TA L K I N G P O I N T
NEIL HARMSWORTH Hussle: COO
T
Lloyd says aggregators are helping to defeat inactivity
“
In order to achieve a win-win situation, it must be recognised that one size doesn’t fit all and operators shouldn’t believe an intermediary that suggests otherwise
EAMON LLOYD Gympass: director of partnerships
T
he increasing number of operators partnering with third parties to grow shows how these types of business models can expand the industry in terms of both members and revenue. Gympass is an exclusively B2B model: companies investing in the health of their employees are turning to us to make introductions to the right facility partners. Our deeper relationship with a niche group of employers means we can match their needs nicely to local operator partners’ facilities, driving a significant penetration far beyond the traditional corporate wellness model. On average, 80 per cent of the members we send to our partners are new and we are helping to defeat inactivity by offering our corporate clients a variety of activities and facilities. To avoid any pitfalls, we ensure operators approach the partnership carefully by answering the hard questions early on, taking time to get the deal right and knowing what success looks like for both parties. We urge operators to do their numbers and understand we are part of their growth strategy, not the whole solution. In order to achieve a win-win situation, it must be recognised that one size doesn’t fit all and operators shouldn’t believe an intermediary that suggests otherwise. The industry is experiencing a rapid period of growth and change, operators willing to take the time to understand how a variety of innovative partnerships could benefit their business will do well. Through informed decisions, with respect to their business situation, they can capitalise on the opportunity to grow and, ultimately, ensure more people in the UK become and remain active.
50
healthclubmanagement.co.uk July 2019 ©Cybertrek 2019
“
he world is digital, so aggregation is here. Outside the budget gym sector, almost all the leading operators now use at least one of the main commercial aggregator services because there are huge advantages for collaborating with third parties that offer a proven route to customers. At Hussle, we are experts at engaging with the Gen-Z and millennial ‘premember’ market and helping them to fit fitness into their lives on a basis that works for them. These are customers who are happy to pay a premium price through Hussle to access full-service clubs in a way that works for them, during a phase of their life that makes them unable to commit to a full membership. Our main operator partners are full-service clubs whose primary revenue stream comes from contracted members, which makes our pre-member focus highly complementary to their business, as we provide them with incremental revenue and interaction with future members – a true win-win. Ultimately it will be the customers who determine what happens in the future. I always find it interesting to ask the operators I meet to look at their own behaviour. If you use aggregator services in other sectors, then you know how useful they can be. I encourage all operators to simply have a conversation with companies like Hussle, Gympass or ClassPass to understand how each company can support your goals, and then meet with the operators who have fully embraced these services to learn from their experiences.