Managing Projects and Operations in Energise Health and Fitness Centre - Case Study Example

Managing Projects and Operations Energise Health & Fitness Centre Background Fitness industry is known to be highly competitive with competition majorly based on pricing techniques and technology on equipments used. This has granted Energise Health & Fitness Centre positive experiences within its financial growth due to its dominance as one of the major fitness company’s within United States fitness industry. Energise Health & Fitness Centre’s corporate strategy is capable of handling effectively, the current situation within fitness industry. The centre is focused on providing twenty four hour fitness services seven days a week (Martin and Tate, 1997). There is need to identify internal strengths and weaknesses of the fitness center for purposes of bridging the gap existing between community, current status of the organization and future expectations. In normal situations, such organization’s strengths are determined through assessment of various sectors and prospects within the company. These aspects include employees, nature of facility, skills and expertise, nature of equipments and activities and human resource management cares for their employees and the surrounding community including training and development. Overall weaknesses are normally determined through the assessment on availability of enough funds required for expansion, low rates of employee turn-over, poorly laid down structures on strategic management, poor locations and poor communication links (Barney, 2007). Energise Health & Fitness Centre would be faced with external opportunities some of which include; relational ties between the gym and other organizations, marketing principles and strategies, nature of incentives rendered to, government regulation and incorporation of information technology. The center will be faced by equal threats which include; economic turmoil, loss of employees and clients, increase in costs of expertise services and stiff competition from other fitness centers (24 Hour Fitness, 2012). Various factors should be considered based on employees within the center; these include the nature of skills irrespective of the education level, Knowledge on the use of facilities, impact on others both inside and outside the company. Concerning business level, certain considerations should be made dealing with areas such as reputation, Capacity, Responsiveness and customer attitudes. Based on corporate level, there is involvement of processes and structures utilized in managing business affairs of such facilities. This would involve incorporation on areas involving competitive advantages and disadvantages and the nature of services. Then finally there is high positioned executive level which involves vital exercises such as quality assessment, Installation and service capabilities (Martin and Tate, 1997). Effectiveness on corporate governance within the facility can be achieved through approved principles, rules and regulations which should provide necessary foundation and guidance for leadership. Leadership within the gym should comprise of management team accountable to the running of the gym on a 24-hour basis. The management is endowed with the responsibility of having accurate and up to-date information concerning the facility. The fitness center should also have chief executive officer whose role is different from the overall chairman. The powers and authority held by the two should be checked for the purposes of offering balance within decision making. Then there are shareholders who should be fully involved in the organization’s activities involving concerns of the surrounding community. Implications on the gym and its strategic operations Robust management practices within corporate governance will be essential in determining the level of customers attracted to the facility. This is since it would ensure profitable management of resources and assets. Good corporate governance would also ensure improvement in communication and implementation of new and workable strategies which are profitable to the organization, its employees and the surrounding community (Mandanis, 2000). Aim Major aim of Energise Health & Fitness Centre is provision of competitive services as way of life for all population categories from young to elderly people. Their value statements revolve around key points involving innovation and development of unique business practices. Reason/rationale/motivation for this project This involves internal identification of potential area efficiency gains to be found in the gym in order to enhance capacity and increase customer satisfaction. The gym would be designed for the purposes of having leading services for people from all walks of life; employees should have wealth of experience in fitness industry. For the purposes of catering for every class within the society the gym will deal with complete gymnasium package which includes everything from the list (3 x recumbent bicycles, 4 x cross-trainers, 4 x treadmills, 2 x rowing machines, Flyer press machine, Bench press machine, Overhead press machine, Lat pull-down bar machine, Cable-cross machine, Pull-up bar, 2 x leg extension machines, 2 x squat machines, 3 x movable and adjustable benches, 1 x weights rack, 1 x Jones machine, 1 x weights plate rack, 1 x barbell rack, 1 x preacher bench). From the above list, there is need to increase the number of weight plates since large consumer base from young generation utilizes it (Lewis, 2000). Most people with disabilities and those who are sick normally prefer to remain independent within their various communities for fairly long time. Therefore the plan of the gym would provide space for creation of personal care team capable of providing mobile services which enables satisfaction of those with special needs (Kerzner, 1995). Energise Health & Fitness Centre has strong leadership skills capable of producing innovative ideas required for success of management within fitness industry. The strength of corporate leadership usually determines inclination towards company’s success. Such facility requires robust kind of leadership described as visionary, articulate, focused and non-substitutable. This ensures continued upgrade and consistent development of cohesive organizational culture, where all employees are recognized for their performance. At the same time, there is need for high employee retention rates and development of good relationship amongst employees and customers. Management should learn the art of satisfying consumer demands and needs through the use of other success factors such as company culture and vision (McCarthy, 1995). Deliverables Energise Health & Fitness Centre intends to use some level of creativity within their building design. Through its technologically upgraded equipments, the business intends to develop strongest brand images within the industry. Such positioning grants the business best opportunities required for controlling extensive market share. The use of modern equipments and experienced management team ensures that productivity remains high through development of good relations between the company and the market. At the same time, Energise Health & Fitness Centre applies unique means of marketing campaigns which involves use of iconic names found within sports and fitness industry. Such strategy enables strong influence on consumers’ choice since they would rather be identified with re-known professional figures. It is also possible for the company to capture new market segments through the use of such