44 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE JULY 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

Team

Rachel Zabonick

When staff work together, no dirt, trash or mess goes uncleaned.

CleanKeeping your

club clean shouldn’t be the job of the janito-

rial staff alone. Instead, a sparkling clean facility should be a group effort, from the front desk staff to managers and beyond. By doing so, you can ensure no areas, big or small, are missed — earning your club a positive reputation.

46 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE JULY 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

The Rush Fitness Complex, which

has 23 locations.

A Rush member uses battle ropes.

That is why Reinier Arocha, the direc-tor of sales and marketing for Downtown Athletic Club in Miami, Florida, has no qualms about doing some cleaning of his own. Although it’s not in his job descrip-tion and the club has its own cleaning staff, Arocha is constantly on the lookout for areas that need to be tidied up.

“The number-one priority is our members, and we need to make sure that a clean facility is available to them at all times,” said Arocha. “Even myself, if I see something on the floor, I pick it up immediately.”

The all-for-one and one-for-all attitude is a hallmark for clubs known for their clean facilities. This includes Chuze Fit-ness, which has locations in California and Arizona. At Chuze Fitness, cleanli-ness is even stressed as a part of the club’s training process for new employees.

“It’s part of our culture and selec-tion process,” explained Cory Bright-well, the co-founder of Chuze Fitness. “All new staff members are taken through an on-boarding process that will help them understand and internalize the importance of cleanliness before they even begin their first shift. The leaders in our club are the first to put on a vacuum or grab a rag, and the example they set is the best way we can express the impor-tance of cleanliness at Chuze.”

Although stressing the importance of cleanliness to employees is important, having specific processes in place can make their job easier and prevent areas from being overlooked.

For example, The Rush Fitness Com-plex, with 23 clubs in Tennessee and North Carolina, has several procedures in place to establish club cleanliness. First, at each location a janitorial team comes in twice a day, for a total of eight hours, and completes a checklist detail-ing what their team did in the morning and what they did at night. The next day, the clubs’ operations managers complete a walkthrough critiquing every area in the club, communicating with the janito-rial staff on areas they think need addi-tional attention.

According to Leslie Daley, the senior vice president of human resources for The Rush, the key to a clean club is com-munication and feedback. “If the opera-tions manager is having a consistent issue with an area being neglected, they are trained to communicate within the chain of command and consult with the region-al manager of our janitorial service,” she

48 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE JULY 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

said. “They speak on a weekly basis at times and build a rela-tionship, as communication is key between both parties.”

Like Chuze Fitness and Downtown Athletic Club, keeping the club clean is a team effort at The Rush. “All staff are asked to com-plete hourly locker room checks and the front desk [staff] complete ‘front end’ cleaning tasks during every shift,” explained Daley. For example, front desk staff will clean the windows on the front doors, the top of the desks and check that all areas are clutter free. “This ensures that our first impressions are perceived well.”

According to Brightwell, clubs may fail at having a

sparkling clean facility be-cause the correct procedures weren’t put into place at the get go. “Develop specific cleanliness expectations and standards, and then create accountability measures that will allow your clubs to meet those expectations and stan-dards,” he said.

At Chuze Fitness, staff are assigned daily tasks, check-lists and inspections.

“We have a checklist that breaks down each section of the day and which cleaning tasks need to be performed,” continued Brightwell. “Once the task is performed, the em-ployee will initial the check-list next to the completed task. Then, district manage-ment will perform weekly

Strength equipment at The Rush.

Members workout at The Rush.

Members’ Pet Peeves• Picture frames and photographs. As these are meant to be looked at, make sure members are staring at the photos, and not a layer of dust.

• High dusting. You may not think members look at the ceiling, but you’d be surprised at where your eyes wander when running on a treadmill. As a result, clean high to low.

• Smells. Even if your club looks visibly clean, if it doesn’t smell that way, your cleaning efforts can be vetoed in members’ eyes.

• Equipment footholds. Ever jumped on an elliptical without looking where you place your feet? The likely answer is no. Therefore, make sure your members aren’t placing their feet on top of a collection of dirt.

