Construction & Decoratio
When the majority of American Health Products’ employees were working out in its Health & Fitness Center, management knew it was a sign of success. But what makes the company so successful is not merely that so many employees flocked to the center, causing a need to expand, but that when deciding how to grow the facility, it was to the members that the staff looked for direction. This proved to members, says fitness program manager Stephanie Crowley, that the center was striving to remain current in the industry and responsive to their needs and interests.
The 16,000-square-foot Health & Fitness Center faced a bottleneck in 1996 when its membership base reached 582 (58 percent of site population). Because the facility could not service so many employees, staff was granted a budget and permission to purchase new equipment to round out the current selection, explains Crowley. While staff researched possibilities using metrics computer software, they also created the Funk Up The Facility program, which encouraged members to voice their needs and desires via written and/or verbal suggestions. At that time, 70 percent of the membership was active, which Crowley reasons helped justify the need to expand. The result was a consensus among staff, members and senior management to add $18,000 worth of equipment. The addition has reduced waiting periods during peak times for cardiovascular machines from 10 minutes to less than five, and since the members are highly recreational (participating in on-site basketball, volleyball, softball and soccer leagues), the equipment meets and exceeds their training needs.
Since the expansion, membership has increased 27 percent, compared to July 1995 figures. The percentage of monthly active members remained above 68 percent from June 1996 through December 1996, and the annual average monthly visits rose 15.5 percent over 1995, due largely to increased usage after the expansion.
With the increase in new membership and a lower attrition rate, revenue grew by $1,448. The quality of equipment has also led to increased adherence and utilization with minimal equipment repairs, saving more than $300 per year in maintenance costs. To top it off, the Health & Fitness Center experienced a rise in the number of senior executives that tour the facility, bringing with them guests and new hires.