The majority of respondents who feel that members should not have to pay for unused months feel that it is better for business to allow members to take time off. They feel it is a service, and members should only pay when that service is actually used. Says one respondent, “[Facility usage is] a service, [and] clients [don't] have a chance to use that paid service without being present…. [One way to handle this] is to give clients … one month in the year not to pay. Even if the club is ‘overbooking,’ you don’t lose a lot of money, and clients will be happy because they have the chance to manage their month….”

Another respondent feels it it the duty of the fitness facility to keep members from wanting to take time off: “Forget this ‘but the contract states’ stuff. If we are in the exercise support business, and we know that few members will be able to succeed over any length of time without … directed help, then we must be compensated based on how we facilitate our members’ success. If they fail, we have failed, and we should not be compensated for such…. I realize that this will put most ‘equipment renters’ out of business…. The fitness industry will gain some credibility for doing more than providing a facility in which only the few will succeed. The way things stand now,… our failures are charged to our members…. Revenues should be based on our performance in areas we claim to be experts in….”

Good referrals, say some respondents, make up for the money “lost” when allowing members to not pay for unused months. “If your service is what you say it is,” says one such respondent, “your referrals will be more than the members who want or need to leave. At my club, I even give a money-back guarantee if [members] are not happy in the first month. I’ve never been asked for a refund in eight years of business, and probably never will be. That is the No. 1 selling point to all who come in….”

Another facility also receives more referrals because of this service: “We have a small rehab/fitness center, and a great deal of our clients travel. We give them credit for the time they are gone. We also give them credit if they are unable to come for health reasons. This fosters a great deal of good will that translates into dedicated clients and solid referrals.”

One respondent finds that allowing members time off is both a service to the members, and the facility: “After 10 years of offering the option to ‘freeze’ memberships, I feel it has helped in two ways. First, we are providing better customer service/flexibility. Second, [we] let members find out what happens when they stop their [exercise] routine. After taking a couple months off for the beach, they find the only way to stay fit is to exercise regularly…. [We all] need to remain in shape to enjoy [our] activities.”