VOL. # 6 - Mar 24th, 2024

Front Desk Staff:
Use it or lose it?🤔

People influence profitability: you can’t talk about one without the other! Everyone from your stellar staff to your committed community has an effect on your bottom line.

How do we know? A majority of studios we surveyed in 2023 allocate 25%-50% of their gross revenue to payroll expenses. Gen Z's desire for work-life balance may be contributing to high turnover in your front of house, adding additional costs. On top of that, your members are only willing to pay so much per class… you get the picture.

Successful (i.e. profitable) businesses will have to continually review their people strategies and leverage new technologies to thrive.

In this issue:

• How RTR Pilates is using technology to manage 6 locations without front desk staff.
• Generate ancillary revenue by conducting done-for-you retreats that earn you more money from existing clients (with little additional cost).
• Discounts on eco-friendly retail, studio management software, virtual assistants and gamified fitness.

Power of the Network

MEMBER CASE STUDY

Automating the Front of House Experience with Reina Offutt of RTR Pilates | BFS Member since 2019 

Front desk staff are hard to train and hard to keep. That high turnover can increase your training costs and become a distraction for your community and your staff.

Reina Offutt had this in mind when she opened her second and third RTR Pilates locations in the D.C. area in 2012, so she decided to centralize her customer support team to one location and rely on instructors to unlock the studio and check-in clients before class.

Now, after 17 years in business, a sixth location opening this summer, and an incoming growth phase, Reina uses a combination of tech automations, a small remote admin team, and instructors to give her 1,700+ members a high-end experience without the overhead of front desk staff. 

Automate with tech

• Each RTR studio has QR codes on walls and window decals directing members and new leads to the RTR website where they can self-service and find answers to most of their questions.
• On the RTR website, the TrueLark chatbot can answer basic questions, book and cancel classes for members and funnel new leads. TrueLark’s hands-on onboarding allowed RTR’s team to build custom sales funnels and provide AI with location-specific information, like best places to park or holiday hours.
• Revel self-service check-out allows customers to purchase retail at a self-service iPad. Reina suggests minimizing the SKU’s to ensure members are purchasing the correct items.

80/20 support

While RTR relies on technology to automate ~80% of front of house tasks, ~20% of users require more high-touch support. Reina’s remote support team of four is able to service any of the 3,500+ people that come into the studio each week who might require extra help.

Instructor support

Instructors are the heart of your community. But there’s a chance they might push back at the thought of taking on additional responsibilities. With this in mind, Reina empowers her instructors to:

• Redirect to the QR codes whenever possible (which is most of the time!)
• Rely on short scripts that push to Intro Offers or redirect to the site.
• Pass out marketing materials, like pricing cards, which should be well-stocked at each location.

Get more insights on best practices in tech automation with a Community Membership.

CORPORATE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Retreats to Boost Revenue with FitGrid Retreats

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According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness tourism–the powerful intersection of two large and growing multi-trillion-dollar industries–is expected to accelerate from $650.7b to $1,399b by 2027. 

FitGrid Retreats takes the work, liability, and upfront costs out of the process of selling and leading retreats so you can capitalize on your community’s passion while relaxing on the world’s most beautiful beaches.

Earn up to $1,000 of profit per participant with FitGrid’s:

• reduced upfront payments
• multiple pre-planned, customizable retreats at varying price points to fit your client’s budgets
• marketing playbook with the tools, insights, digital assets, techniques and timelines to help you fill your retreats

Curious to learn more? Get your questions answered by FitGrid’s team in our BFS Wednesday: Corporate Member Workshop on March 27th 3:00pm EST. 

MARKETPLACE BUZZ

TeamUp: Enterprise grade secure and customizable software that fits the most advanced business processes, complete with a complimentary migration and onboarding. BFS Members get 20% off their first twelve months when you inquire before May 1st.

Aruna: Look good and do good with Aruna’s premium, eco-friendly, custom athleisure bags and accessories. Build your retail line with products that support survivors of human trafficking through employment and holistic care. BFS Members can request one free “giveaway” product.

Delegate To Elevate: Virtual personal assistants for fitness professionals, gym/studio owners, and business coaches. Free up 20+ hours of your week with the support of our trained staff. BFS Members get 15% off first month subscription + referral commission.

Spivi: Game on! Increase retention and loyalty through heart rate tracking,  live leaderboards, challenges, milestones, and gamified experiences using your member’s existing wearables and equipment. BFS Members get 15% off Spivi Studio and Spivi Arena systems.