Crossing Cultural Borders

Being respectful to different nationalities and ethnicities can help create a unique atmosphere in your fitness center, boost membership sales and give you a competitive edge.

By Mike James

There is more to establishing cultural respect than learning a new language.

It is Monday at 5:45 p.m. approaching peak hour in my fitness center. A woman strides purposefully toward my office and asks, "Are you the manager?"

"Well, yes, ma'am. I am, I answer.

"When are you going to change the name of that 6 p.m. class? I find it degrading and offensive:' she says. And, she's not finished. I find it particularly distasteful that you are advertising the class as a summer" special so that we can 'fit into our bikinis: This is extremely sexist and offensive to all women and especially women from my culture

I've been manager of the facility for only three weeks, so I furtively search the group exercise program for the name of the class she finds objectionable. "Oh, do you mean the 6 p.m. Guts and Butts class?" "yes. A number of my colleagues and I find this distasteful. We are prepared to take up a petition of signatures if you continue to use that name:' I try to appease her. "We will certainly look into it, and see what we can do, ma'am. I understand what you are saying, and will see about changing:' I now have one unhappy member, and I'd better do something quickly. Fortunately, this was a relatively easy issue to solve. I simply changed the name of the class to a more generic one, like "core training:' It was a good lesson, however, because this member was correct. The name of the class could easily be seen as offensive and, at best, juvenile. However, sometimes issues are not this clear-cut. How do you market your programs and services to best serve a demographic with a heavy multicultural clientele?

Know your demographics

"It is essential to know the age" and cultural demographics of the community your club is operating in;' says Tracy Christiansen, a membership consultant for the Sport and Health Group in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area. "Some of our clubs have a [large] eastern European client base who really like the traditional, spa-type feel with a wood panel sauna and steam room as part of the environment. In other areas, there is a high concentration of Asian and East Asian communities with their trend toward extended families. [For these,] our programs and activities promote family memberships and activities."

For many of the European cultures, fitness is not about pumping iron or jumping on a treadmill to work out solo or with a personal trainer. Christiansen feels that for many of these cultures -particularly those over 40 exercise is associated with traditional physical education classes. This is where marketing your group exercise program becomes particularly important. "For larger clubs, team activities (particularly volleyball and basketball) can be great ways of attracting these types of members to your club," Christiansen says.

Teresa Fortunato, director of operations for L&T Health and Fitness, Falls Church, Va., agrees. "In multicultural organizations, there is often more of a tendency toward competitive games not often found in a standard U.S. facility;' she says. "Squash for the more vigorous, and even table tennis and darts are seen as essential components of a fitness environment for some cultures:' Fortunato also recommends "classes that may appeal to a specific culture, but not necessarily be restricted to this culture. Classes like African dance, Caribbean rhythms and Zumba can reach across all ethnicities, and provide fun workout alternatives for members.

MBWA and the cultural balancing act

This is not to say you should concentrate your marketing on only one specific demographic. Demographics within an area can change, especially if you are in a rapidly changing area like Washington, D.C. There is also a significant proportion of your members who prefer the standard western model, where pumping iron and/or the pursuit of sweat inducing exercise via a treadmill or group cycling class are the norm.

While an awareness of your cultural demographics is essential, so is another oft-forgotten aspect of facility operation: a staff that practices MBWA (management by walking around). Ajola Berisha, an Albanian national and personal trainer now based in Chicago, m., has worked in the U.S. as a fitness specialist for seven years. "I have worked at a number of fitness centers, and I always find that a manager who encourages staff to walk around and interact with members has a better feel for what members want, what attracts them to exercise, turns them off, etc. says Berisha. "If there are open lines of communication between staff and management, you will find marketing efforts are more successful both inside and in terms of attracting new members of various cultural backgrounds

Staff diversity

Employing staff members from diverse cultures is a great way to gain insight into what doesn't work in terms of marketing your facility and services. Carlos Carpio, a San Salvadorian national, has worked in the U.S. as a fitness specialist in California; Washington, D.c.; and Virginia. "With a large Latino population, you often find people gravitate to an instructor from their own cultural group;' says Carpio. "First of all, the language barrier is broken, and, because you also share similar customs, a bond is created. [Hiring a diverse staff] is a great way to find out what [members] are looking for ... in terms of programs and services.