50 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE JULY 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

and monthly club inspections to [check that] the tasks are being completed at the standards we have set in place.”

According to Arocha, boasting a clean club is the top compliment he receives from both prospects and mem-bers, and that fact couldn’t make him happier. “We always get complimented on how clean our facilities are,” he said. “It’s very important.”

Daley explained that having a clean facility adds value to your club, a value that may get overlooked. “A consumer is more likely to join a club that is clean and is more likely to stay if a club is clean,” she said. “We show our members that we care about our facili-

ties enough to invest additional revenue in a janitorial service to ensure a con-stant focus on keeping our clubs clean.”

Although there can be challenges in keeping your club in tip-top shape, if you make the challenge a team effort, that challenge can be overcome.

“We teach our employees that we play a major role in keeping our clubs clean,” continued Daley. “We ask that each club management team pick an area of their club every week to de-tail. This helps us do our part in [assur-ing] we contribute, in addition to our daily janitorial staff. This shows pride and ownership and is a practice that many teams put in place.”

At Chuze Fitness, cleanliness is a

top priority.

The number one priority is our members,

and we need to make sure that a clean facility is available to

them at all times.”

Reinier Arocha

Locker rooms at Chuze Fitness in Westminster, California.

51CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM JULY 2014 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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14 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE JUNE 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

INDUSTRY NEWSWARM UP

Starting May 15, 2014, AussieFIT’s two locations in Columbus, Ohio, opened

its doors to teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 for free workouts.

Teens interested in the program must first tour the club with a parent. The only restrictions are that teenagers finish their workouts by 4 p.m., and be out the door by 5 p.m., to avoid peak hours. Besides that, registered teens receive the same treatment and access as adult members.

Geoff Dyer, the founder of AussieFIT, began the tradition in 2005 at Lifestyle Family Fitness. He carried the program over to AussieFIT’s two locations, which

opened in 2011. As a former overweight teen, the pro-

gram is extremely important to Dyer. “At 16, 17 and 18, I weighed 248 pounds,” recalled Dyer. “So first hand, I know what it’s like to have that self esteem is-sue from being overweight.”

Like other cities, Columbus is strug-gling to boast healthy and fit citizens. According to the most recent data avail-able from the CDC, Ohio has the 12th highest rate of diabetes in the nation.

According to Dyer, around 700 teens register for free memberships each year, and about 500 end up making use of the

opportunity. “It’s a great way to give back to the community and educate teens on the importance of health and fitness,” said Dyer.

Dyer is continually impressed by the positive feedback his clubs have received as a result of the program. “It’s absolutely amazing how the community embraces it,” he said. In addition to local press, Dr. Oz, a popular daytime TV show person-ality, has endorsed the program.

As a result, he encouraged other clubs to implement something similar. “It’s a great way to get hundreds of teens and hundreds of parents to tour your club,” he said. “Clubs need to stand for something in their communities, and teenage inactivity is a problem – what better way to counteract it than to open your doors?”

The program runs May 15 through August 15.

AussieFIT Offers Teens Free Summer Memberships

Photo courtesy of AussieFIT.

16 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE JUNE 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

Focused on the baby boomer mar-ket, Welcyon: Fitness After 50 is a

health club catering to those 50 and old-er. And now Welcyon is award winning.

One of the nation’s only fitness fran-chises designed specifically for people over 50, Welcyon: Fitness After 50 is locat-ed in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Recently, the club was named the “Best Gym for 50-plus set” in the Star Tri-bune’s 2014 Best of Minnesota awards.

The third annual Best of Minnesota has over 100 categories, ranging from the best Minnesota getaways and fitness activities to the best food and drink. The Star Tri-bune’s 265 journalists select the winners.

Welcyon CEO Suzy Boerboom said the health club is grateful and thrilled to be honored with this tremendous award. “As a health club designed specifically for those 50 or older, Wel-cyon promises a better experience and healthier results than traditional gyms,”

she said in a press release.She said the concept’s specially trained

staff, safer user-friendly equipment and personalized workout and nutrition plans are all delivered in a smaller, com-fortable setting that contrasts with over-sized, overcrowded gyms.

