Amenities to Offer Your Canadian Fitness Club Members to Improve Club’s Experience in 2023

The fitness industry in Canada has been growing steadily in recent years, with a growing number of Canadians embracing healthy living and regular exercise. This has led to an increase in the number of gyms and fitness centres across the country, as well as an increase in competition among existing players. In addition to traditional gyms, there has been a rise in specialised fitness studios and boutiques that offer niche workouts such as yoga, Pilates, and spinning. These studios often provide a unique and personalised experience for customers, which can make it challenging for traditional gyms to compete. With that said, it is more important than ever to differentiate your facility from the masses. Aside from location & equipment there are a number of small details that contribute to the decision of what gym a patron signs up to. These small details should be focused on to make the membership experience as pleasant as possible. Keep reading to learn more about these details below. 

According to a survey conducted by the International Health, Racquet & Sports club Association (IHRSA) in 2018, many consumers assess the locker room and amenities when making a decision on which gym or fitness facility to join. The locker room is an often overlooked area of the gym but with many people getting a workout in on the way to or from work, this area is an essential for many gym goers. According to the survey conducted by IHRSA, the top five locker room amenities that gym members value most are:

    Cleanliness: 90% of respondents said that a clean locker room was important to them.

   Showers: 81% of respondents said that showers were important to them.

    Lockers: 78% of respondents said that lockers were important to them.

    Towels: 72% of respondents said that towels were important to them.

   Toiletries: 59% of respondents said that toiletries were important to them.

The above 5 areas are something that every gym can focus on improving no matter of size or budget. They are the small details that go a long way and, if done well, can immensely improve the overall gym-going experience. Further to this point, it does not break the bank to offer a good locker room experience. A lot of the products needed are economical, particularly when purchased through a wholesale amenity company. Let’s take a deeper dive into each of the areas. 

Cleanliness: Gym members expect the locker room to be clean and well-maintained at all times. This includes regular cleaning of floors, benches, lockers, and shower stalls. In addition, providing cleaning wipes or sprays for customers to clean equipment before and after use can be a valuable amenity. To combat the locker room smell of sweat, these natural odour elimination products are also a great addition to the locker room area. 

Showers: In terms of shower amenities, gym-goers typically value water pressure, temperature control, and the availability of shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner. Wholesale providers often offer bulk shampoo and gallon jugs of body wash for low prices. If you couple these products with wall mounted shower soap dispensers, they are often easy to refill and manage while remaining convenient to your members. The availability of hair dryers, mirrors, and changing stalls can also be important for customers who need to get ready quickly after a workout.

Lockers: Gym members expect the availability of lockers, ideally with a locking mechanism, to secure their personal belongings while they work out. Electronic locks or keypad locks can also be particularly popular as they eliminate the need to carry a key.

Towels: Providing clean towels for gym members can be a valuable amenity, especially for those who forget to bring their own. It’s essential to ensure that towels are regularly laundered and replaced to maintain hygiene standards. Implementing a towel service can also help increase gym revenues as an add on service or justify a higher price of membership. If you are worried about towel theft and it being a drain on resources, there are anti-theft towel systems that help prevent these issues. 

Toiletries: Providing basic toiletries such as liquid hand soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion can be a valuable amenity for gym members. Additionally, amenities such as hair ties, cotton swabs, and disposable razors can be useful for customers who forget to bring these items with them.

Other amenities that were also deemed important by a significant number of respondents include hair dryers (43%), sauna/steam room (41%), and private changing areas (39%).

Overall there are a host of ways to improve your membership experience without breaking the bank. Focus on the small details that members place emphasis on as these will likely make your gym stand out and make your members’ life easier. Working with a wholesaler of locker room amenities like Petra Soap will help you offer the best membership experience possible while keeping costs down.