Chris Merrit was simply looking for a way to accommodate his members’ ever-changing schedules a little bit more effectively.
His gym, Beyond Strength in Sterling, Virginia is closed on the weekends. Further, like many gyms, “there is this ebb and flow in seasonal shifts,” he explained, but he didn’t necessarily want to add or remove classes all the time depending on the season.
- “So we thought, instead of removing x hour from this day, we can offer people (unattended) access,” explained Merritt, who opened his gym in 2011.
That’s when, last year, Merritt turned to HybridAF for a solution.
HybridAF: Accommodates the Ebb and Flow (And so Much More)
Unattended access has definitely helped accommodate members’ schedules at Beyond Strength, providing them with way more flexibility, Merritt said, but it has also helped both his business and community in a few other unexpected ways.
1. Revenue
Merritt charges members $10 a week to add unattended access to their membership, which they can easily do on their own using the PushPress app, as HybridAF integrates seamlessly with PushPress software, (as well as various other gym management platforms).
Today, this accounts for approximately $800 in additional monthly revenue, revenue that is largely hands off for Merritt.
2. Weekend Love
Unattended access also means those who want to train on Saturdays and Sundays are now able to access the gym and complete their workout.
Prior to HybridAF, Merritt always programmed an equipment-free workout on Saturdays
that members could do on their own. But now he programs two options, one for those who don’t have access to a gym and one for those who do.
It has created a whole new community within his community—a regular Saturday crew, who come in and workout together, and then stick around for a bit to “kick back and relax,” Merritt explained. Sometimes Merritt joins them, giving him a chance to just be a part of the community without feeling like he’s at work.
Further, Merritt also has a group of members and coaches training for an upcoming Hyrox in Washington DC. Unattended access has given the group the opportunity to come together on Saturdays and train for Hyrox.
3. Perfect in an Emergency
Most recently, on Valentine’s Day, one of Merritt’s coaches was out of town while another fell sick, putting the burden on Merritt to coach the Valentine’s Day classes.
He did so during the day, but if he didn’t want to “mess with my marriage,” he laughed, meaning he needed a solution for the Friday evening class.
HybridAF offered the solution in a pinch, as he was able to provide everyone who had registered for a class a one-time access to the gym.
- “I put a more seasoned member in charge to manage the clock and everyone had free access to check in,” he said.
It went off without a hitch, and he was able to remain hitched.
4. Remote Access
Similarly, another time Merritt was in the Bahamas and had sold a piece of equipment. Instead of losing the sale because he was away on vacation, he was able to let the buyer into his facility to grab the equipment Merritt had sold him.
Merritt had no problem doing this, as he has three cameras that cover the entire facility, giving him peace of mind at all times as to what is happening inside his gym.
The Big Picture: Why Add HybridAF?
Depending on your gym, Merritt said there are four possible reasons he recommends HybridAF to other gym owners: revenue, community, flexibility, and ultimately client retention.
In his case, as already mentioned, Merritt has seen a nice little revenue bump for the business, and the Saturday option has helped “create a tighter knit community” at his gym, he explained.
Further, the added flexibility has added more value to his members, something they have been incredibly appreciative of.
- “I’ll run into people during off hours and they’ll be like, ‘Thank you so much. I mean, they’re paying for it, but they’re like, ‘If it weren’t for this, I wouldn’t have gotten this session in,’” he said.
Finally, Merritt said all of this has led to an increase in client retention, as members are getting exactly what they want.
