Many clubs hope to make a difference in the lives of their members. One on One Athletic Club, located in Ann Arbor, Mich., has been doing so for over 20 years through its commitment to clients, as well as its innovative “Smart Start” program.
“One on One specializes in relationships,” said Chris Ostrander, the general manager of One on One Athletic Club.
The first One on One Athletic Club opened in 1984. “The founder, Mark Wiley, was a successful personal trainer and he wanted to bring his personalized service, attention and results to the health club marketplace,” said Ostrander.
Which is how the club got its name. “The name developed from the personal service, the one-on-one attention provided in the personal training session that Mark Wiley, our founder, was known for,” Ostrander said. “He believes the word ‘club’ has a sense of value and denotes relationships, versus the word ‘gym.’”
At One on One Athletic Club, it’s the relationships that are the most important. “Sure, there are plenty of activities here to help a person achieve and maintain their desired level of fitness,” Ostrander said. “But, without the friendships and long-lasting bonds developed between all of us here, team members and club members, fitness can get pretty monotonous fairly quickly.”
According to Ostrander, a favorite piece of cardio equipment is only going to keep members coming back for so long. “Knowing your buddies will be here waiting for you — the ones on both sides of the service desk — can be just the push someone needs at times to get their butt off the couch and into the next spinning class, or back out onto the courts,” he said. “There needs to be more to a good exercise program than just ‘because they say it’s good for me.’”
One on One helps facilitate relationships with members through its “Smart Start” program. “‘Smart Start’ is One on One’s way of letting our members know that we want them to succeed on their journey toward a healthier, more fit life for themselves, and that we are here to help,” Ostrander said.
The program begins with a private meeting between the fitness director and the new member to define his or her health and fitness goals, and to set “both a short-term and long-term plan to achieve them,” Ostrander explained.
Ostrander believes the “Smart Start” program is “definitely a win-win situation” for both the club and its members. “So much money is wasted year after year on the next ‘quick fix,’ but most of the time, without the proper support system, the results just aren’t going to happen,” he said. “One on One Athletic Club and it’s ‘Smart Start’ approach are working to put an end to failed attempts and false starts for that part of the population that needs a bit of a helping hand when they first get started.”
According to Ostrander, it’s the level of service and care One on One extends to its members that separates the club from others in the industry. “With today’s ‘go-go-go, faster is better’ attitude permeating so many aspects of life, we’re proud knowing that the people that choose One on One as their ‘fitness headquarters’ can come in, work out, hang out and be treated like more than just a number by an attendant on a cell phone who can’t be bothered to look up and say, ‘Hi!’”
One On One attributes its success to several factors, including “being located within just a few minutes drive, or bus route, of such a large population of homes and businesses,” Ostrander said. “Once they get here and see the many fitness options available — court sports, group classes, cardio and strength training equipment, personal training and more — it’s usually pretty easy to find some reason to get out of the house and get busy.”
However, getting people into the club is only part of One on One’s success. “Although mentioned earlier, it’s worth repeating — it’s the great attitude of not only the One on One staff, but of the members and guests that keep our membership coming back for more, year after year,” Ostrander said.
By Sam Rogers