ACCESS CONTROL
Beyond ‘ new year , new me ’ for leisure facilities
The January peak and February drop-off can be a challenge for leisure facilities . Those looking for ways to keep long-term customers can turn to coded , keyless locks to help maintain memberships as Joanne Milne-Rowe , UK Managing Director at Codelocks , explains .
» JANUARY HAS LONG BEEN considered the month of the ‘ new year , new me ’ mantra . Gym and leisure facilities memberships peak as people seek to make good on their New Year ’ s resolutions .
Recent research , however , has shown that Britons ’ gym-going habits are motivated by much deeper desires than their New Year ’ s commitment . According to data from UKActive , people use the gym and leisure facilities for their mental health , confidence , recurring conditions , and to be social .
Facilities looking to keep their January peak customers beyond the thirtyfirst must focus on connecting with customers ’ deeper needs , providing facilities that meet their desires rather than dampen them . Keyless coded access locks can help do this , creating environments where people can feel good in themselves , about themselves , and with others .
Don ’ t overlook lockers
Locker space and changing rooms typically account for 10-15 % of a facility ’ s square footage , and they are every bit as important as the figure suggests .
Poorly maintained lockers can become one of the biggest sources of frustration for customers who want to fully enjoy their chosen activity without additional worries about whether their belongings will still be there when they finish up .
Given that 78 % of people say mental health is the number one reason they go to the gym , overlooking lockers is a recipe for declining memberships .
Controlling access to lockers is a challenge for leisure managers . Robust , reliable locker locks that are easy to use , look good and instil confidence that users ’ belongings are protected are critical . Switching to coded access locks ensures that customers can put their worries about keys , their belongings , or reliability to one side . There are no lost keys , and the locks are more
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JANUARY 2025
locksmithjournal . co . uk