I laughed as I typed that title...

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We have entered a new era, one of empowered customer choices and complete consumer disruption resulting in customer control.

I love disruption!

Maybe it's hardwired into me to ask many question and get to the truth before I buy in, but I am noticing that I am not the only one taking my business to the company’s that might be less popular but really, give the consumer what they want and keep caring after the sale.

This past weekend I experienced this very circumstance with my cell phone provider.

I stopped into a retail store to make a simple change to my account and inquire about an upcoming upgrade that I was eligible for.  I would have loved to handle this over the phone, but the customer service experience varies from phone to in person, so I decided to go to source vs. wasting my time on the phone (experience teaches).

 An hour later I ended up leaving the store irritated, frustrated and ready to take action.  I went up the street to a neighboring service provider to see if maybe there was a chance I could get what I wanted with the “little guy”.

Thirty minutes later I left that store with not only what I wanted in my hand, but more than I had expected.  My loyalty to the brand that I had been with for 10 years went out the window in 30 minutes because I was in control and took my business to a company that aligned with what I most wanted. Did I mention they were super nice and got to know me personally?

So the question: why do big companies still think they are in charge?

Haven’t they gotten the message yet that they work for US, the consumer?

Regardless of what industry, consumer choices create your reality.

Where I choose to spend my money creates the business's success, so the notion that CEO’s or owners are in charge, well that’s just not true.  The Customer controls the market and the success of the company.

I believe disruptive consumer momentum is radically exciting, giving the opportunity for the consumer to take 100% responsibility for what they really want and change the face of companies all over the world.

What do you think, exciting or terrifying? 

Lindsey Rainwater is an experienced consultant and coach  to the fitness and wellness industry.  She specializes in business development and leadership. Currently she is working with the Fitmarc Team helping club owners all over the south central region of the united states propel their business forward via group exercise solutions.  For more information about lindsey, follow her @lindseyrainh2o 

Lindsey Rainwater, Consultant and Coach to the Fitness and Wellness Industry

What's your favorite restaurant?  And why do you go there?  

The other night my boyfriend and I were firming up our evening plans, we were feeling low key and decided dinner and movie sounded like the perfect evening.  We enjoy going out for Pho and go to our favorite little hole in the wall family owned spot about once a week.  

The movie theatre we were planning to go to was next door to another pho spot, but we did not eat there.  We drove across town and went to the pho spot where we know Tony, and he knows us.  You see, every time I am out of town he asks where I was and how my trip was, we have a relationship with these folks.  I find it fascinating that we will drive across town to visit Tony, for Pho vs. go wherever is most convenient.

Relationships really do influence our purchasing decisions, and more over the consistency of the combination of service and relationships usually makes a lasting relationship between business and customer. 

So how did the relationship start?

Well that is a simple answer, Tony asked us our names, and we asked him what his was.

Our names are our identity, the title we offer the world and one of the most personal ways to go from stranger to friend.  

I had to laugh thinking about the fact that we went so far out of our way for a bowl of soup just to be in the environment we preferred.

Why? Because Tony creates an experience for us at his restaurant simply by knowing our names and addressing us when we visit him.

I ask you today, how many new members or strangers can you make friends by asking their name?  

Better yet- how many staff members can you inspire to do the same?   

A little food for thought- make names a priority. 

Let me know, Lindsey Rainwater what your experiences are around learning names. 

Good Morning!

This morning I venture into new territory! for the last 2 plus years I have been helping folks specifically in Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming and Oklahoma with Les Mills solutions. Today, I will be in Arkansas for the first time talking with Fitness professionals about the Les Mills programs and different ways to enhance their customer service within their facility's, elevating their member experience!

If you are in Arkansas and would like to visti with me while I am town, let me know, I would love to connect!

cheers!

Lindsey

Lindsey, 17 years old working the front desk

A little walk down memory lane; I started working in Health Club's at the age of 17, my industry adventure began at a private for profit all women's health club in Arvada Colorado, that's a picture of me to the right. I was hired to work part time front desk. At the time there was not a computer to be seen or heard of in the club. The members signed in on a daily sign in sheet and we pulled their "workout card" from the file where all the members workout information was stored in alphabetical order in a large open file drawer. The members were greeted when they walked in the door, we checked them in by hand, pulled their workout card, and when they were done exercising we initialed their card and filed it away for the next time they came in.