With more than 5,000 members and 140 different nationalities, The World Bank Fitness Center in Washington, D.C., has arguably the most diverse membership in North America. Dosseh Tossou, a native of Togo, has been the front desk person at the World Bank Fitness Center for nine years. Dosseh, who is fluent in four languages, stresses the importance of "acknowledging different cultures and respecting their customs and behaviors.This may take some research both formally and on a day-to-day basis. By closely observing individuals and how group cultures respond to various situations, you can establish a certain set of behaviors. For example, even the way you say hello and goodbye can have different meaning for some cultures.

There is more to establishing cultural respect than learning a new language. Patterns of behavior can make a big difference in how your staff is perceived. "While some cultures are very casual, others are much more formal. This doesn't mean that these more formal cultures are necessarily less friendly;' Dosseh says. "This is an established code of behavior they have passed down through the generations. By respecting these behaviors, you, in turn, get the respect of your members, making it easier to promote and market your services."

Culture-neutral language

Cheri Bonnet has been in charge of health promotions for the World Bank Health Services department since 1993. Part of her role is to promote various wellness programs to the bank's 1O,000-strong international staff members. She has worked closely with the fitness center, medical clinic and occupational health areas in promoting services to the 150 nationalities of the World Bank staff. When dealing with multicultural clientele, "communications should be clear, succinct and to the point;' Bonnett says. "Fitness centers often have their own esoteric jargon that is not understood by different cultures; You should also avoid the body beautiful type of advertising that emphasizes slim ... muscular bodies.

Not only do some cultures find this offensive, but Christiansen says she feels that more than anything else, they see it as misleading advertising. "The most common concern, and sometimes outright fear, we get from members new to the United States is that living here with rising obesity rates will make them fat;' she says.

Common sense considerations are also worth mentioning. Humor that has political, religious or sexual overtones should be avoided at all times. "If your communications are clear and concise and jargon-free, you should be okay;' Bonnett says.

Pool and shower areas

Shower and pool areas can be a cultural hotbed if clear polices are not in place. David Vincent was a licensed pool operator for many years before opening his own personal training studio in Annapolis, Md. "You need clear signage of where wet and dry areas start and end, and also clear policies regarding what is acceptable in terms of swim wear;' he says.

If you are marketing specific swimming programs, you also need to let your customers know that they will be in relatively close proximity to other members, and that there are specific dress codes in place. "This includes hygiene considerations in terms of showering before entering the pool, etc.;' Vincent says.

While many fitness centers take it for granted that people will be aware of these types of issues before undertaking a pool-based activity, Christiansen says follow-up by a membership consultant is essential. "Just directing people to a pool and expecting them to have the same standards of behavior is asking for trouble;' she says. "If a member shows a real interest in aquatic activities, membership policies should be explained clearly. This will help avoid future unpleasant situations╙

Some hidden benefits

In addition to increased membership sales, an effective multicultural marketing program can have other benefits for your facility. If you actively listen to what your membership wants, you may find that your fitness center is one step ahead of your competition. This is particularly relevant in group exercise. George Kassouf, an international presenter and group exercise coordinator at the World Bank Fitness Center, agrees: "The types of classes we offered nearly 10 years ago were never heard of in commercial clubs in the United Sates. Now, classes like yoga, meditation and Pilates are standard in most clubs:' Fortunato says that this is "primarily due to the different perspective other cultures bring to the fitness world.

These cultures don't see fitness purely as a physical pursuit, but [as] a total mind/body connection. While our clubs have started to offer these activities over the past five years or so, some of the international corporations had these types of classes many years before."

A diverse membership also helps foster further membership from various communities. Once your members are happy, they will be only too happy to recommend your facility to other people in their community.

The R word

Catering to a multicultural clientele is still challenging, even when you know your demographics, employ a diverse staff who practice MBWA, use culture-neutral language in your marketing materials, and have all of your policies in place and clearly communicated. As the old saying goes, "You can't please all of the people all of the time:' There will be times when people ask for special considerations that may alienate some cultures. You have to make judgment calls based on your experience and instinct.

