Demand for body composition technology is at an all-time high, but how can health and fitness operators make the most of these products?
“Our experience tells us that users in every sector, across the world, want to know the same three things: where am I, where I should be and where is everybody else?” says Tom Stillman, head of business development at Boditrax. The company is seeing significant increased demand from the health and fitness sector, in addition to the medical industry, for body composition, digital measuring and assessment technology. This is due to a number of factors, including the rising number of local authority leisure providers offering GP referral programmes, a return to cap-ex heavy projects that were parked during the recent pandemic and a heightened awareness of co-morbidity impact on general health with both professionals and the population, says Stillman. “The requirement to deliver accurate, measured and evidence-based outcomes and ever wider acceptance and adoption of digital health technology is seeing the market mature in these sectors.” Other suppliers are experiencing the same. “The health and fitness industry has undergone a hugely transformative period in the past 24 months. The pandemic (and its aftermath) has forged permanent changes in the habits and behaviours of gym-goers. One of these changes is the elevated role that technology – and digital solutions – now play in people’s fitness journeys,” says Tracy Morrell, director at React Fitness, suppliers of Styku. The combination of digitalised fitness and increasingly tech-savvy consumers means that exercisers want to track their workouts and their improvements, she says. “With body composition technology, people can quite literally see the full picture of their health.”
benefits for operators and users
Embracing body composition technology can offer a myriad of benefits for health and fitness operators. Ultimately, they can be a key tool in generating revenue, says Simon Wilkinson, sport and fitness lead UK at Tanita Europe. “That revenue generation can be either direct, as a paid-for additional service, or indirect through member retention, as members can see the progress they're making in more detail than ever before and become extra invested in their health and staying on track.” The technology can help operators extend their reach beyond the four walls of their facilities to add to their bottom line. “The equipment is ideal for outreach activities to attract new members, for example, offering health checks to local businesses,” says Philip Middleton, MD of Derwent Healthcare, which supplies of ACCUNIQ via its fitness division Perfect Body Systems. In addition, they increase interaction between trainers and members which strengthens relationships and helps to boost retention he says. Harnessing body composition technology and combining that with guidance from instructors or PTs gives clubs a new and effective way to motivate members. “By using the technology, clubs can help people understand their bodies in real terms, while also providing an engaging consumer experience. Tracking one’s progress using the 3D scans can also be quite addictive, allowing the machines and consultations to become a revenue generator for clubs. And from a retention point of view, they can provide a “measurement anchor” and a reason to visit a fitness facility,” says Morrell. Operators monetising body analysis have significantly supported the business case for wider adoption, says Stillman. “We have seen ‘paid for’ scanning models creating additional revenue streams right across the private sector and operators across every sector report a highly reliable return on investment through a number of indicators such as extended member engagement. “Upselling additional income generating products such as personal training and supplements, along with signposting to other related interventions such as weight and cardiac management, smoking cessation and mental health support are also now core features on the platform.”
embed the technology
How can operators leverage the technology to ensure a return on their investment? The short answer is that you have to work the asset. “You can’t just stick them in the corner of the facility and expect members to use them immediately. You have to integrate the products into your business plan. How this looks can differ depending on the facility and target market, but most importantly operators have to fully understand how the technology works and what all the data means for members. We recognised this early on and accredited the first ever training course in BIA technology and Body Composition Analysis with CIMSPA,” says Wilkinson from Tanita. The technology should be firmly embedded into the fitness pathway, says Middleton. This includes measurement at induction, providing a programme tailored to the individual’s needs with repeat measurements every four to six weeks to chart progress. Stillman from Boditrax believes body composition should be involved at every stage of the member journey from marketing to assessment to goals, representing a lifetime of touchpoints between the operator and member. “Body composition starts a conversation between facility and user that develops into a longer-term relationship where goals are reached, users remain engaged and mutual loyalty is forged. It allows operators to know their members like never before and members to truly know themselves.”
do your research
With such a wide choice of products available, what should operators look for in body composition technology? “Speak with the manufacturers and find out what is the most appropriate product for your facility. That might be different depending on how you want to use it, so use their expertise and guidance. The most expensive product might not be the most appropriate and the cheapest, might just be that for a reason,” advises Wilkinson from Tanita. Middleton from Derwent Healthcare says: “Prior to purchase ensure that the device you are intending to use has been validated to a gold standard such as DEXA. Companies tend to validate the top of the range model and then state the same technology is used in all models. If that were the case there would be no need for the more expensive models.” Above all, operators must do their research, says Stillman from Boditrax. “Be clear on the feature set needed and trial the shortlist thoroughly with both staff and users. Pressure test which system can build the information eco-system your organisation needs. “Reliability, consistency in results, ease of use, connectivity with their other software and hardware and a clear development roadmap will develop long term relationships with users. Finally, be clear on what success looks like, make sure you can measure and report on the metrics your organisation needs now and into the future.”
