“We take as much pride in the fact that
you don’t have to be a manager to have a
career with us,” he said. Recently, one of
their managers decided to move into the
role of personal trainer. “We celebrated
that because now they’re on the right side
of the business that fits them today.”
That understanding of their employees
extends to their clients, and is one of the
reasons the clubs are so successful in
their markets. There is a concerted effort
to develop a rapport with customers, and
understand their reasons for joining the
club along with any barriers to maintaining
a healthy lifestyle. An automated system
tracks attendance habits, which allows
trainers to contact people who may have
fallen away from their fitness goals and
encourages them to pick up where they
left off.
“We focus on small steps and not over-
loading people, and trying to create a
weekly habit,” Wildeman explained. “We
specialize in the brand new person scared
to death of joining a gym. That is one area
that we are really good at.”
A special software program also allows the
clubs to flag high-risk members who might
need extra encouragement or guidance.
Trainers then know who might need addi-
tional help during workouts or who might
be intimidated by a piece of equipment
and require some one-on-one assistance.
It’s all about forming relationships with
their clients, a concept that is taught and
reinforced among the company’s team.
GIVING BACK TO THEIR
COMMUNITIES
What is also reinforced throughout the
company is a commitment to commu-
nity. The clubs fundraise for two commu-
nity partners: Wellspring, which supports
people living with cancer, and women’s
centres in both Calgary and Edmonton
that provide treatment and programs for
women who are getting their lives back on
track. World Health also offers free group
fitness classes to local schools, designed
to encourage an appreciation for physical
activity in the younger generation. So far,
they’ve introduced everything from yoga
to a high intensity interval class to about
10,000 students.
“We’ve been successful in our markets so
we believe it’s critically important that we
give back,” Wildeman said.
Being a successful fitness operation in an
56 business elite canada
H
MAY 2016
