3 types of gym personalities and how to engage with them

Gyms and fitness centres can be interesting environments, capable of attracting a wide range of different characters.

People in a GymThis is even reflected by the layouts of the machinery, creating ecosystems where certain individuals thrive: from the tough, flat plains of the free-weights section, to the blustery cardio jungles of exercise bikes and treadmills, and the peaceful stretching areas.

Your gym is likely to attract a near infinite number of personalities with their own reasons and goals for being there. The formula for member retention can require some long-term effort on behalf of the gym manager, though some simple changes can have a dramatic impact today.

Offering your members a better way to subscribe to your services with direct debit integration provides a range of benefits to help you balance your delicate gym ecosystem and its varied population.

Here are 5 examples of typical gym members and how you can keep them happy:

The gym buddies

Many gym goers join a fitness centre with a friend or group of mates. Their reasoning is often to improve their own visit rate and achieve their overall fitness goals.

These people are great members to have, as they have already shown their deep-lying commitment to your gym. But it's up to their companions – or more accurately, you – to encourage them further.

By reducing the friction of membership, that is late payment conversations and delays at the front desk, you can improve the member's experience a little each time they visit.

Especially in the early membership stages, motivation can be hard – and if members can find any excuse not to go to your gym, it gets a little bit harder. 

The lunch-break opportunist

These enterprising individuals may arrive in a suit and tie, but they're soon down to a different sort of business hitting an intense workout before heading back to the office desk.

The lifestyle can be difficult, particularly on busy days in the office. The worst possible scenario is for the lunch-break opportunist to find himself or herself too busy to go to the gym, because who wins then? Not them, not your business, perhaps only their boss.

Give your lunch time enthusiasts an express entry option by ensuring you don't have to stop them at the gate and discuss their payments.

The born-again fitness fanatic

This member has a look of intent and a willingness to return themselves to past fitness levels. Their natural habitat is lifting weights heavier than mere mortals ever could or practising yoga techniques that would have a snake in knots.

These members are intense for a while but may be seasonal and before long you could find them falling back into old habits.

Make sure they have a reason to continue using your fitness facilities by setting them up with a direct debit payment program – it may just keep them on the straight and narrow.

It's so easy to improve customer experience these days, and integrating your gym management software with your payment provider is just one of them. Which payment solutions does your gym management software integrate with?