A familiar controversy these days is the celebration of traditional U.S. holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving and Halloween. Again, there is no hard and fast rule here. It will be up to your management team as to what approach you take with these celebrations. "There is really no problem as such, at least here at the World Bank Fitness Center, with recognizing these traditional American ... celebrations. If this recognition is done in a low key, respectful manner, free from shrill, false affect and enforced frivolity, we find there is usually no problem;' Dosseh says.

There are some words and sentiments that cross all cultures, and one of them is respect. Respecting each other, and our origins and cultures, is the first step in building a successful multicultural program. FM

Mike James is a freelance writer and manager of the World Bank Fitness Center in Washington. D.C. 

Bringing Boot Camp classes to Your Facility

There are some unique managerial issues to consider before putting the popular boot-camp style class on your group exercise schedule.

By Mike James

Over the past five years, group exercise classes have changed dramatically. Many existing and potential new members have grown tired of the traditional aerobics and step classes, and are seeking something different for their exercise programs. With the increasing popularity of boot camp classes, clubs are using traditional military-based training techniques to entice people to exercise. But successful boot camp programs share a number of similarities, aside from a military-based theme and exercise regimen. There are also some unique managerial issues to consider before putting this type of class on your group exercise schedule.

Boot camp variations

Boot-camp-style classes are becoming increasingly popular in health clubs throughout the country, and there are many variations on the boot-camp theme. The classes can meet in your group exercise room, or they can operate outside of the traditional club setting, with groups meeting in public parks and sports facilities.

Torrie Allman, general manager at Frog's Club One in Solana Beach, Calif., introduced boot camp classes three years ago. Allman says he has seen the interest in this type of class "increase quite markedly over the past year, albeit with some ebbs and flows depending on the weather." For instance, since they are located in a temperate climate, members can meet outside for a more realistic approach. Their class attracts 30 to 40 members every Saturday in the club parking lot. After some warm-up stretches, Mike Magira leads his boot camp participants in a half-mile jog to the beach where they engage in an hour and 30 minutes of interval work, with activities such as squat thrusts, sniper crawls and an obstacle course.

While the Frog's class is coed, Gold's Gym in Arlington, Va., has been conducting a women's-only boot camp class since September 1998. According to Kirk Trader, vice president of Fitness &Image Results (consultants who manage the program), "The boot camp classes are extremely popular, averaging 20 participants per class in "inter and 25 to 30 women in summer."

Marketing strategy

Before beginning a boot camp program, decide who your target audience is. Trader at Fitness & Image Results explains, "We purposely decided to target women in the 25-to 35-year age group for this program. These women are a different demographic from our personal training clients. They are looking for something different from the traditional aerobics class formal "Trader also points out that "the boot camp's intense type of training has a number of benefits, including increased strength and cardiovascular endurance, with greater calorie burning and fat loss." These types of benefits should be mentioned in marketing materials.

Allman at Frog's Club One finds that the age group for his class "tends to be 40 years and under, with a 60-percent men [to] 40-percent women ratio." While Fitness & Image Results markets its program as a four-week package at an additional cost (discounted for Gold's members), Frog's Club One has boot camp as a regular class that is held throughout the year, at no additional cost for members, and daily rates for non-members. 

To attract people to your program, the boot camp class should emphasize a variety of activities and exercises. Examples include running laps with a brick in each hand or up stairs with a sack of lO-pound dumbbells. Emphasize this variety when promoting your program to members and the general public, as it can attract free publicity. Both the Frog's and Fitness & Image programs receive frequent free media coverage through newspapers, and local and national television stations.

To market these classes, use pictures and personal testimonials on posterboards to help attract existing members. Club newsletters, along with local newspapers and television stations, are other commonly used marketing vehicles, arid Fitness & Image Results also has a Website (BootCampwomen.com).

What type of program?

A successful boot camp program does not necessarily have a snarling, spitting, drill sergeant with a whistle who barks out orders. The degree to which you use the strict military regimen depends on your group.

