Fitness Club Consulting Services

Feasibility Studies

Before building a fitness club, owners and investors must determine the economic viability of the project. HSG specializes in professional and comprehensive club feasibility studies that determine whether the owners / stakeholders desired financial and operational outcomes can be achieved.

HSG analyzes the size and proposed scope of a facility; the target market; the capital and on-going operation costs and revenue streams. Numerous steps are involved in this consulting process, including:

• Analysis of owners and investors business objectives;
• Conduct key stakeholder interviews to determine the best approach for the development of the project;
• Complete a three-year preliminary business plan to determine project viability;
• Determination of the most lucrative amount of operational space;
• Forecast the cost of facility programs and services;
• Analysis of the intended target market, including demographic features such as age, gender, economic capacity, household composition. This analysis can be performed for both domestic and business target markets;
• Analysis of competitors in relevant market areas by examining comparable facilities, price points and services;
• Determine all sources of revenue;
• Completion of a three-year revenue forecast;
• Development of an initial, conceptual plan including space required and equipment specifications;
• Draft of a preliminary operating and staffing plan;
• Propose a preliminary marketing and promotion strategy and estimate associated costs;
• Estimate pre-opening costs.

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Facility Design

In our Fitness Club Consulting work, we have worked with Canada's leading architects and interior designers to develop fitness clubs as large as 80,000 square feet. Our space planning expertise emphasizes operational efficiency and member usability. Consulting Services include:

• Estimation of space requirements and configuration based on market demographics and available space.
• Assistance in developing space design plans
• Assistance in interior design specifications
• Assistance in facility design and layout to ensure operational efficiency.

• Guidance on technical specification requirements (e.g. HVAC, electrical and lighting requirements, specialized flooring, etc.)
• Specifications for fitness area requirements (including weight training and cardiovascular areas, studios for aerobic and specialty exercise classes, indoor running tracks, fitness assessment rooms, etc.)
• Specifications for any sport and recreation facility requirements
• Specifications for special area requirements (including laundry facilities, massage and physiotherapy areas, locker/change rooms, etc.)
• Furnishing specifications (e.g. furniture, artwork, signage, etc.)
  • Computer system recommendations (hardware, software, integration, etc.)
• Specification of audiovisual requirements.
• Security and safety considerations and design guidance.
• Contingency plans for expansion and contraction of facilities.

* HSG has played an advisory role in collaboration with clients' architects and/or interior designers in over 150 projects.

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Project Development

HSG's Club Consulting Service takes an approved business plan from the concept design phase right through to the centre's grand opening. Developing a great fitness club takes considerable know-how. HSG brings three decades of experience to the business and operating plan development process, which includes:

• Facility Completion & Equipment Installation – Working with key stakeholders, HSG brings the physical facility to a state of completion, ready to open. This includes the selection and installation of all equipment;
• Operational Planning – HSG confirms basic operational procedures with the owner(s) and/or stakeholders. HSG then works with the owners and stakeholders collaboratively to develop the best operational plan;
• Business Plan Refinement – HSG refines the preliminary business plan developed during the feasibility stage by confirming all assumptions with the owners and key stakeholders. A more detailed plan for the first year of operation is then developed;
• Program Planning – HSG develops all operational procedures and standards, including: scheduling, pricing, staffing and complete operating considerations prior to grand opening.

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Operational Reviews

Implementing industry best practices lays the cornerstone for superior performance. HSG has developed a suite of operational evaluation instruments for fitness clubs to ensure each HSG-managed project maintains best practices during day-to-day operations.

These instruments are used to:

• Provide consulting guidelines for the development and operation of new fitness clubs.
• Provide evaluation instruments for assessing existing external club operations and comparing them to industry best practices.
• Conduct internal audits on fitness clubs managed by HSG.

Our operational evaluation instruments measure:

• Member Services – including customer service standards, the membership management process and systems, membership communication, membership retention programs, etc.
• Sales & Marketing Systems – including strategic planning, market positioning, sales process and promotion systems
• Staffing Processes – including recruitment, interviewing methods, hiring processes, orientation, training & development and performance management procedures.
• Club Administration Systems – including legal precautions, risk management, emergency management, safety and security considerations, financial processes and computer applications.
• Program Management – including program planning processes, all the core fitness and recreation programming areas, and profit-centre programs ( such as Personal Training, Therapeutic Fitness, Massage, etc.)
• Facility Management – including all on-going facility cleaning and maintenance standards and procedures.
• Equipment Management – including all cleaning and maintenance standards and procedures.

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