Founded in 2009 by Tom and Suzy Boerboom and partner Paul Contris, the motto of the club is “to provide a welcoming and personalized fitness en-vironment where people 50 and over can achieve their best health.”

Welcyon clubs feature a structured fitness program consisting of strength and cardiovascular training, as well as stretching and balance exercises. Special-ly trained fitness coaches guide workouts on equipment that uses air instead of traditional weight stacks to create resis-tance and build strength.

The gym’s strength-training equip-ment is also powered by Smart Card

technology, allowing members the ability to track their individual workouts and progress. Each machine greets the mem-ber by name, sets the resistance, counts reps and adjusts the workouts, making them progressively more challenging as the member improves.

“The best part is that we are truly chang-ing lives,” said Boerboom. “A three-year analysis of our strength data shows Wel-cyon members on average double their strength within a year of joining.”

Welcyon Recognized As Minnesota’s 'Best Gym for 50-Plus Set'

Suzy Boerboom (right), chats with a Welcyon member.

Photos courtesy of Welcyon.

INDUSTRY NEWSWARM UP

20 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE JUNE 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

INDUSTRY NEWSWARM UP

Chelsea Piers has named Greta Wagner as executive director of

Chelsea Piers in Stamford, Connecti-cut. Wagner will replace Mollie Mar-coux, who is leaving the company in August to begin her role as the director of athletics for Princeton University.

“We are very lucky to have a person with Greta’s intelligence, work ethic and professional experience available to step into this important leadership role,” said David A. Tewksbury, the president of Chelsea Piers Connecti-cut, in a press release. “With Greta’s vast experience at Chelsea Piers New York and specifically the Sports Cen-ter health club, we are confident she will be a great addition to run Chelsea Piers Connecticut and open the new athletic club.”

Wagner has served as the senior vice president and general manager of the Chelsea Piers Sports Center in New York for the past 18 years. She has also served in the company’s human resources department, overseeing man-agement development and customer

service training for Chelsea Piers’ em-ployees. Wagner previously served as the general manager of the Golf Club at Chelsea Piers, a state-of-the-art golf range and teaching academy for chil-dren and adults.

In addition, Jared Deptula has been promoted from assistant general manag-er to general manager of the Sports Cen-ter at Chelsea Piers in New York City.

“Jared has been a key leader at two of our sports venues for more than a decade,” continued Tewksbury in the release. “He has trained with Greta for years and this is a great opportu-nity for him to lead one of our largest venues. I am confident in both of their abilities to seamless[ly] step into their new roles.”

According to the company, Wagner will continue to serve as general man-ager of the Sports Center through June 15, while spending time at Chelsea Piers Connecticut during the transi-tion. She will begin her full-time posi-tion at Chelsea Piers Connecticut on July 7.

ECard Transactions, a leading provider of recovery solutions

for recurring transactions, and financial technology leader Bluefin Payment Systems have announced a partnership to bring Bluefin’s PayConex P2PE™ solution to eCard Transactions’ clients.

eCard Transactions provides intelligent software, payment solutions and sweep technology to recover returned checks, EFTs and declined credit cards for cus-tomers while averaging collection rates as high as 77 percent. eCard Transactions will offer Bluefin’s PayConex P2PE to its client base to provide greater security for their transactions.

“Our customers have come to know and expect the highest level of payment solutions, cus-tomized recovery and recurring transaction processing from our company,” said Craig Millius, the CEO of eCard Transactions. “Bluefin provides an integrated payment processing platform that features the only PCI-validated point-to-point encryption solu-tion in the U.S. We are dedicated to ensuring the safety of all our transactions, and PayConex P2PE encrypts cardholder data at the source, protecting our customers’ systems and networks.”

