have a program that would specifically help the new client, like nutritional coaching or small group training.
These are upsell opportunities, but also ways to show your business can handle their specific needs.
Finally, lay out how you’ll hold them accountable and keep them motivated after the initial excitement begins to fade.
The main problem to solve during a better onboarding process for clients is to reduce their sense of being overwhelmed, says fitness business owner and adviser Doug Spurling.
“If they don’t use your services, they’re not going to stay,” he says. “We don’t want them to feel stupid or overwhelmed.”
Assessments don’t have to be long and detailed, Doug says. Just provide “an introduction of what a session looks like, a handful of movements.” And then, share with the client what you saw, heard, and recommend.
“They’re looking for a guide, some leadership,” he says. - There’s an App for That
Lots of gyms and studios now have their own apps to integrate with their software, programming, billing and more.
These can help clients track progress, set automatic reminders, and provide inspirational content.
Naamly’s suite of communications tools make it easy for your gym, team members, and each client to stay in touch and up to date. This is helpful as part of your better onboarding process for clients and throughout their time as a member. - Keep Up the Personal Touch
Make sure your staff members learn the names of all new members and greet them by their names personally, with eye contact and a smile, for the first few months. This makes a huge difference in getting people to continue coming and in developing a long-term relationship with your gym.
Employees should know a little about each member, enough to say, “How was your recent trip to Florida” or “Did Johnny have a good season?”
Many gymgoers want more than just training services. They want to feel a part of a community, and that starts with you. - Request and Use Client Feedback
A better onboarding process for clients will include ways to seek and implement client feedback. Do this at various predetermined points with each new member. If you don’t have that process laid out yet, sit down with your leadership team and hammer it out.
Newcomers will appreciate being asked for their input. And they will share a lot of valuable information you can use to improve your business.
Ask them about their welcome tour, the cleanliness of the locker rooms, and the ease of billing… anything that’s part of their customer experience.
Track their feedback and use it to grow.
- Shine a Light
Finally, keep a spotlight on them during your better onboarding process for clients. Share photos on social media and in your newsletter about first workouts, milestones, birthdays and more.
This encourages people to feel welcome, to talk to other members, and to stay enthusiastic about returning to workout more.
It builds community, and members will take that out into the world at large.
A Better Onboarding Process for Clients: In Conclusion
Building a better onboarding process for clients is a powerful strategy for nurturing strong, lasting relationships with them. When onboarding is simple, clear, and focused on the client’s needs, they feel valued and motivated to stick with it – and with you.
Remember, keep the focus on the prospect/customer/client. What can you do to get them in the door, make them feel valued, and keep them coming back?
If you’re not sure, ask them! They’ll be happy to tell you. For more of the best fitness tips in the business, get your weekly update on industry news, events and content, free from the Naamly Online University newsletter.