LIFEAID Survey Reveals Client Retention From COVID-19 a Mixed Bag

In July, beverage and supplement company LIFEAID put out a survey to 135 gym owners to explore how they’re fairing in the face of the global pandemic.

Noteworthy: The gyms surveyed were not all CrossFit gyms. Of the 135, 106 were CrossFit affiliates or unaffiliated CrossFit-style gyms, but the survey also included Fit Body Bootcamps, Anytime Fitness, HIIT studios and martial arts studios.

One big thing: According to this survey, client retention amidst COVID-19 is inconsistent.

• 14.8 percent of gyms said less than 50 percent of their clientele has returned
• 43 percent of gyms said between 50 and 75 percent of their clientele has returned
• 31.1 percent of gyms said 75 percent of more of their clientele has returned

Further, 11 percent of gyms said zero percent of their clientele has remained or returned. Presumably, these are gyms that have closed their doors, which is consistent with another finding in the survey: 89 percent of gyms have reopened for business.

Other key takeaway: The survey also showed varying degrees of confidence among gym owners in regards to how long it will take for them to rebound to pre-COVID attendance numbers.

• Close to 20 percent of gyms think it will only take them one month, while approximately 25 percent of gyms said they need two to three months. Others still — 14.3 percent — believe they’ll need half a year, and another 13.5 percent of respondents think it will take them more than six months to recover.

Also notable: Fifty-five percent of respondents said they no longer intend to offer Zoom classes to their members, while 33 percent of gyms owners said they’ll continue to offer virtual training.

The big picture: Gym owners have had very different experiences in recent months due to state and county-level variations in COVID regulations. More than 130 days have passed since California passed the first Stay at Home order in the United States, and while some gyms remain closed, or re-opened and have now had to close or modify services again, others are walking a thin financial line, others still, as we reported on July 19, are experiencing record breaking revenue months and are attracting more members than they can accommodate.