In March 2014, Bluefin re-ceived Payment Card Industry (PCI) Council validation for a point-to-point encryption (P2PE) solution. PayConex P2PE en-crypts credit and debit card data in a secure point of entry device before it is transmitted into a merchant’s point-of-sale (POS), virtual terminal or payment ap-plication. Encrypting cardholder data within the device ensures clear-text cardholder data does not reach the merchant’s POS systems and networks where it could be exposed to malware.

eCard Transactions Partners With Bluefin Payment Systems

Wagner Named Executive Director of Chelsea Piers Connecticut

Greta Wagner, executive director of Chelsea Piers Connecticut.

22 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE JUNE 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

INDUSTRY NEWSWARM UP

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UFC Gym Enters Silicon Valley UFC Gym has joined the ranks of

gyms striving to draw employees of well-known and startup tech companies, such as Facebook and Netflix, into its doors. On May 15, 2014, UFC Gym be-gan enrolling members into its first loca-tion in Sunnyvale, California.

“This is an energizing time for us as we celebrate another UFC Gym in the Bay Area, home of our very first location in Concord (2009),” said Adam Sedlack, the president of UFC Gym, in a press release. “Since then, we have seen in-credible facility growth throughout the states and Australia … We are honored to continue to provide a community like Sunnyvale with dynamic ways to see im-mediate results.”

The new 30,000-square-foot location will be located at 733 S. Wolfe Rd. and is scheduled to open for workouts in the fall of 2014. The club will feature a 30-foot Octogan, state-of-the-art workout equip-ment and UFC Gym-signature classes.

UFC Gym will be competing with a number of existing chains that have penetrated the area, including 24 Hour Fitness, The Bay Club Company and Lei-sure Sports, Inc.

Out of eight UFC Gym “signature” clubs, this will be UFC Gym’s fifth club in California. Overall, UFC Gym boasts over 100 locations worldwide.

UFC Gym pro shop and juice bar.

A UFC Gym Octogan.

24 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE JUNE 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

INDUSTRY NEWSWARM UP

This year, Genesis Health Clubs is celebrating its 28th anniversary and

has not stopped expanding.Recently, Genesis purchased both

the north and south locations of Ozark Fitness Center in Springfield, Missouri. With these additions, Genesis will own and operate 15 clubs throughout various cities in both Kansas and Missouri.

For several months, Rodney Steven II, the owner of Genesis Health Clubs, worked with Dan Martin, the owner of Ozark Fitness, on the sale of both loca-tions. “I am proud and excited to an-nounce that the sale is official, and the high quality of service and programs that have been a part of Ozark Fitness will continue and will thrive to a new level,” said Steven II in a press release. “We want to commend the high level of ser-vice that Dan has provided.”

Remodeling is in the works for both loca-tions, includ-ing renova-tions of locker rooms and workout areas to keep in line with the Gen-esis Health Clubs’ look. Plus, older cycle bikes will be replaced with new ones immediately.

In addition, the south loca-tion offers a women’s-only gym with equipment spe-cifically designed for women. A nursery is available and allows for professional supervision while mothers workout.

“I’m excited to bring Genesis Health Clubs to Springfield and look forward to working with the community,” said Steven II. “I am fully committed to main-taining safe, clean, state-of-the-art facili-ties and hope to create the same great atmosphere here as we have at our other Genesis locations.”

Genesis Health Clubs Purchases Ozark Fitness

Photo courtesy of Genesis Health Clubs.

“I’m excited to bring Genesis

Health Clubs to Springfield

and look forward

to working with the

community."

RODNEY STEVEN II

28 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE MAy 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

Why is functional training becoming more prevalent in health club settings?JD: Functional training is the latest “buzz word” in health clubs, and for good reasons. The idea of strength training is no longer just for those interested in bodybuilding. Strength training is important for everyone in order to maintain muscle mass as we age. Functional training simulates the way muscles work together in real life situations. Therefore, incorporating more functional training into your workout will improve your quality of life. Members are coming into clubs looking for functional training options.

How can a club create a functional training area with minimal space?JD: Functional training exercises can be per-formed anywhere in the gym where there is open space. Gyms cluttered with the typical circuit training machines that isolate muscles, instead of training muscles to work together, need to remove these machines. Not only do these machines take up a lot of room, they send mixed messages about your philosophy of training to your members.

