From gleaming state-of-the-art gyms to tiny spaces that are little more than a re-purposed guest room, a hotel fitness center presses plenty of hot buttons around guest expectations.
And when the facilities don’t fit the wide-angle photos, the glossy collateral and the hype, the guest let down trumps the guest work out, that’s for sure.
It’s fair to say that hotel fitness centers have never been about a revenue stream. Indeed, they’re a drain. Upper management needs to commit to both initial outlay for development and the ongoing costs to fund preventative maintenance contracts, repairs and replacement.
This negative cash flow can have the effect of dissuading investment, kickstarting a cycle of negative guest satisfaction.
From time to time, current events sharply focus our attention. The very sad and public news about Silicon Valley executive Dave Goldberg’s death resulting from head injuries suffered while exercising on a treadmill at a Mexico resort is one such occasion.
The New York Times, CNN and other media outlets remind us that accidents highlight the dangers of treadmill-related hazards. On May 5, 2015, both the New York Daily News and USA Today reported the number of such injuries resulting in admission to hospital emergency rooms is nearly 460,000 annually, with 32,000 of these injuries serious or fatal.
A Washington Post article of the same date indicates that the uptick in serious injuries matches a rise in the proliferation of smart phones, suggesting that mobile phone distractions are a factor.
Fancier equipment featuring personal fitness programming and monitoring during workouts, the addition of built-in television screens and more buttons, bells and whistles create more distractions, even for those who put their phones aside. In the case of hotel gyms, users will have little or no familiarity with the work out equipment and quite possibly, no one on hand to assist.
It’s an opportune moment to re-assess your risk management, your guest feedback and your strategic positioning regarding a commitment to on-site hotel fitness facilities. Coyle can help.
