2020 Issue 3 | GearedUp
36
Effective Interviews Identify
Those With Heart for
Planet Fitness ® franchisees have built a strong reputation for consumer satisfaction for the PF ® brand . In 2019 , Newsweek magazine ranked it No . 1 among fitness clubs in customer service , just as J . D . Power did in its Health and Fitness Center Satisfaction Report in 2017 . PF is at or near the top of just about any recent , well-known customer service listings for fitness clubs .
A franchise system known for this attribute has achieved a difficult , but notable milestone . Customer satisfaction is no accident . For a brand to thrive in measurements of this metric , it must reflect its importance at every level of the organization , and it must have the right team members in place – ones focused first on welcoming members and giving them the best experience they can , day in and day out .
Identifying and hiring employees who are excited to learn the brand ’ s culture and create great experiences for members has become a critical and ongoing task for PF companies . Finding the right people to join their teams requires an interview process that goes beyond assessing prior work histories and hard skills . Character , values , attitude and service have become the core of the interview and selection processes .
Even when the labor market was at its tightest in the months before the coronavirus pandemic , PF organizations continued to implement and use a variety of interviewing techniques to draw out the candidates best equipped to provide the specialized treatment and care that PF club members expect . In short , the interview process has become far more comprehensive than the old “ hello and a handshake ” of yesteryear . In some cases , managers with hiring responsibilities use prepared scripts and even complete formal training to improve their interviewing skills .
The preparation is important so that everyone gets what they need – a successful employment match that offers room for growth . “ I think it ’ s important for both parties to be thorough . Of course , we want to find a team member that is going to fit with us long term , but we also need to do a good job explaining the position and what is expected to the candidate ,” said Brad Wentzel , chief operating officer of Marathon Fitness Management Group , which has eight PF clubs .
“ Our main objective when interviewing , beyond assessing proper culture fit , is selling the dream to the applicant ,” said Colby Gregory , vice president of club operations for 10-club P-Fit Development . “ We have a ton of managers who have been with us
PF Culture five-plus years , and the one common factor among all of them , including executive team members , is that we all started on-site as a front desk associate or trainer . We need them to know that there is a future with us if they want it .”
“ The interview is one of the first touchpoints you have with your potential new hire . It ’ s an opportunity for the hiring by Sean Ireland supervisor to begin forming a relationship with their potential new team member ,” said Sara Wolz , training and compliance manager for Planet Fitness Growth Partners LLC ( PFGP ), which owns 67 clubs in Maryland , Washington , D . C ., Florida , Tennessee , Washington and California . “ When you have an effective interview process , the new hire not only knows exactly what is expected of them , they are also excited about the company they will be working for , and you are most likely to avoid surprises after they are hired .”
By and large , companies of all sizes are making the interview process more standardized and bringing more leaders into the process . Many are also using an interview guide created by the PF Independent Franchisee Council ’ s Human Capital Management Committee . “ This guide is such a dynamic tool to assist with the interviewing process ,” said Alicia Calcamuggio , a member of the committee and HR director for Impact Fitness , which operates 39 clubs . “ With many franchises doing different things with their process , we found it important to collaborate on what were some roadblocks as well as what was already working . It ’ s intended to be a guide – that way each franchise can edit as needed to fit their culture and interviewing best practices .”
“ The guide has something for everyone . The guide contains helpful interviewing tips , dos and don ’ ts , candidate phone screen template , interview questions and a candidate-rating grid . The guide is easily customizable and can be used by a franchisee who has little experience with the hiring / selection process ,” said Andy Sholly , committee chair and chief people officer of 78-club National Fitness Partners . “ In contrast , even the most experienced franchisee will find a nugget or two to incorporate into their current practices .”
At PLNTF Holdings , with 83 clubs , at least two managers are part of an interview with any new potential hire , from member service representatives to trainers to general managers . “ At the club level of our organization , the general manager and assistant general