How To Maximize The Value Of Your Health & Sports Club

Maximizing the value of your Club is likely your number one priority as an Owner, Director or Operator of a Health and Sports Club in the vastly competitive fitness market. The success and longevity of any Club can be measured by the number of members that frequently visit and join. Clubs can benefit tremendously from a significant number of factors that may influence the growth and/or retention of members, including sustainable long term capital investments and reduced operating costs.

With a generally aging demographic of boomers, who have access to time and money, and with swimming being a top-ranked general physical activity for those market segments, many Clubs feature, or at least plan on featuring pools, and as a result of this, a retractable roof enclosure is something that offers numerous benefits both upfront and long term. We look at the other factors that are guaranteed to have a significant influence on the value of your Health and Sports Club.

Factors determining the value of Your Health & Sports Club

The method to determine the value of a business is quite complex, it’s more than a real estate assessment and is influenced by everything from amenities to brand strengths to perceived value and competition. Here are some of the factors that influence value:

Member Retention

How many members does your Club need to retain on an annual basis to stay competitive? And, how many members are you serving with every dollar you spend on operations and capital investments? The cost to maintain an existing member is lower than the costs to retain new members. Successful fitness centers have a membership retention rate at or above 70%. Events and social media help with retention but investments in facilities are also a critical factor. Take into consideration what members need and want. Do you offer the services they are looking for? Expanding or adding new bigger or different facilities, if it will support/attract more members, and the right amenities can make good business sense.

Facilities Updates

Clubs that do not update their facilities or that have deferred maintenance plans can be considered poor in quality and value versus those Clubs who are meticulous in maintaining their standards and/or growing their facilities and services via ongoing capital improvement programs. Fitness Club members have lots of choice in most markets, so have become increasingly aware of, and are keeping up with, trends and the latest programming that’s available. They want the most bang for their membership dollars, so every Club needs to compete. Members expect their Club to be well-designed, have a range of programming and be well-maintained. Any structure that requires little or no maintenance is a simple and cost-effective way to maintain and update a facility. Whether starting from scratch or renovating an existing space, all investments need to ensure a return on investment. When looking for custom add-ons, renovation ideas or concepts for new structures, bringing in fresh light and air can significantly change the feeling of your environment. In addition, any new investment that can save you money for operations in the long term makes financial sense in your bottom line.

Revenue Streams

The volume of members via monthly/yearly memberships can increase the value of your business. With great amenities, members will be more likely to renew their memberships each year, thereby increasing your establishment’s revenue. Adding facilities that attract additional or new revenue streams is key for Club operators, so looking at adding facilities to service the widest range of demographics is key. An Aquatic Center does just that and this is the “fastest growing segments in the water leisure industry within the United States” according to NRPA.

Branding

Good branding is everything – it can make or break your business. Solid consistent brand messaging, vision and mission plus strategically aligned programming and facilities contribute to the perceived value of your business, which naturally has an impact on the number and type of members joining your Club. The design and facility enhancements you make should align with the Club’s brand, so members get the value of the experience they expect and pay for. This includes aligning the amenities you offer to the demographics that those services facilitate.

Aesthetics

Creating an attractive aesthetic is an extremely important consideration when attracting new members or retaining members of your Health and Sports Club. A member will be more inclined to visit and pay more for a club with pleasing aesthetics, equipment, and facilities that are in good condition. A retractable roof system is excellent for this purpose, as it provides a different experience when compared to a traditional indoor pool. It is guaranteed to create a distinct competitive advantage.

How retractable roofs and retractable skylights can increase the value of Your Health & Sports Club

Retractable roofs and retractable skylights can create a “wow” factor can go a long way in both retaining current members and attracting new ones. It brings in aesthetically appealing facilities and good branding for your business. Some advantages include:

No service disruptions

Service disruptions or downtime for maintenance are an issue with all Health and Sports facilities. For members who have rigid exercise schedules, downtime is a major problem. While the weather can disrupt some parts of the facility, service and yearly maintenance can cause facility closures for other areas of the Club and result in complaints and unhappy members. Addressing and eliminating these disruptions will increase the value and profits that your facility generates.

Less maintenance

Retractable enclosures will decrease operational costs and increase profits. The systems OpenAire builds are almost maintenance-free, no corrosion, no yearly painting or refinishing. This means that you will eliminate yearly facility closures which impacts your bottom line and programming schedule. While you will still need to spend time and money on keeping your pools clean and healthy, at least you will not have to worry about maintaining the enclosures around them.

Aesthetic appeal

Stand out from the competition and make an impact. Your facility can offer a bright, open aquatic facility with an outdoor atmosphere all year round, unlike competitors. Retractable roofs and skylights are not only beautiful and unique but the designs draw in rave reviews and attract new members to Health and Sports Clubs.

Energy efficiency

Retractable enclosures allow your facility to save annually on energy costs with natural lighting and natural ventilation. When the roof is open and standard air handling systems are turned off, the costs go down. In addition, the thermally broken aluminum profiles reduce heat transfer through the structure allowing you to maintain the ideal water and air temperatures you need/want year round; regardless of your climate. Thermal breaks and vapor barriers also control condensation. Plus, the translucent roof and transparent walls allow for natural daytime lighting, another cost reduction and energy efficient option.

Best engineering quality

Retractable enclosures are designed for each geographic building code and the location based environmental loads, in all climates. From sub-zero temperatures, to extremely high snow loads, to high winds, seismic and humidity and more, OpenAire retractable aluminum enclosures are a more durable solution than the typical steel used by competitors.  Good engineering saves you money in the short-term, which maximizes profits in the long-term.

OpenAire’s custom designs

OpenAire’s custom enclosure designs will fit your brand, geography, climate and site conditions while at the same time contributing to all of the above factors involving the value of your Club. With a maintenance-free aluminum structure and decreased dependence on artificial lighting, dehumidification, and air conditioning, OpenAire’s structures can cost less to operate and maintain, offering tremendous long-term value. OpenAire’s customized designs transform commercial, aquatic, and other Health and Sports facilities into sunlit spaces that clients love. Our energy-efficient enclosures transform all spaces from summer-time treats to year-round local and tourist destinations.

For the best custom-made retractable roofs and retractable skylights, set up a consultation with OpenAire’s team today!