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With today's fledgling economy, many companies are cutting back on superfluous purchases and making a conscious effort to address the needs most critical to survival. A key variable in this equation are those expenditures that drive the success of an organization, but may not be considered "critical." In our business, we clearly see that the Fitness amenity is a significant driver of the core business for Hotels, Apartments, Universities, Private Clubs, and Corporations. And although many companies deem Fitness to be less than "critical," we would argue that the added stress of the current times, coupled with mounting health care and obesity concerns, makes this "optional" offering a core need of your clientele. The key question is: How do you get the most value out of your fitness facility with the least investment of resources? A starting point is the commitment to maintenance and upkeep of the facility and its equipment to maximize the life and value of your existing offering. Read below for further guidance as to how your facility can remain strong in Fitness.
Bryan Green, President & CEO
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As printed in the May issue of Hotel Executive Magazine
Staying Strong In A Weak Economy
By Bryan Green, CEO
I certainly don't need to remind anyone about the tough economic times we're facing in our country. It's hard to go through a day without being confronted by it one way or another. The impact is universal, and the hospitality industry is no exception as business and leisure travel inevitably decline due to a mindset fixed on reducing expense and maximizing the value of every dollar. For most of us, the situation is forcing us to distill spending priorities down to the most critical elements necessary to keep our business alive and steady, amidst the economic storm. But in many cases, it's not only where we spend our dollars, but how we spend them that can make or break success in the face of challenge.
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For more the better part of two decades, fitness has grown steadily as a critical component to a hotel's overall service offering. What once was merely an ancillary component of the hotel experience, grew steadily on the shoulders of a society that became more and more focused on daily wellness and ultimately, healthy longevity. Business and leisure travelers have made maintaining a steady exercise and fitness regimen on the road a top priority, and the demand for exemplary fitness services has reached an all-time high.
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But has the weakened economy rendered fitness back to its original place as merely an ancillary concern for hotel operators? While the instinct may be to answer "yes," I'm here to say "absolutely not." With budgets tightening and less discretionary cash to throw around, travelers will more than ever choose hotels that have earned their satisfaction and loyalty. Therefore, protecting this loyalty by maintaining the level of service they expect is more critical than ever. As consumers wrestle to maintain financial health and longevity, the desire to maintain physical health and longevity is unwavering. So if you think that fitness is an expendable priority, you might want to think again.
The economy has placed an enormous amount of stress on most everyone. So the travelers that hotels will be serving during this tough period will be in need of stress relief like never before. It will be common to see lavish meals and cocktail hours dashed, in favor of an hour in the gym to break a sweat and effectively decompress. The last thing you want is for your fitness center to under-deliver at the time when it's needed the most. Now I'm not necessarily advocating increased spending on fitness or the acquisition of new or upgraded equipment or amenities. What I'm advocating is a closer attention to fitness spending to ensure that the dollars spent are done so strategically in ways that will protect and maintain customer satisfaction levels.
Continue reading this article at afproducts.com...
Bryan Green is President and CEO of Advantage Fitness Products, a company dedicated to the planning, design, supply, and ongoing care of specialized fitness and wellness environments world-wide. For information regarding Advantage Fitness Products visit www.AFProducts.com or call 310-559-9949.
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Ab Solo
The innovative design of the Ab Solo enables exercisers to significantly improve their cardiovascular system, upper body strength, flexibility, and core strength. By combining a controlled crunch movement with medicine ball modularity, the Ab Solo simultaneously strengthens and tones the abs, gluteal muscles, shoulders, obliques, and lower back muscles. More...
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AFP Teams with LAUSD to Fight Childhood Obesity in Inner-City Schools
LOS ANGELES – May, 2009 – Advantage Fitness Products recently completed a successful equipment installation project for eight inner-city schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), providing them with top-of-the-line fitness equipment that will withstand the demands of daily use by students and student athletes. These fitness centers will be utilized by the schools’ athletic teams and will also play a critical role in a youth-obesity initiative being tackled by each of the schools’ Physical Education departments. More...
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Ayres Hotels Fitness Center
Advantage Fitness Products recently completed a multi-facility project for Ayres Hotels that included revamping the design, equipment and layout of fitness centers in each of its 18 Southern California locations. Additionally, AFP developed a comprehensive service and support solution (FitnessFacility.com) that is designed to increase customer satisfaction while decreasing operating costs for Ayres Hotels. More...
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