Both Frog's Club One and Fitness & Image Results have advanced groups for the super fit. "Our advanced group tends to be for a few super hard-core exercisers, so it is really not designed with fun in mind. This group usually comprises a small number of individuals and is only held for 4 to 6 weeks at various times of the year," Allman explains.

Fitness & Image Results actively markets the concept of its "A" team, an elite women's boot camp. To be eligible to join the A team, a member must pass a grueling physical fitness test. She must be able to run two miles in under 17 minutes, and perform 20 full push-ups, 40 sit-ups in a minute, five chin-ups and a 30-second bar hang.

At Fitness & Image Results, the boot camp classes are highly structured. "By having different activities each day, you eliminate training plateaus," Trader explains. This can also help alleviate the boredom that many participants feel in traditional aerobics and step classes.

At Frog's Club One, Allman and his team of instructors employ basic interval training techniques to promote cardiovascular benefits. "Our basic format is to use a series of full-body exercises like jumping jacks, squat thrusts, etc., followed by an active recovery activity like jogging, beach swimming or wading through the shallows," Allman says.

While the exercises used can be very innovative, careful consideration should be given to safety, correct form and adherence to basic concepts of exercise physiology.

Instructor choice

The instructor plays a major role in motivating boot camp participants. Correct instructor selection is the most important factor for a successful boot camp and cannot be overemphasized.

Abier Burgul is a 30-year-old participant in the boot camp program at Gold's. Burgul feels that "the team atmosphere makes it very motivating." Does this A-team boot camp participant ever feel like staying in bed on cold winter mornings? "Yes, but if you have a good instructor, you hear them in the back of your mind so you get up!" Burgul replied. "Our instructor has always been very motivating. If it weren't for him, I certainly wouldn't be running up stairs with a lO-pound sack of bricks."

While Lewis, a boot camp instructor for Fitness & Image Results, exhorts his female troops to work hard during cold winter mornings, he is certainly not the stereotypical, in-your-face drill sergeant. Lewis loves motivating people to be the best they can be. "If I can change a person's physical appearance, I am sure this can translate into other aspects of their lives," he says.

Frog's Allman says, "The main quality I look for in an instructor is that they be good with people. The same personal qualities apply as in other group exercise classes." Trader adds that, "A good instructor should be reliable and dependable --you shouldn't have to worry whether your instructor will turn up on cold mornings."

While discipline is important, the more aggressive approach associated with real military boot camps is frowned upon. Both Trader and Allman agree on a more humane approach to exercise. "Any yelling, shouting or insults are done very much in a joking fashion. There is a smile behind every command," Allman explains. "We certainly don't have our instructors go around calling everyone maggots," adds Trader.

"While prior military experience may be an advantage, instructors should also be qualified in first aid and have a background in exercise science," says Allman. First aid certification is definitely essential. The group may be quite a distance away from the club setting where first aid supplies are not available. Exercise science knowledge and a certification are also sound requirements for boot camp instructors. They should be able to determine appropriate intensity levels for individuals within the group and to prescribe the correct exercises in extreme temperatures.

Special considerations

Boot camp programs have unique circumstances that managers must be aware of and plan for. If the program is located away from your club, be aware of potential scenarios that could cause injury. Twisted ankles, dehydration and hypothermia are the most common.

Aside from having instructors certified in CPR and first aid, they should carry a cell phone in case of an emergency. The instructor should have a fully stocked first aid box and a fanny pack with items such as ice packs, sunscreen and energy bars. They should know where to locate drinking fountains and shaded or sheltered areas, as well as the exact address of where they are in case emergency help needs to be called.

When the weather is cold, boot camp participants must be given clear instructions on what type of clothes to wear and precautions to take to avoid hypothermia. And the instructor should have clear authority to exclude members from a class if they do not follow these common-sense guidelines.

Legal waiver

Waivers are an essential criteria for boot camp programs. Before participating in a program, have participants sign a legal waiver that exempts the club from potential lawsuits in the event of injury. This is particularly important for people in the program who are not members of your club, and hence have not signed the waiver included in the membership agreement. For members, the waiver in their membership agreement should cover them. However, it is worth consulting a lawyer to make sure your waiver covers all contingencies.

