CWA Blog Archive-You’ve Reopened. You’re Serious On Safety. Do Your Members Know It

You’ve Reopened. You’re Serious On Safety. Do Your Members Know It

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Written about a year into the pandemic, this article reminds reopened gyms that taking safety measures isn't enough, members need to see those measures. It opens by recalling the hard decisions operators faced a year earlier as COVID-19's impact became clear, then notes that a year later most have reopened, though it hasn't been easy and still isn't. As of February 2021, more than 80% of gyms in the US and Canada had at least one location open per the CWA's monthly reopening surveys, yet consumer demand remained a large reason owners reported difficulty bringing in revenue, something the article insists operators can influence. While gyms can't control what the pandemic does to the industry, they can take steps to make coming in safer, and, equally important, make sure members see those steps. The first practical focus is Google My Business. The article calls the Google listing one of the most important methods a gym has to communicate with members and the public, easy to overlook despite being obvious. It urges surfacing as much information as possible to potential customers about what to expect in the facility. The throughline is that during pandemic recovery, communicating safety measures is as important as implementing them, because member hesitancy driven by safety concerns directly suppresses the consumer demand gyms need to rebuild revenue.

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Written a year into the pandemic, this piece reminds reopened gyms that implementing safety measures isn't enough, members must see them. With 80%+ of gyms reopened but demand still soft, communicating safety is a lever operators control. It starts with an accurate, informative Google My Business listing detailing protocols and what members can expect.