From increasing communication efforts to offering new technology solutions, REGYMEN director of sales and marketing Tatum Crews explains how the fitness franchise is helping its system through these uncertain times.
Like countless brands across the globe, REGYMEN Fitness found itself in an unprecedented position last month when the coronavirus outbreak forced businesses to close its doors. But rather than debate next steps or simply wait until things got back to normal, REGYMEN’s team decided to spring into action in an effort to support both franchise owners and members.
Tatum Crews, director of sales and marketing for REGYMEN Fitness, notes that this level of enhanced support begins with communication.
“From a day-to-day operational standpoint, we’re having regular calls with our franchisees to keep them up to date with everything that’s going on. Were also helping them figure out how to handle deferring payments when it comes to rent, and we are asking our technology vendors like MBO and Brandbot to help with deferment of the ongoing monthly fees during the period of time our clubs are shut down” said Crews. “The circumstances surrounding this virus are changing rapidly, so it’s important for us to be constantly checking in with our owners to ensure that they have the resources and support that they need.”
That close connection with franchisees also extends to REGYMEN Fitness members. To ensure that local owners are able to keep their members engaged while they can’t physically be in the gym, the brand rolled out a series of virtual workouts.
“We launched online workouts right away. We have templates that are sent out to our system every night at 7 p.m. so that they’re prepared with a new, fresh workout for the following day. These include full tutorials from coaches and a live movement stream, which is what our members would normally see in our gyms,” Crews explained.
REGYMEN’s coaches and employees are also going the extra mile to ensure that these workouts are accessible for those working at home, regardless of their schedules.
“Our coaches post on social media and go live a few times a day based on their location, too, which helps hold people accountable,” said Crews.
In creating these at-home workouts, REGYMEN realized that not every member would have access to the necessary equipment. So, REGYMEN reached out to its vendor partners at Perform Better and TRX to provide members with items that may have been sold out elsewhere, and is now offering special equipment bundles for at-home use.
“One of the hardest things about working out at home is a potential lack of equipment. That’s why we reached out to Perform Better and TRX,” said Crews. “Through these partnerships, we’re selling equipment bundles with the basics to best set our members up for success with our virtual workouts. It goes hand-in-hand with our digital presence and will help our members stay active until we can open our gyms again.”
These bundles include kettle bells, slam balls and dumbbells, and are offered at a discount for REGYMEN Fitness members. The brand’s programming team is also creating different tutorial videos to keep members active and ensure a successful workout.
REGYMEN is also constantly enhancing its technology, and the brand is actively developing more resources for franchisees and members alike that will debut this spring. REGYMEN is also preparing the company and franchisees for post-coronavirus trends in order to stay ahead of the curve.
“We’re not sure how long our gyms will have to be closed, so we aren’t slowing down when it comes to the resources that we’re creating. Even though our franchisees and members aren’t able to be in their gyms right now, we’re doing everything we can to make sure that REGYMEN’s community stays strong,” Crews said. “One of the most important factors we are focusing on at this time is preparing our company and franchisees for the opportunity that follows once the world is turning again. We believe that once we are able to open again, the way we operate on a daily basis will be changed; and as a brand, it is our responsibility to be prepared for when we are able to embrace our communities again!”
Start-up costs to open a REGYMEN Fitness franchise range from $425,000 to $870,500 in addition to a $40,000 franchise fee. To learn more about franchise opportunities with REGYMEN Fitness, visit https://regymenfitnessfranchise.com/.