Approval from local authorities

If your classes use public parks, beaches and facilities, get written approval from a local government authority, school principal and/or the facility manager. Allman emphasizes that it is very important to obtain this approval in writing prior to commencing your boot camp program.

"Not every member of the public appreciates 40 people taking up space on their beach or public park land, particularly if you are doing things like stair runs, which can hinder people's access to a beach or park land," Allman says. "If you have established good public relations with your local authorities (which is highly advisable for any club), this should not pose too many problems." As a matter of courtesy, Allman also contacts the local Lifeguard Club and advises them when and where the classes will take place on the beach.

To avoid clashes with the public, schedule boot camp programs during off-peak hours when public usage is minimal. The early morning, as opposed to the middle of the day, is best for places like parks and beaches. If you are using school grounds or facilities, school vacation times are the best.

Make sure that you know who exactly is responsible for the public space you are using. This can sometimes be trick)" because depending on the location of your club and the place you are using, the jurisdiction may change. For example, Arlington borders Alexandria, which has its own different local authorities. Likewise, Frog's Club One is located directly between two different jurisdictions.

Some allied benefits

A well-managed boot camp program can provide valuable new revenue, increased participation and variety to your group exercise program, potential new members and a unique esprit de corps among participants. There are other benefits as well, such as increasing exposure to other profit centers in your club. Gold's offers an initial consultation with a dietitian and free sessions with a personal trainer as incentives for people to sign up for boot camp. The team spirit can also result in merchandising opportunities for items such as T-shirts, water bottles and other pro shop supplies with distinctive boot camp logos.

Evaluating the program

There are a number of ways to evaluate the success of your boot camp program. Standard measures such as usage, retention and new sign ups are helpful, but membership feedback is the most powerful. Get feedback through surveys or informal discussions with members. Pre-and post-testing for measures of percent body fat, performance, etc., can give verifiable results for goal-oriented members. Organized social gatherings can also be a measure of success. Since many people join this type of class for the group interaction, a well-attended out-of-class get-together is a good sign.

The new millennium will bring many changes to the traditional group exercise schedule. With careful planning, management and instructor selection, boot camp classes could be a worthwhile addition to your club's program. FM

James is manager of the World Bank Fitness Center, Washington, D.C. 

Allocating Lockers to Members

You can avoid upsetting or angering members by establishing well-managed locker allocation guidelines.

By Mike James

One of the most important selling features for any health club is the locker room. Clear, concise locker room guidelines are essential for a well-managed facility. If you don't have clear, succinct guidelines, there are bound to be headaches. Your guidelines should cover procedures for record keeping, locker leases, waiting lists for lockers and dealing with illegal locker holders. Following is a discussion of each of these procedures, along with some of the pitfalls that can occur if they are not managed carefully.

Are leasing procedures necessary?

Kevin McGuire is in charge of front desk operations at the World Bank Fitness Center in Washington, D.C., a large corporate fitness center with more than 4,000 members. Prior to his hiring five years ago, the center operated with few, if any, locker leasing guidelines. The fitness center now leases approximately 500 lockers annually.

"It was chaos," McGuire says. "Locks were placed randomly on lockers, and we had very bad recording procedures. We had to overhaul the whole system, establish order, cut illegal locks and pacify members. Being a corporate facility, some people would just lock their valuables in a locker and simply forget they had left their items there. Sometimes we would cut the wrong person's lock and there would be another mess to sort out. All of this while running a very busy center."

Even if you don't have these problems to solve, you still have to decide on your lease-to-daily-use ratio. If you have too many leased lockers, you will not have enough for members at peak attendance times. You will also need to decide who actually gets to lease a locker.

Your lease-to-daily-use ratio will depend on your peak attendance. If you are starting a new facility, make an estimate of daily usage and peak attendance patterns. You might want to refrain from leasing permanent lockers for a few months so you can better assess the daily usage patterns and member requests for permanent lockers. Most centers opt for something like a 40-percent daily use to 50-percent permanent lease ratio.

