One of your biggest expenses as a fitness facility is equipment, so maximizing the value of your investment is key to making sure it is money well spent. This benefits not only you as a facility operator, but also your members, staff and the facility’s overall image. It only takes a few minutes each day to perform these simple tasks to ensure that you’re getting the most out of every piece of equipment in your fitness facility.
1) Train Your Staff
Installing a new piece of equipment is bound to generate some excitement and buzz so it is crucial for everyone in your facility to understand how to use the new equipment. Make sure you harness that excitement and spend some time to properly introduce your staff, trainers, maintenance team and members to the new machine and teach them how to use it.
Make sure to ask what resources are available to you. When you educate your staff on the features and programs of new equipment, it gives them the opportunity to better engage with members and generate excitement around new workout options within your facility. Personal trainers can use the interaction as a chance to meet more members. Spending time educating shows that their well-being and fitness achievements matter to you.
For members, it is important that equipment is safe, intuitive, and inviting. Complex equipment can be a non-start for some. At the same time, when you purchase an innovative new product with advanced features, you don’t want your members to only rely on the quick start button. That is why it is important to teach them how to use the equipment properly and show off the many options available. Members will get better workouts, try new and different programs, and overall achieve better results.
2) Utilize A Daily Checklist
Daily checklists are a useful tool for businesses to complete required tasks when they close for the night and open in the morning. To ensure your equipment is well cared for, your checklist should include simple tasks such as wiping down equipment, vacuuming underneath machines, testing console buttons, and checking strength equipment cables and upholstery.
By spending just a few extra seconds at each piece of equipment, you could save yourself money in the long run from maintenance costs, improve equipment function and reduce liability because you will be ahead of any issues that might arise.
3) Have Regular Checkups
Whether you are getting your car serviced, or going in for an annual physical, checkups are a responsible and necessary part life. The same goes for fitness equipment.
Although manufacturers require only minimum maintenance to be done to qualify for their warranties, a comprehensive preventative maintenance plan can help you catch problems before they occur, reduce downtime and extend the life of your equipment. Sometimes embarking on a comprehensive preventative maintenance program can seem daunting, especially if you have a large facility or multiple facilities to maintain.
If you are not sure where to start, check the equipment owner’s manual. If you can’t find a physical copy, check the manufacturer’s website. Most manuals are housed on their service pages.
You can also always check with your service technician, as most offer preventative maintenance programs so that operators can focus on the business side of their club. And, of course, you can also check with the sales rep who sold you the equipment.
When daily, weekly, monthly and annual tasks are completed, you maintain the integrity of the club and the equipment. By keeping up on your equipment maintenance the overall cost of ownership decreases, due to any equipment repairs that need to be are completed under warranty.
Take a few extra minutes each day to inspect your equipment. It is well worth the time to protect your financial investment.
4) Consider Repair vs. Replace
Even if you are diligent about your preventative maintenance, monitoring equipment performance and are up-to-date on your warranty work, all fitness equipment still has a finite lifetime. Although it varies by facility—depending on the amount of use, the condition of the equipment at the start and the overall quality of the equipment—group cycles typically last five to seven years, cardio equipment seven to ten years and strength equipment ten years or more.
Many club operators struggle with knowing when the right time is to stop with preventative maintenance and instead replace equipment. In truth, the answer is that it will always be a judgment call. Clearly, when equipment becomes a safety concern, it is time to replace. If you spend a significant amount of money repeatedly fixing equipment, or when it spends more time out of order than up with members using it, it is time to replace.
A good preventative maintenance program will provide the numbers that will tell you how much it costs to repair each piece of equipment, how often a piece needs attention and how long it takes to fix the product. Monitoring your equipment means you can replace pieces as they need to be replaced, ensuring the club is current and members are happy. If you do a full replacement of all products at one time, keep your members in mind. Offer them an alternate club to work out in during the installation process or schedule new equipment to arrive after hours when it will not affect their current routines.
In short, if it makes sense for your facility—for safety, member needs and your budget—replace your equipment. Then, follow the steps above to make sure that members and staff know how to get the most out of your new investment.
”Preventative Maintenance is proven to increase the life of fitness equipment and reduce maintenance costs over the life of the equipment,” says Daniel Murray, Core Health & Fitness VP of Customer Support. “Inventing time in Daily, Weekly, and Monthly maintenance or engaging a service professional to complete these services regularly on your behalf will maximize your investment and assure maximum uptime.”
Ensure that your equipment will run as strong and capable as the first day you bought it and check out the Core Health & Fitness Preventative Maintenance & Service Contracts by clicking the link below.