My job as front desk was membership tour's for anyone new that came to visit us, and member check in and out. After working there a few months I was promoted to assistant manager, and that entailed closing of membership sales, over seeing daily operations during the times I was scheduled and daily management of the other staff members while working. Looking back on that experience, it was adorable, everything was very simple. We checked members in, helped them monitor their goals and encouraged them; if I remember correctly they got a sparkly heart sticker on their membership card when milestones where reached. I look back at that time and laugh a little, everything was done by hand, created in house with art supplies and smiles and memberships were sold in private offices with tactical 'closing' pitches.

I say all of this and provide you this background to compare and contrast to today's environment within the Health club. Today when I go into my home gym to workout, I punch in my phone number and am on my way. No workout cards, signature or conversations with front desk; I walk in and get down to business. Of course, not every health club chain or private club looks like that, but the monetization that our systems have gone through thanks to technology really frees up staff for other activities.

Technology and systems have streamlined some of the "old school" processes that didn't exist when computers and check in systems were not being used in Health Clubs.

We all appreciate the advances technology has given us, if we were to grade ourselves on customer service, in lieu of some of these advances, I wonder where we would shake out?

Allow me to drill down on that thought.

Back in the day, one might argue it was "harder" for a front desk person to do their job because of the multiple tasks associated with checking someone into the club while also making sure they are welcomed while following procedures that needed to be done.

Fast forward to today, the tasks associated with front desk has diminished due to technology adoptions, so face time and customer service, can be of maximum attention allowing the customer service to be elevated and technology utilized to leverage that connection.

My purpose in bringing this up is this; now that we have adapted and continue to adopt new exciting ways that technology helps us be more efficient and streamlined in our processes, what are we then doing with the extra time this has forded us? Are we going the extra mile to engage with out members? taking the opportunity to be more thoughtful about our connectivity with the members in the facility?

A lot is to be gained from great customer service, people love to feel valued and appreciated, and in my experience, knowing someone's name and a little about their life- goes a long way!

So tell me, Lindsey Rainwater- what exciting ways are you leveraging technology to impact your connectivity with your members?

There is a buzz of excitement in the air that many people world wide become completely engulfed in right now, the Olympic Games! The excitement of representation, new champions being born and energy stirs a lot of emotions in all of us that watch the games.

A word that resonates with me when I think about the Olympic games is  Gratification, this response of fulfillment to a desired goal. The idea of gratification is part of The Human Condition, among other defining properties, gratification is a word that describes a feeling we as human beings are after and want as a part of our life.  

When I look at the Fitness industry and what happens in our environments, a lot of what we do each day is trying to tap into the human condition to yield a response of gratification.  When you exercise you feel good! I saw a fun quote on facebook the other day and the tag line read "I regret that workout, said no one, ever".  So knowing we have all this power to leverage such intense emotions out of our members and clients, how are we using that power to our benefit to change their life?  what environment are you creating to evoke an emotional reaction of gratification in your members?

I was at a facility last week in Tulsa Oklahoma that displayed a dynamic example of exactly what I am talking about and tied the Olympics in perfectly!  

The facility management team had identified an opportunity to increase member engagement over the summer months, since historically they have lower check in rates in the summer.  They decided to hold their own  version of the Olympics to spike member participation of check in frequency over their slower months.  As you can see in the photo below, the participation (voluntary) was very high.  Each time a member checks in, they receive a star, I witnessed 4 check in's in the middle of a Thursday afternoon, and saw requests from the members to the front desk that they needed their 'star' added to the competition for that day.  The executive at the facility I spoke with said they have a lot excitement around the initiative and all the top competitors go into a drawing for a loot of a prize.

 My point in this? this is an example of pulling on the heart strings of the human condition and finding a way to involve your members on a deeper level.  This facility recognized an opportunity, looked at what is going on in the world around them, and cleverly came up with a way to tie it all together to produce excitement within their four walls. Seems simple enough, but how many of us look at putting our time and money into the member experience when trouble shooting revenue obstacles within the fitness biz?  

As always, thank you for participating in my blog posts, and please let me know, Lindsey Rainwater, what you do at your Fitness Center to provoke a gratifying experience for your members.