Many people have asked why we no longer convert fitness centers to 24 hour access. When I first began converting clubs to 24/7 back in 2003, it was simply based on an attempt to keep my own fitness center operating profitably. Owning a small club makes it difficult to compete - mainly because payroll costs add too much to overhead. I decided to develop a system to allow members to workout 24 hours a day, while still keeping payroll costs in check. Since this was a relatively new concept, I was forced to source all of my own technology needed to make it work - things like software, hardware, door mechanisms, surveillance equipment, panic buttons, and more. Once we converted our club to 24/7, the success we had was unbelievable. In fact, it got the attention of many other small club owners, who asked if I would help them convert their clubs to 24/7 ... and a business was born!
Since then, many other companies have arrived on the scene to help club owners convert to this unique concept. In fact, almost every major fitness management software provider now offers a door control interface. Surveillance equipment is readily available on the internet. And several insurance providers now insure 24/7 "key clubs". With so many providers offering this type of service, we decided to move into the next logical phase of managing this type of operation - which was searching for other profit centers to add to the bottom line of fitness centers. We found it in the Transitions Lifestyle System.
Transitions is a 12 week weight loss and lifestyle program, based on low glycemic eating, combined with behavior modification, exercise, education, and nutritional supplementation. All of these components work together to help participants transform their lives on an ongoing basis. Stay tuned for my next post, where I will talk in greater detail about the TLS program!
