Measuring success on the gym floor - Fitness Professionals

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<strong>Measuring</strong> <strong>success</strong>
on the gym floor
›› In simple terms, there are two ways of measuring <strong>success</strong>: by measuring
outcomes or by measuring processes, writes Kris Tynan.
fpb
fitpro business Apr May Jun | 2012
18

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<strong>Measuring</strong> outcomes
The ultimate outcome of having a more
interactive culture on the gym floor is twofold:
1. Your customers are happier, they
stay with you longer and they refer others
to your facility, and 2. Your instructors feel
more valued and fulfilled in their work.
Analysing retention statistics, the average
lifespan of your members, referral statistics,
customer satisfaction ratings and surveys,
staff turnover, appraisal information and the
like will provide you with valuable feedback.
However, this tends to be more ‘big picture’
and often doesn’t have direct relevance to
your instructors. After all, it could be argued
that the retention rate at your organisation
may have gone down because the crèche
reduced its hours or the monthly fee went
up, not because of any interaction your
staff had or didn’t have on the gym floor
with customers.
<strong>Measuring</strong> processes
Failing to measure the processes that
facilitate the outcomes you want is where
organisations often fall down in trying to
achieve a more interactive culture.
The big advantage of measuring
processes is that instructors have direct
responsibility for their actions, which
puts them in the driver’s seat in terms of
managing their own performance.
Measurement tools
The following floor appraisal is quick and
simple; it’s designed to be a snapshot
of what is going on in the gym at any
given time.
This visual assessment of the
instructor’s performance is conducted
over approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
The assessor can use his discretion,
however, in that if a situation demands the
instructor’s full attention and they are not
able to work the floor properly, the time
can be extended.
The letters A–F remind the assessor of
the areas being evaluated. This means that
they can do an assessment while working
out themselves, for example, without the
need to refer to the appraisal sheet.
The instructor being assessed would
need to be free of appointments during this
time and be in charge of working the floor.
By using the criteria below, a trainer
can be given useful feedback on the key
elements of their performance. It is
preferable that this feedback be given
to the trainer as soon after the actual
assessment as possible, and it is especially
important to reinforce and recognise the
elements that are being well executed, as
well as raising awareness of any areas that
could be improved.
How the scoring works
In each of the first five areas (A-E), the
instructor is given a rating between zero
and three, with three being the best. In
the sixth area (F) there is only one point
to be scored.
A. Awareness and positioning
■ Does the instructor seem aware of what
is happening in the gym?
■ Are they positioned to see as much of
the gym as possible?
■ Are they scanning the gym and reacting
to any ‘flags’ flown by customers?
If the answers are all ‘yes’, they
should score a three; if there is room
for improvement, they should be scored
accordingly.
B. Body language, badge, uniform,
friendly facial expression
Start with a three and then deduct marks
if the instructor adopts inappropriate body
language for more than a few minutes,
e.g., crossed arms, hands hidden in
sleeves, hands on hips, slouching, hands
in pockets, chewing. Do the same for
uniform, badge and grooming. If an element
is lacking, deduct a mark and explain why
in the comments section.
C. Contact with members (plural)
The aim is to see contact being made
with three different members during the
assessment period. This can include
general conversation and professional
interaction. If the instructor makes contact
with only two members, they would score
two marks. The idea of this element of the
appraisal is to ensure that contact is not
restricted to just one person within the
10-15-minute period.
D. Demonstrating professional
interaction
The aim here is to observe at least
three professional interactions in the
evaluation period. Things like WOW!AM
(Work Out With A Member), corrections,
coaching, intensity checks and explanations
of machines are all classified as
professional interactions.
Failing to measure
the processes
that facilitate the
outcomes you
want is where
organisations
often fall down
E. Entrance and exit
The assessor is watching to see if the
instructor adopts the principle of the
‘greeting zone’. This means the instructor
says hello and goodbye to customers
when they are both in the zone near the
entrance/exit. Start with giving three
points and deduct one point each time this
does not happen when it could have. If
the instructor is not in the greeting zone
at any time during the appraisal, rate them
a three.
F. Friendly introductions
If the assessor sees the trainer giving their
name, finding out the customer’s name or
shaking hands with anyone, that would rate
a point.
Have new trainers do ‘snapshot
moments’ on experienced trainers and then
discuss the results together. This allows
new trainers to understand exactly what
they need to be doing on the gym floor, and
gives experienced trainers the opportunity
to share their knowledge. fpb
Kris Tynan is the author of The Interactive Instructor and has launched a fitness-specific e-learning course
on communication and interactive skills. See www.interactiveskillstraining.com Three course places are
available for free. To win a place for your instructor email ashley.n@fitpro.com
19 Apr May Jun | 2012 fitpro.com