Over the last year, we have had some push back on our Group X check-in system. We hear the complaints, “Why do I need to check in?”, “Chips are stupid!”, “Why does the door to the room have to stay locked?” We have heard it all and we understand your frustration. In an attempt to clear up any confusion, here is an explanation that paints the picture in a way you will understand and appreciate.
Industry Standard:
We are not alone in requiring members to check in prior to going to class. Many clubs in the area have similar systems. Some use a ticket. And others have a unique ID card. It’s not unusual; it is a standard operating procedure in the health club industry.
Attendance:
We need to monitor closely the attendance in our classes. Chips help us keep count of the bodies that go to each class. We have a limit of 27 people in a class. When we run out of chips, we know we have reached our limit.
Price:
Our Front Desk staff screens your membership type. Not all members are eligible to take Group X classes. Mandatory check-in allows us to monitor this. As classes get more crowded, we need to make sure only members that pay for the privilege are allowed in.
Security:
When you check in at the front desk we have a record of your visit. This can be helpful if there is an incident that requires us to find you. Knowing who is on site at all times is a safety measure that benefits you and the club when there is an emergency.
We also get complaints about our access control system for the Group X room. Why do we lock our door? The reason is safety! Many members leave their personal belongings in the cubbies that are located directly in front of the door. Having an open door is a safety concern. Professional thieves look for opportunities to snatch and grab personal belonging. Having a locked door is a sensible way to prevent these types of crimes.
Non-Members:
Group X is a program that requires labor. We take pride in hiring experienced, certified instructors and we compensate them well. Payroll is a big expense. Therefore, we only want paying members to take a class. While it is rare, we do have members that let their friends in to the studio or we have guests that walk in off the street. This is unfair to our paying members and to the business as a whole. We need to make sure everyone checks in. As a business, we reserve the right to charge a fee for the services we provide. The chip system ensures we receive the correct revenue needed to provide the 45 classes a week on our schedule.
Counting Chips:
We ask our instructors to count chips and bodies and to mention to the class when the two don’t match. We closely monitor when there is a variance and we will go as far as to review our video surveillance to try to determine where the mismatch occurs. If everyone checks in and follows our simple rules, there should rarely be a variance.
Summary:
We have a check-in policy for two main reasons: for your protection and to make sure we generate enough revenue to cover our costs. Checking in is not difficult. It takes very little time and is a standard operating procedure industry wide. Please plan your work out to arrive a couple minutes early so you have time to stop by the front desk, check in and pick up your chip. It’s required and we appreciate your full compliance.