marketing strategies. Energise Health & Fitness Centre should utilize activity sponsorship during international and local games (Lewis, 2000). Areas of efficiency gains Energise Health & Fitness Centre utilizes efficiency of their equipments to ensure consumer satisfaction across gender. Effectiveness of the business is based on the management ideals of the center; hence, Energise Health & Fitness Centre considers gender balance as priority in management. However, there is necessity of including a female fitness figure, capable of dealing with females within their various areas of need. Such idea would ensure that all consumers within the market segment are considered, since female consumers are basically motivated by such female figures. Such inclusion ensures incorporation of young female sports-ladies recognized within there area of specialization; either football or soccer. The strategy has enabled customers to compliment many current professionals within various fields of sports. However, Energise Health & Fitness Centre ensures that such professional figures, are active within their fields and capable to re-aligning their attitude and responses towards company’s corporate culture. Despite such benefits obtained from such strategy, the implementation process would demand increase in operations and hence costs (Kendall and Kendall, 1995). There is need to extend marketing campaigns beyond current market segments hence target the active generation within world sporting events. Such areas are usually rich with consumers creating great opportunities for fitness centers. However, in such areas, Energise Health & Fitness Centre should ensure that maximum security measures are undertaken within all entrances of such centers. Inclusion of such facilities especially within airport terminals assists in reducing waiting time. Areas of inefficiency in the gym, customer satisfaction The gym would have quality council group capable of developing evidence-based standards used for purposes of delivering excellent services to customers. New technologies available would be evaluated especially those in line with new equipment inventions for the purpose of offering quality up-to-date services to customers. There is need for the gym to establish a toll-free 24 hour telephone service aimed at advising customers on various fitness exercises as per their needs. The lines will be having services of specialists on the use of various equipments, incase of any complications they would asses the situation and advise customers appropriately. The user satisfaction of the telephone lines would be targeted at 90%. These lines would save customers cost on time and money. In cases involving low-income earners within the community, comprehensive space and time will be created and managed in stages. Gym specialists as well as reporters will be dispatched to every community. Development of such strategy would be done in consultation with senior manager, for purposes of reinforcing delivery of services. The community members would be brought into the planning processes to ensure fair reflection of the views of the entire community. Special attention would be given to programs encouraging users to have better healthcare and fitness experiences. Improvement in the number of instructors and time management would target to cover 25% of the area after four years and the entire region within less than ten years of continuous service. The primary services given through the wide networks would ensure greater access to appropriate specialists. Coordination of equipment use and early detection on mechanical problems would assist in preventing overcrowding, injury as well as extreme spending on the side of customers. Equipments frequently used should be placed at extreme ends of the building next to toilets. However, the region currently experiences a baby boom; the situation has a heavy impact on the nature of decisions made on services delivered and instruction within various expertise areas. Averagely 40% of the population is considered to be under the age of twenty. In such a case, most people involved in training are the young men. The area is considered to have high unemployment rates with low mean income levels making the gym reconsider their prices hence offer services at affordable rates. In the past the community members had to travel for long hours for the purposes of seeking special care. However, the gym will offer services enabling residents within remote community be able to perform exercises through video links hence not leaving their remote locations (Mintzberg et al., 2003). Outcomes This project had achieved our aims as we came with a proposal that has the new equipment locations. Such new locations could help the owner either to increase the capacity of membership or use the space for more equipment. During implementation of proposed process, management should rely on granting quality services. Consumers will have quality time with equipment and instructor during exercises. Such kind of improvement requires incorporation of upgraded equipments using modern technology. Inclusion of such new processes within company’s system and strategies ensures establishment of efficient facility within densely populated centers. Location of the center as well as the nature of space utilized determines number of customers accommodated per training session. Energise fitness management systems would ensure adequate provision of employee wages. This ensures maintenance of high motivation standards amongst instructors and ultimately consumers. In the process of establishing such fitness centers, there should be provision of ample space in spite of new technology (Beck, 2000). Risk management plan Operations within Energise Fitness Centre basically focus on social and physical well-being of the community. The facility focuses on personally known social and health benefits capable of reducing prevalence of certain known diseases. This is since published articles on health focuses on consequences of having poor physical exercises. However, the industry still faces some risks such as price fluctuations. Most fitness companies provide services at cheap and affordable prices due to consumer behaviours. There are also issues surrounding economic recession affect the business within some regions hence calling for frequent renovation practices on equipments. The management at some point discovered a trend which showed sustained growth and better long-term prospects for such enterprises compared to other business enterprises. Such discoveries echoes true sentiments for companies involved in fitness business within the industry. Conclusion The designed used for the facility provides for limited provisions since it could only accommodate limited number of customers. Such design ensures that Energise Fitness & Health Centre benefits from high revenue returns based on variety of services rendered. However, due to the nature of competition within the Fitness industry, Energise Fitness Centre should focus on providing efficient and quality services. This ensures high performance levels within corporate culture and instituted through management. At the same time, marketing within such industry requires application of modern technology ensuring that majority of consumers are reached within target markets and their needs fully met. There is need for improvement on service and time delivery system applied by Energise Fitness Centre. This should be done to enable enhancement of company’s image within the various market segments. 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