Fitness operators score poorly in phone survey
Fitness operators’ performance in answering their phones was rated as the worst in five years, according to a survey by Leisure-net Solutions.
As part of National call-Focus Survey over 70 sites were rung three times a day for a week by mystery callers. All calls were digitally recorded and have been sent to the operators concerned.
The average score – based on criteria such as speed of answering the phone and the receptionist/phone operator asking the potential client their goals – declined by 8% to result in the worst score in the survey’s five-year history.
Although questions about becoming a member were answered ‘confidently and knowledgably’ in 94% of cases, the receptionist/adviser only asked the researchers about their goals or the services they were interested in during 36% of calls. Over half of the operators gave out prices before discussing individual requirements, despite most operators having a policy of not giving membership prices over the phone too easily.
Mike Hill, Leisure-net managing director said, “Learning what we’re doing right and wrong in the telephone element of our service and how we can do it better is crucial to business success.
“This year’s survey results are certainly disappointing, and as sample sizes and mixes were very comparable to previous surveys, it’s reasonable to assume we’ve actually got worse as an industry in answering membership enquiries by phone.”
Leisure-net provided a complete range of customer insight tools for leisure, health and fitness operators. For further information email info@leisure-net.org. For more information on a range of issues such as customer service, marketing and new markets subscribe to FitPro Business magazine.