Congratulations! You have decided to take the leap and open an Indoor Cycling studio...you're not alone.
Dedicated Indoor Cycling studios are growing in popularity and numbers. Owning an Indoor Cycling studio is FUN and like any other new small business adventure, not without obstacles.
Let”™s assume that you've done all your research, found the perfect location, pulled permits, hired an architect, created a logo, chosen your bikes, learned new software, stayed true to your vision and spend 3X your budget. You are fully prepared to greet the new generation of Indoor Cyclists armed with state of the art equipment, and a team of instructors eager to show it all off.
Are you really ready?
Do you have what it takes to navigate "old school" customer service firedrills like a clogged toilet with a smile, as well as modern day stereo/microphone issues, also with a smile?
Are you prepared for the technology based firedrills of tomorrow that accompany power measurement, real time leader-boards, data tracking, and wireless internet? Indoor Cycling Technology(ICT) issues are common in a brand new studio. It's not a matter of if they are going to pop up. It's a matter of when.
My name is Karen and I am the self proclaimed spokesperson for Keeping It FUN Indoor Cycling. I'm excited to share my Keeping It FUN approach to ICT firefighting while never losing sight of the customer and of course, always having FUN.
1. View every issue as a challenge ... never a problem.
Each issue that crosses your path is nothing more than a "First World Problem," for which you are grateful. and therefore, not a real problem at all. challenge is an opportunity for you to learn and grow. You have the power, as a studio owner, to turn any negative into a positive by how you choose to fight the fire. You also have the ability to turn a frustrated, perhaps angry customer into a lifetime customer.
2. Never let them see you sweat in a world of sweat...
In the event of a fire, customers are more likely to remember how you handled the situation and how you made them feel rather than the problem itself. View every customer complaint as an opportunity to EARN a rider's business. Upset customers need to be listened to and often become your most loyal clients.
3. In the event of a customer complaint, stick with...
Keeping It FUN's 10 Commandments Of Customer Care…
- Apologize
- Say "Thank You" for bringing up the concern
- Ask the customer to explain the issue in their own words
- Listen to the customer through their eyes
- Empathize..."I completely understand why you feel this way."
- Acknowledge the concern (big or small) as a legitimate concern
- Explain how the issue will be resolved/handled
- Assume full responsibility for the issue
- Apologize (again) with sincerity
- Thank the customer (again)
4. Recognize that the power may be in the palm of someone else's hand...
Be prepared for ICT issues, software glitches, and unsolved mysteries that you have no control over. Accept the fact that you are at the mercy of someone else's schedule.
5. Document, document, document...
When something breaks...document it every time.
6. Treat your ICT PowerPartners as part of your team...because they are...
It is what it is. ICT issues are likely to require third party involvement. In order to find the quickest resolution, you must be allies with your ICT PowerPartners. Provide the team with as much detailed information as possible regarding your issue. Be prepared to help them troubleshoot and provide them with well documented information. Show them respect and gratitude.
7. Adopt the Keeping it FUN Worry Scale of 1-10
Starting with 10 rate all real or hypothetical issues/problems on a scale of 1-10.
Below is an example:
10. Catastrophic loss of multiple family members
9. Loss of a child
8. Loss of spouse/family member
7. A life altering accident
6. Fill In
5. Your
4. Own
3. Blanks
2. ICT Firedrills
1. Which lululemon Pace Setter skirt will I wear, today?
The Keeping It FUN Worry Scale is fool proof and guaranteed to help you catch any ICT curveball that gets thrown your way!
I had the honor and privilege of working for, training under, and calling friend Mad Dogg Master Instructor_____________. In 2002, she taught me the power of words.
SB, from my heart to yours,
Thank you for sometimes telling me I had to do it your
way and supporting when I wanted to do things my way.
But, most of all, Thank You for teaching me to choose the
Word “resistance” over tension. Because of you, I may
Cue a Steep hill something like this…
"I invite you to let all your tension go.
Tension, weighs us down, holds us back, and makes it harder to breathe.
Resistance, both in life and on this hill makes us stronger. Close your eyes.
Relax your shoulders. Heart center forward and climb. Without changing
cadence, add reistance that makes you push back and fight harder.”
Today, 12 years later and 1500 miles away, her voice is heard in the words I choose when I teach. It”™s a powerful lesson that extends beyond Indoor Cycling. The words we choose are more powerful than any ICT malfunction.
There will always be resistance, but you don”™t have to have tension. Your customer”™s response mirrors your response. If you smile and have FUN going over new studio speed bumps, they will too.
You Got This...
One pedal stroke at a time!!!
Originally posted 2014-09-04 08:45:11.
- Keeping It FUN … A Year Later - July 2, 2023
- WIN/WIN/WIN - March 26, 2022
- RECOVERY, ADDICTION, & INDOOR CYCLING - April 25, 2021