What Happens When The Phone Rings In Your Fitness Business?
Since 2012, we have been conducting mystery shopping for our clients in every fitness business model – franchise, chain clubs & independent clubs; council facilities; and PT studios – across Australia. And to be honest every month we are amazed at what happens when we email, ring or visit the clubs.
Before, we share our insights lets clear something up: every client’s staff KNOW they will be mystery shopped at some stage in the month. We recommend to every client that they tell their staff mystery shopping is being conducted. In other words, we want to catch them doing things right not wrong.
In the last 12 months, here is a summary of what we have found:
- A small percentage email enquiries were never replied to or contacted by the business;
- Only 60% of telephone enquiries were asked to come into the business to look around, a visit, or a workout;
- If an appointment was not made from a phone enquiry, less than 40% of calls were even recorded in the business; and
- Over 90% of tours were shown everything in the business but less than 50% felt that the tour was personalised to their needs.
We even had one example of a client giving the phone enquiry report to his team member and the team member’s response was “that wasn’t me.” And yet the call was made when that staff member was the only staff member working at the time.
On the flip side, we have seen one client over 4 years increase every aspect of the mystery shopping evaluation so that there is consistency in email, phone and walk in enquiries. They have conducted mystery shopping every month for 4 years and are now reaping the benefits with more sales.
We hear from nearly every person we speak to in the industry that enquiries have dropped off. That may well be true but when less than 40% of non-appointed calls are recorded anywhere how do you know exactly how many enquiries you are getting every day?
Stacey is our Mystery Shopping Captain and runs an amazing team of mystery shoppers. If you would like an introductory 3 month Mystery Shopper Program you can grab your campaign now.
Get Your Introductory 3 Month Mystery Shopping Package Now
Your program includes:
- 12 mystery calls tailored to what you would like callers to ask – for example: about a product or promotion or a general enquiry;
- 6 email enquiries to see the speed of reply and quality of response; and
- 3 walk in enquiries who will come in and ask to join your facility.
- A summary and individual evaluations of each enquiry.
Get Your Introductory 3 Month Mystery Shopping Package Now
Justin is the Managing Director of Active Management, which he began January 2004. He offers coaching to businesses worldwide in everything from start up and design to marketing and sales systems. Justin also facilitates four Australian and New Zealand ‘fitness industry roundtables’ events, which allows him to see a huge cross section of business models.