Running a successful gym is the dream of many gym owners. But this dream demands hard work and is a constant juggling act. As a gym owner, you have to keep an eye on your staff, your members, your revenue, and the list doesn’t ever stop at this.
Equipment can and does break. Part of your job is to make sure nothing stays out of service for long. This is what you might call an operational problem but there are many others to consider.
Biggest problems in the fitness industry that many gym owners face
Here’s a compilation of the biggest fitness industry challenges gym owners face. Understanding these is the key to keeping your gym running smoothly. Once you understand these challenges, addressing them is easy. We have grouped these problems that our members report in an order we find helpful.
Let’s dive into the different types of challenges before exploring their practical solutions
Operational challenges
The first one here is operational challenges. Everything that involves your day-to-day task management comes under this category.
Equipment maintenance & cleanliness
The most obvious challenge is keeping your equipment functional and clean for your members. Equipment malfunctions are unpredictable, and a smart solution here is to create and consistently follow a maintenance schedule. Think of it as a crucial turnpoint for your gym, because it really depends on it.
Scheduling & class management
Juggling schedules may sound easy until your member base grows and everything is all over the place. With dozens of trainers and back-to-back classes, it gets complicated fast. Careful planning is critical to ensure a profitable business with minimal frustration and disappointed customers. The right gym management software, like Wellyx, can simplify this side of your business management and save you a ton of headaches.
Compliance and legal challenges
Nothing says “shutdown” like ignoring local regulations or screwing up your paperwork. Accounting for 15%, this stuff isn’t exciting, but it’ll keep your gym open.
These regulatory challenges generally revolve around the safety and health of gym members. Around 15% of compliance and legal concerns arise due to:
Health & safety regulations
Regular equipment maintenance and emergency procedures for scenarios like fires are non-negotiable. As they say, “safety comes first”, and it should. A single gym lawsuit can damage your business more than a month of bad reviews. So, pay attention to these absolutely uncompromisable elements.
Insurance
Having the right insurance plan is essential, so don’t skimp here. It offers peace of mind and ensures you’re protected if/when anything goes wrong. Your waiver forms are just as important. Utilize them to clearly outline the health status of your existing and new members, and confirm they are fit for physical activity. If doing so manually isn’t your cup of tea, gym management software can help ensure these forms are filled accurately and stored securely.
Financial challenges
It’s not always just about making money, but keeping it is equally integral for your gym’s growth.
Budgeting & cost control
Financial issues account for nearly 20% of gym owner challenges. If you do not know where your money is going, chances are it’s going to the places. The solution to overcoming this fitness industry challenge is simple. Track every expense. From something as big as the electricity bill to buying something as small as a dumbbell. You must have a strict budget. Cut unnecessary costs, but never compromise on essentials. A solid budget can be the difference between staying open and going under.
Revenue generation
Solely relying on your membership sales will not cover everything. Look for additional revenue streams. Some things you can and should do:
- Personal training upsells
- Nutrition or wellness coaching
- Renting space for events or workshops
- Loyalty and referral programs
Creativity in revenue generation can be a game-changer. And if utilized the right way, these can act as magic buttons for bringing in new members without blowing your marketing budget.
Staffing challenges
Needless to say, you need all hands on deck when it comes to handling the busiest hours or days. Your staff’s loyalty and retention rate have a direct impact on your members’ experience.
Employee retention
Your staff is your gym’s backbone. Losing your best trainers to the gym down the street can be an annoying thing you would have to deal with. But the art is knowing how to improve your retention, not just for members but for staff as well. Retaining good employees simply translates to competitive pay, career growth opportunities, and giving them a space of positive work culture. Focus on building a community that grows with you.
Mindful staff scheduling
Availability of one trainer during peak hours or multiple trainers when it’s a dry spell is not an ideal situation. Instead, it is a recipe for chaos. Use data analysis to identify your peak hours and figure out the slow days. Balanced scheduling avoids staff burnout and keeps members happy.
Member management challenges
Customer service challenges account for 10% of overall reported gym problems. You could have the best gym in town, but people will walk if your customer service is poor.
Happy members, happy owners. But, it can’t be as easy as saying it.
Member needs & retention
Even the best equipment cannot make up for poor service. Members want to feel valued, unlike another card scan at the door. Personalized attention goes a long way. Keep them engaged, respond to feedback, and give them reasons to stick around. Special deals, exclusive classes, whatever it takes to keep them happy, and they’ll keep coming back.
Complaint resolution
Don’t let small complaints snowball into major problems. Nip issues in the bud before they spiral out of control. Respond quickly, fix the problem, and move on. Proactive service makes members feel heard and builds long-term trust.
Marketing & competitive challenges
One of the biggest problems in the fitness industry is its rapid growth. In an increasingly competitive market, differentiation is essential.
Standing out in a competitive market
Easier said than done, right? Well, unique classes, member communities, or an energizing environment, find your niche and own it. Make sure your staff and members align with you and know the story behind your brand. Listening to members’ needs can uncover new market opportunities. This is how Sarah Chaplin started her gym in Oman. You’d be surprised how staying in tune with your members opens up new opportunities.
Reputation management
In the age of Google reviews and Instagram stories, your reputation is more valuable than all your gym equipment put together. With reviews just a click away, a single bad experience can spread quickly. Encourage your happy members to leave reviews, and always respond to negative reviews professionally. Maintain a strong and positive presence online, because that’s your digital storefront.
Technology challenges
You need tech aid to run a successful gym, and it can bring management issues across your operations.
Software management
Managing your gym with spreadsheets and sticky notes is inefficient and, well, outdated. A lot of gym chains are held back by legacy systems that hinder progress, yet the thought of upgrading may feel expensive and complicated. If this is you, investing in an all-in-one gym management software like Wellyx can be your ticket to growth. It centralizes scheduling, billing, and memberships, freeing up your time to focus on building and sustaining a successful gym.
Data security
Data breaches are a nightmare. Many unprepared brands and companies have had a data breach at some point in their journey. But this doesn’t have to be your situation. Protect member information by choosing a secure platform.
A modern gym management software often uses 3rd payment systems like Stripe. Beneath the hood of this technology is a standard called AES-256, and while this can suffer from brute force attacks, the protocol is widely considered one of the most robust encryption standards around.
Know any system that offers this? Wellyx uses both Stripe in the US and Paytab in the Middle East, so the data is as safe as possible.
And finally,
How you solve problems is part of the art of management, and to some extent, it reflects how you choose to run your gym. But with your creativity and your team’s support, you can solve everything that comes up.
Keep your operations tight, your staff motivated, and your members engaged, and you’ve got a recipe for success. Get on top of everything and make members value the space you’ve created for them with Wellyx.