How should a club educate members on functional equipment to prevent individual injuries?JD: Most people know they need to do func-tional training, but really don’t know what functional training is. It is important to have a knowledgeable staff and trainers present on the floor to assist people with these exercises. Small group training (SGT) is becoming more popu-lar in gyms as it creates affordable training op-tions for members. SGT is a great way to edu-cate members on functional training options.

How can clubs implement functional training areas without looking like cluttered sections?JD: It is important for clubs to have stands, racks and hooks to organize the equipment. The equipment should not be left on the floor. These organizational tools should also help cre-ate spaces for people to perform the exercises.

ASK AN EXPERTCLub CORNER

you have questions, we have answers. We took some time this month to speak with Jacki Dalsimer, the fitness director of Canton Club in Baltimore, Md., on how you can make the most out of functional training in your facility.

with JACki dAlSiMER

Top 5 Training Pieces of

Equipment

1. Stability Balls

2. TRX Suspension Systems

3. Medicine Balls

4. Dumbbells

5. Cable Machines

Q&A

66 CLUB SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE MAy 2014 CLUBSOLUTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

When Highline Club in Burien, Wash. recently remodeled its facility, more than just chang-

ing “the look” was in mind. Dropping the “athletic” from its former title, Highline Athletic Club, was also a part of the plan.

“We wanted people to feel a part of more than just an ‘athletic club,’” explained Kelly Turner, the leader of membership services at Highline Club. “We revamped our name and logo for our 25th anniversary, which we celebrated in February 2014.”

Centrally located in the same location since its inception in 1989, Highline is next to Burien’s high school, hospital and airport. As a result, it has become a central aspect of the community. It often partici-pates in school auctions and charity fundraisers, as well as local health and wellness events or races.

In addition to sponsoring events outside the club, there are opportunities for members to connect inside Highline Club as well. “We offer quarterly member mixers where new members can meet our existing members and get acquainted to the club,” explained Turner.

With such a strong community influence, High-line wanted to redesign its facilities to match that effort. “We were after designing a club that was focused on the social aspect, and making the club so much more than just a place to exercise, but a place to congregate with friends and co-workers,” explained Turner. “We felt focusing on the social aspect, with a community feel, would help foster the feeling of belonging to the club and belonging to a community.”

The redesigned facility separates the equipment into different rooms so that members aren’t crowd-ed into one big space. Some of the rooms included are a cardio room, a free-weight room, a selector-

ized-equipment room and a functional room filled with functional training accessories (such as TRX training and battle ropes). “The individual rooms, as opposed to one big warehouse, keeps people from feeling ‘on display,’” said Turner.

In addition, members have access to an indoor running track overlooking the sports courts, and a full-fledged Pilates studio for group or private instruction.

The members at Highline appreciate quality in service, in the programs and in the facility. With this in mind, every aspect of the members’ needs was put into consideration when redesigning High-line. “It’s easy to leave a club, but harder to leave friends and a community,” said Turner. “We wanted members to want to not only workout here, but hang out with friends over a cup of coffee or sand-wich when we had them. So many people work from home or don’t have offices, so we wanted to see them bringing their laptop and sitting in our social areas, even if they didn’t come in to workout.”

The new design is more conducive to a commu-nity appeal. “The layout really encourages people to stay as long as they would like,” said Turner. “you have the ability to sit in a comfy leather couch and watch the pickle ball and basketball games. Soak, steam, workout, chat with friends, play a game of cards in the lobby, grab a snack, repeat — there’s really no reason to leave!”

Although the remodel has been an important aspect of how Highline Club grows, it isn’t all about the look. “We pride ourselves on getting to know every member on a first-name basis and their per-sonal workout preferences,” said Turner. “Every-thing from the front desk having your towel ready for you before you enter the door, to singing happy birthday, to calling and checking in when we see a member hasn’t been in in a while.”

Every update that Highline makes, from the name and logo to the remodeled facility, is for its mem-bers to feel like they are a part of a community — the Highline Club community.

CLub SuCCESSCOOL dOWN

HIghline Club in burien, Wash.

by Maggie Cunningham

more Than Just an Athletic Club

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