In an era defined by dynamic shifts in health and wellness, the fitness industry stands at the forefront of innovation and adaptation. As we explore the current landscape, it becomes imperative to understand the pulse of evolving trends and how industry leaders are shaping the future. In this context, we delve into the remarkable journey of Anytime Fitness, a global brand that has consistently stayed ahead of the fitness curve.
At the heart of the fitness industry's current landscape lies the fusion of various exercise modalities within a single space. Anytime Fitness has been quick to embrace this trend, creating gyms that integrate functional fitness, cardio, weight training, and dedicated areas for group workouts. This adaptability extends beyond physical spaces, as evidenced by the Anytime Fitness App—a technological marvel that provides tools for a comprehensive fitness journey.
Looking ahead, Anytime Fitness aims to further its impact by opening gyms in untapped territories through the Regional Partnership Model. Upcoming projects include advanced tools and technology for franchise partners, alongside a consumer-focused subscription model. This model seeks to make fitness accessible to a broader audience by leveraging predictive analytics and personalized experiences.
In this ever-evolving fitness landscape, Anytime Fitness stands as a beacon of innovation, adaptability, and genuine care for its community, embodying the essence of a holistic fitness experience. Opportunity India spoke to Vikas Jain, MD, Anytime Fitness about the industry. Following are excerpts from the conversation:
What do you see as the most significant current trends in the fitness industry? How has Anytime Fitness kept itself adapting to the emerging industry changes?
Vikas: Anytime Fitness as a global brand has always been ahead of the trend curve. The most significant current trend so far is having different forms of fitness in one place. Anytime Fitness has already jumped on this trend by equipping all our gyms with functional fitness, cardio, weight training areas, and a dedicated place for group workouts. With our growing knowledge and expertise in the fitness as well as tech niche, we will continue to dominate the trends. Moreover, in recent years, we have seen a growing trend in the way people access fitness.
With our best-in-class Anytime Fitness App, we are equipped to provide people with the tools that they need to successfully power through their fitness journey. The state-of-the-art design of our gyms with a place to do their choice of exercise gives our members the opportunity to explore and work on different things in one place, AF is their one-stop destination for all things fitness. Plus, our remote coaching facility has shifted our focus from just convenience to coaching. We ensure that our members have the best fitness experience and are given the right kind of guidance and knowledge for the same.
Can you please let us know about the achievements of Anytime Fitness till now?
Vikas: I believe that a brand’s presence speaks for itself. With over 5,500 gyms spanning across the world and a presence in all seven continents, Anytime Fitness has left a global mark that is hard to defeat. In India alone, we have crossed over 130 gyms with many more on their way. The continued support and belief that our customers as well as franchise partners show in us is one of our biggest achievements so far. Here are some of our success stories.
Franchisee Success Story: Starting off their journey in 2019, Rohan Goradia took the first step in showing his interest in Anytime Fitness. As he said, verbatim “I live, breathe, and think Fitness.” He found his passion in fitness and decided to transform the lives of thousands of people with the help of the gym, by first transforming his. Initially hesitant about opening a gym, the parents of Rohan, Sonal and Mrudang Goradia were blown away by the profitable yet member-centric approach of Anytime Fitness and how seamlessly the teams worked together. From setting up the gym to giving out the list of do’s and don'ts, vendors, and everything in between, Anytime Fitness was the perfect support system for them. Today, with over 900 members going to AF Kemps corner every day, the gym franchise is doing more than well. That is their happily ever-after!
Member Success Story: In October 2019, Tamanna Punjabi was diagnosed with blood cancer. From being an extremely active person to suddenly going through chemotherapy and radiation, with her immunity and strength being pulled to a minimum, it turned her world upside down. But sometimes, one needs a 360° turn to pause and relook at life. That's what she did. Post-cancer treatment, she couldn't do some of the most basic exercises and today, with the help and support she received at AF, she is doing deadlifts and squats, yoga and so much more. For her, AF is not just a gym, it's a community of encouraging people. After cancer, for a long time, she feared going to the gym because she felt like she wouldn't fit, because she would fail. But AF changed that. AF helped her push her boundaries and make fitness fun! Today, she doesn't go to the gym because she has to. She goes because she wants to.
What unique contributions or innovations has Anytime Fitness made to the fitness industry?
Vikas: As a brand, the concept of Global Accessibility, i.e., one membership providing access to all the gyms in the world, was first introduced by Anytime Fitness, which was later adopted by other gym chains. Moreover, the introduction of Anytime Fitness App has been a boon for people who find it tough to visit the gym on a regular basis. It has the option of live remote coaching, where a coach is present on-demand to schedule your workouts from the comfort of your home. This has solved the problem that introverted people may face while asking questions to the trainers on the floor, and people who are unable to attend the gym due to prior commitments or engagements. It has also helped people to workout both in the gym as well as in their homes.
What are your plans? Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives that you can share that will contribute to the growth and development of Anytime Fitness?
Vikas: The plan is simple, to open 500 gyms in India by 2030 and make India healthy. To achieve this, we are currently working on the Regional Partnership Model. The idea is to open multiple gyms in the untouched territories of the nation. For this, we are currently seeking Regional Partners. We aim to match the growth of these regions in accordance with the brand presence and awareness in the nation. Some of our upcoming projects include upgrading tools and technology for our franchise partners to grow their businesses.
Moreover, from a consumer’s point-of-view, we will also be rolling out a subscription model soon. It aims to make fitness feasible and accessible for everyone. By making good use of our state-of-the-art tools and technology, we can easily predict the churn rate, i.e., the no. of members that are less likely to renew their memberships with AF. By receiving the data on their gym habits, we can easily understand the pain points of our customers and help them have an amazing experience. This, as a result, will help our franchisees to perform better as well.
How has the journey been so far?
Vikas: Our journey has been memorable so far. As a brand that aims to grow and achieve new heights daily, we have been on quite a learning curve these past few years. Anytime Fitness sure has been the harbinger of many new trends in the fitness industry, and we aim to continue to do so. Overall, our growth has been marvelous, and we aim to increase it manifolds in the future. With over 130 gyms already in business, we plan to increase our numbers to 500 Gyms by 2030. Currently, we have a live member base of 1 lac+ members with the lifetime number of memberships touching over 5 lacs. Our aim is to grow our live member base to 1000 at each gym soon. With the support of our team and the resources at our disposal, this will be an exhilarating experience.
What advice would you like to give to the budding entrepreneurs in this industry?
Vikas: My advice to all the budding entrepreneurs in the fitness industry would be to make their customer service game strong. You are not just selling a service to your customers; you are selling an experience. Make it worth their while. Remember why people join gyms. Ensure that you have all the facilities in place to help them achieve their health and fitness goals. Keeping all this in mind and showing true care for your customers is the key, irrespective of which sector you work in. Work hard on your member service, gym equipment, and safety measures. Work on strong SOPs to make sure that member safety is never compromised. A skill that can be useful here is to set the fitness expectations a notch above what they expect and over-deliver. If they trust you and the service you offer, they are bound to trust the brand, which is our primary goal.
