The end of lockdown is just around the corner, so it is prime time to get your fitness centre ready for re-opening!
After three long months of quarantine-snacking and unmotivating at-home workouts, people are dying to get back into the gym. This means you can expect a large influx of new and old customers wanting to visit ASAP.
Don’t panic, though! Fitness Audio is here to help guide you through your process of re-opening. Here are our top tips.
Set an appropriate date
Keep in mind that just because you can open by a certain date, doesn’t mean you necessarily should. You need to factor in time to familiarise yourself with regulations regarding hygiene and social distancing, prep your staff, prep your gym, and come up with a plan to ensure you are in compliance with all the new rules. You will also need to think about how many members can come into your fitness centre at any given time, and how to best go about handling bookings. Many gyms have adopted a system where members must book in workout slots rather than just show up. If you open before you are ready, odds are that it will not end well. So take your time to ensure that you can offer the very best and safest services for your customers!
Maximise hygiene
This is obvious, but you must ensure that you, your staff, and your members are practising safe hygiene procedures within your fitness centre. It is beyond worthwhile to invest in a sanitation machine designed specifically for gyms. They will kill any harmful pathogens lingering on surfaces, and make maintaining a clean gym easier for you. These machines are, however, designed to be used in addition to daily cleaning procedures - so don’t use them in replacement of your cleaning staff!
Also, invest in a few hand sanitiser machines to position around your gym. This will encourage everyone to sanitise regularly, and help ensure you are in compliance with regulations.
To ensure the safety of your staff and customers, you are also going to need to consider setting new rules. Asking your members to bring their own yoga mats, stay 1 metre away from other patrons, sanitise equipment before and after use, and wear a mask when not in a fitness class or using the equipment is standard procedure for most gyms.
Communicate, communicate, communicate!
Your customers are going to be confused with your new rules at first, so make it easy for them (and yourself) by communicating everything they should know. Use social media or newsletters to explain when you plan to open, the new rules and procedures you will have in place, and why these rules and procedures are important.
People are frustrated with lockdown and are ready to get back to the gym, so you may encounter some not-so-understanding customers. Communicating clearly the when, how and why of your re-opening will reduce confusion and increase empathy amongst your members.
Train your staff
Your staff are experts in fitness, but now it is your responsibility to make them experts in COVID-19. Help them to understand how the virus can be transmitted, and what symptoms to look out for when greeting members. Outline a protocol for what to do if they encounter an ill customer and be transparent about how you plan to deal with any potential cases in your facility.
Maintain communication within your team, and ensure everyone is ready and feels comfortable to return to work.
Ensure you won’t be held liable for any cases
Update your liability waiver! Make it crystal clear that although you are operating to all required rules and regulations, your members are using your facilities at their own risk. This will drastically reduce the chances of legal action should there be a transmission event at your gym.
Position you waiver by your gym’s entrance, on your website, and in newsletters.
Get hyped!
Our lucky last piece of advice is to get excited for your re-opening! We know that it’s a lot of work and stress to implement all the points we have outlined above, but your gym’s re-opening has been a long time coming - for you, your staff, and your members. Have fun with it and set a good atmosphere for your customers’ first post-lockdown workout!
Keep in mind as well, that it’s never too late to give your gym’s lighting or sound system a makeover. Wow your members with a new and improved audio and visual atmosphere. To find out more, click here - there’s still time before you re-open!
Fitness Audio wishes you the very best of luck with your re-opening! As usual, we are always here to help with any lighting or audio needs.
After three long months of quarantine-snacking and unmotivating at-home workouts, people are dying to get back into the gym. This means you can expect a large influx of new and old customers wanting to visit ASAP.
Don’t panic, though! Fitness Audio is here to help guide you through your process of re-opening. Here are our top tips.
Set an appropriate date
Keep in mind that just because you can open by a certain date, doesn’t mean you necessarily should. You need to factor in time to familiarise yourself with regulations regarding hygiene and social distancing, prep your staff, prep your gym, and come up with a plan to ensure you are in compliance with all the new rules. You will also need to think about how many members can come into your fitness centre at any given time, and how to best go about handling bookings. Many gyms have adopted a system where members must book in workout slots rather than just show up. If you open before you are ready, odds are that it will not end well. So take your time to ensure that you can offer the very best and safest services for your customers!
Maximise hygiene
This is obvious, but you must ensure that you, your staff, and your members are practising safe hygiene procedures within your fitness centre. It is beyond worthwhile to invest in a sanitation machine designed specifically for gyms. They will kill any harmful pathogens lingering on surfaces, and make maintaining a clean gym easier for you. These machines are, however, designed to be used in addition to daily cleaning procedures - so don’t use them in replacement of your cleaning staff!
Also, invest in a few hand sanitiser machines to position around your gym. This will encourage everyone to sanitise regularly, and help ensure you are in compliance with regulations.
To ensure the safety of your staff and customers, you are also going to need to consider setting new rules. Asking your members to bring their own yoga mats, stay 1 metre away from other patrons, sanitise equipment before and after use, and wear a mask when not in a fitness class or using the equipment is standard procedure for most gyms.
Communicate, communicate, communicate!
Your customers are going to be confused with your new rules at first, so make it easy for them (and yourself) by communicating everything they should know. Use social media or newsletters to explain when you plan to open, the new rules and procedures you will have in place, and why these rules and procedures are important.
People are frustrated with lockdown and are ready to get back to the gym, so you may encounter some not-so-understanding customers. Communicating clearly the when, how and why of your re-opening will reduce confusion and increase empathy amongst your members.
Train your staff
Your staff are experts in fitness, but now it is your responsibility to make them experts in COVID-19. Help them to understand how the virus can be transmitted, and what symptoms to look out for when greeting members. Outline a protocol for what to do if they encounter an ill customer and be transparent about how you plan to deal with any potential cases in your facility.
Maintain communication within your team, and ensure everyone is ready and feels comfortable to return to work.
Ensure you won’t be held liable for any cases
Update your liability waiver! Make it crystal clear that although you are operating to all required rules and regulations, your members are using your facilities at their own risk. This will drastically reduce the chances of legal action should there be a transmission event at your gym.
Position you waiver by your gym’s entrance, on your website, and in newsletters.
Get hyped!
Our lucky last piece of advice is to get excited for your re-opening! We know that it’s a lot of work and stress to implement all the points we have outlined above, but your gym’s re-opening has been a long time coming - for you, your staff, and your members. Have fun with it and set a good atmosphere for your customers’ first post-lockdown workout!
Keep in mind as well, that it’s never too late to give your gym’s lighting or sound system a makeover. Wow your members with a new and improved audio and visual atmosphere. To find out more, click here - there’s still time before you re-open!
Fitness Audio wishes you the very best of luck with your re-opening! As usual, we are always here to help with any lighting or audio needs.
