Digitalization is here to stay

If 2020 has taught anything it’s that digitalization is coming for every industry. 

The fitness and rehab space is no different however it’s behind on how this process gets deployed trying to mimic in person sessions. 

So, what’s the answer? Hybridization.

The first step to understanding this reality is the ability to piece together your client journey by knowing which offering (phase in the journey) is best suited for your client. The way this process works in a perfect world; Assessment > In-person > hybrid > remote management.

The assessment would allow for a decision where on the fitness or rehab spectrum they fall and from there, we navigate through the process outlined above. 

So let’s say this Unicorn client walks in for an evaluation or assessment. Using our expert opinion, we determine they need in-person sessions simply for the fact that they don’t have the training experience to perform workouts or rehab on their own (ie: they need “immediate feedback”). This process lasts for about three months as we see this client two times per week with the main goal being to teach them the language of training, movement patterns, and the decision making necessary to navigate the session without immediate feedback. 

Now, after this initial three month window we move them into the next phase of the journey which is a hybrid phase, a blend of in-person training with remote work! This hybrid phase allows us to scale our impact as a coach or rehab pro without MORE direct service hours as we will eventually cap out. The hybrid phase is where the magic starts to happen as we are continuing to prep the client to eventually not need immediate feedback or assistance! At this point, the client is coming into the facility maybe weekly or every other week for a duration of say another three months. 

Finally, once the client has demonstrated competency in completion of their work accurately, and you trust that they are at a training level where feedback can be fully delayed, you can make the transition to fully remote!

Each time you’ve made a process transition, this client actually has increased touch points within your journey which allows them more accessibility to you and your product at a more cost efficient price point for them but with a longer lifetime value for your business. 

Sounds good, right?

The biggest barriers to this process are simply understanding the journey your client is going on with your business and knowing where/when to place the client initially or certain criteria to make the transition to the next phase. 

So now the age old question: What if you’re wrong and transition too early? 

We won’t know until we try. The stakes are typically relatively low when we make these transitions. Worst case, you move them back to the prior phase and learn from the mishap (that’s also part of the journey). 

Now that you understand what the client journey looks like and how we can appropriately pitch the phase to your client, I want to make sure any questions you may have about this digitalization process are answered! If you’re interested in installing this model into your: practice, gym, or facility, you can email [email protected] and I’ll be sure to answer any questions you may have!