Gym banks on BPO, corporates for expansion

Gold's Gym is banking on business process outsourcing and other corporate clients to drive demand, as it looks to open 30 fitness clubs in the next decade, its CEO said.

Some 40 percent of the US gym chain's Philippine membership are from companies including HP, Jollibee, McDonald's, Ayala Land, San Miguel and Johnson & Johnson, CEO Mylene Dayrit told ANC's The Boss in an exclusive interview.

Gold's is also looking to grow its retail clients, which compromise the majority of its base, she said.

"I think where you will develop them to be loyal members is in one word, what I call 'transformation'—if you are able to help them transform themselves: lose weight, tone up, build muscles, whatever they want to do to be the perfect physical representation of themselves," she said.

"If we are able to coach them, mentor them, I think we’ve done our job and that’s what makes them stay," she added.

Gold's is looking at earlier opening times for its branches to lure early risers, Dayrit said.

Gold's branches open at 6 a.m., in sync with rival Fitness First. Both chains have been challenged by 24-hour chains like Anytime Fitness.

"Lots of our members are saying ‘I want to work out earlier because I still have to bring my kids to school’ or ‘I have to start earlier because of the traffic situation'. I believe that because the gym services the community, we just have to be open and sensitive to the needs of the community," she said.

Dayrit urged government to provide tax breaks for companies that provide fitness incentives to its employees.