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Online consumer insight into the UK health club experienceRay Algar (MBA)
Oxygen Consulting, LondonIHRSA March 2009
2Before the web
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Companies controlled the communications channel
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Companies used to just shout and interrupt consumers
News flowed one way
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Consumers found it difficult to be heard
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The web changed the rules
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Printing press for everyone
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Consumers now sharing wisdom
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What is the online conversation regarding the UK gym experience?
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What aspects of the gym experience do consumers like?
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…and dislike
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Identified websites where consumers post opinion
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Gym experience boiled down into four categories
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Brand
19Facilities
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Membership factors
21Service experience
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Then into 41 tangible and intangible attributes
23Opinion then analysed
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“Great range of facilities, staff really friendly and helpful. I would thoroughly recommend it”
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“Management team extremely poor. They only have their own interests at heart and do not support the members”
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The ‘tangible’ proposition delivers ‘wow’
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The intangible proposition often disappoints
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Positive opinion
Negative opinion
Current/
Past
Members
40% 60%
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Positive opinion
Negative opinion
Current
members
50% 50%
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Positive opinion
Negative opinion
Past members
17% 83%
39Do clubs care?
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Yes, during the tour
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“the best salesman ever”
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“Cup of coffee bought for me and all the trimmings”
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“I remember how friendly the sales lady was”
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…but after the honeymoon period
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“Once I had joined, she (sales staff) would blank me when I said hi”
46Read this before you sign
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“I was not aware of the 12-month commitment period until I tried to cancel”
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“Customer care is non-existent. They only care about money”
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“After the initial session, they have never checked my circumstances in my two years of membership”
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“I had to chase for an induction session which took over a month to arrange”
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Would they recommend to a friend?
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317 reviews (6 chains)10% promoter rate
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22% highest chain
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7% lowest chain
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So what are the
key insights?
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Very little positive word
of mouth
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Staff and member interactions unpredictable
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Self-service proposition
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Frustration with inflexible membership contracts
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Exercise ‘aimless’
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Poor measurementof outcomes
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Not a sticky experience!
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Questions