Alternatively, you can solve the leasing problem easily by adhering to a no leasing policy. If your membership is predominately young, single and transient in nature, there may not be a great demand for leased lockers. Darrel Gregory, manager of Gold's Gym in Clarendon, Va., says, "Because we have around 5,000 members, there are simply not enough lockers. Also, many of our members are students at local universities who typically don't stay in the area that long, and who don't want to spend money on [leasing] a locker."

Accurate record keeping

Accurate record keeping for locker leasing is essential. You can use a manual or computer-generated system to record lease details and track payments. Make sure you update it regularly to ensure accuracy.

While key staff members should know how the system operates, be aware that "too many cooks spoil the broth." Your front desk staff, preferably only one person per shift, should be responsible for the system. Too many people with access to the system can result in communication problems and inaccurate record keeping. It is not a good situation when a member has been promised a locker when there isn't one available, or when lockers are incorrectly assigned.

Your tracking system should be able to quickly cross-reference membership cancellations. This will allow you to know when a locker becomes vacant and available for re-lease.

Locker allocation and waiting lists

In a commercial fitness facility, deciding who gets to lease a locker can be as simple as setting the cost and lease terms, and allocating them on a first-come, first-served basis. A waiting list can be established for members who don't get a locker. When a locker becomes available, lease it to the first person on the list.

Some clubs that cater to an upscale clientele often decide to set aside a separate area of their locker room for VIP members. A certain proportion of the lockers are held and offered as an added benefit upon joining.

In corporate facilities, locker allocation can be a more complex matter, as the locker rooms are often seen as an extension of the workplace or as a benefit to employment. Members can be demanding when it comes to having their own locker, particularly if they bicycle to work. How you determine who gets a locker can be difficult. To avoid claims of bias or favoritism, some centers use annual lotteries to determine who gets a locker. But this also has its problems.

"Some people would say that they never knew about the lottery, or were away traveling," McGuire of the World Bank Fitness Center says. "Also, once people were used to having a locker, it was hard to get them to move out once the year was up. Having to track them down and ask them again and sometimes even cut their lock and remove items was a real hassle."

The World Bank Fitness Center decided to stop using a lottery system three years ago. "Locker holders are given the opportunity to re-lease their locker for another year. We also raised the annual charge to discourage locker holders who are sporadic users from re-Leasing," McGuire says. "Also, because our waiting list is so long, we decided to offer lockers to the most frequent users, rather than people at the top of the list who may or may not attend. Members view this as a fair system. It rewards our most frequent attendees and also encourages people to swipe their cards on entry into the facility."

Leasing terms and conditions

The locker lease's terms and conditions need to be clear from the outset. If you are leasing lockers for a year, decide whether you will offer partial refunds if members cancel their membership. If the lease fees are nonrefundable, this needs to be spelled out in the locker lease form and membership handbook.

A simple and effective way to minimize problems is to issue a formal lease with terms and conditions, signed by both the member and the front desk person. The member takes a copy and you keep one on file. This way, there are no surprises.

Rather than trying to keep track of individual leases, collect fees at the same time each year. Develop a group email and postal mailing list to notify members that their locker lease is due. If lockers become available during the year, the front desk person should have a chart listing pro-rated fees to keep the new lease on the same payment schedule. 

Illegal locker holders

Dealing with illegal locker holders is the most difficult aspect of managing a locker system. There will always be people who mistakenly or intentionally occupy lockers not assigned to them. There are a number of precautions you can take to minimize this problem.

No matter which system you use, your front desk staff should have the following items close by: bolt cutters, white garbage bags, indelible markers for storage and labeling, and plastic gloves for staff who are removing the items. Your pro shop should also sell combination and key locks for members who forget to bring a lock, and also for your front desk staff, in case they make a mistake and cut the wrong lock.

These are just some ways to manage a locker system in an exercise facility. Pre-planning, concise guidelines and excellent front desk support are essential for a well-managed locker room. Speak with other fitness professionals, managers and club owners for more ways to manage your locker systems, and for some interesting stories. 

Mike James is manager of the World Bank Fitness Center in Washington, D. C.