Customer service in the fitness sector

I changed my hairdresser for the first time in 15 years this weekend.

The reason? I was disillusioned that they didn't value me as a very loyal long term customer. So having spent around £1,000 a year at Toni & Guy in Windsor, and despite the fact that I was perfectly happy with my hair cuts, I decided to experiment with something different and was tempted next door to the new Rush salon by its special offers and superb customer service.

Despite the fact that I have been visiting the same salon for so long, I was never made to feel truly valued by them.

The reason I tell this story is that how I felt towards Toni & Guy is how so many loyal members of health clubs must feel too. It was over 15 years ago that Peppers and Rogers wrote The One to One Future highlighting the simple truth that it’s cheaper to keep a customer than to get a new one. They identified that there are only four types of customers – prospects, customers, loyal customers and former customers – and that your loyal customers are happy to spend more money with you.

The things I feel our industry could learn from my experience at Rush...

- Customer service was excellent. From the way in which the coffee is served on its own little tray with a cafetiere and biscuits, to the attentive way the same person colours, washes and cuts your hair. My visit was full of little 'delighters' - those extra things that make you feel special.

- They did a great job of getting all my contact details on that first visit, email address, birthday, age group, how I had heard about them etc . I know they are going to use this information to start a dialogue and relationship with me as a customer.


- They gave me lots of lovely freebies and samples as I left which made me feel warm and friendly towards them and more likely to refer. Slightly superficial I realise - but who doesn't like free gifts?

- They have an incredibly powerful referal technique offering both me and anyone I refer 50% off the next appointment.

It's all too easy to focus on getting new people through the doors, but ultimately Rush appear
to recognise the importance of keeping regular customers happy and generating referrals.

Health club operators please take note.