Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it’s even more important for health clubs that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Prime Time Athletic Club, the key to achieving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is simple: provide every member with a superior fitness environment and excellent customer service. “What sets us apart is our level of service and the way we express how important our members are to us,” says General Manager Ray Jungwirth. “When people choose to come here, they’re choosing a facility that’s intent on meeting their individual needs and expectations.”

Prime Time Athletic Club has been providing a wide variety of fitness amenities at its 10,000-square-foot Burlingame facility since 1979, including complete fitness and cardiovascular training centers; two heated swimming pools; and multiple courts for basketball, tennis, racquetball and squash. The family-oriented club also offers an expanded child care center, free kids’ karate classes, and supervised fitness programs specifically designed for children.

Unlike smaller health clubs that are in obscure locations or have limited hours of operation, Prime Time Athletic Club focuses on maximizing convenience for customers in both those areas. “For people to attend an athletic club on a regular basis, it has to be as convenient as possible, so that’s very important to us,” says Mr. Jungwirth. “First, our location isn’t just convenient for Burlingame residents–due to the number of businesses in our area and our close proximity to Highway 101 and the Millbrae BART station, we’re convenient for commuters as well. Also, we’re open seven days a week, from early in the morning to late at night, so we can accommodate almost anyone’s schedule.”

Setting realistic goals is a crucial part of any successful exercise program. Whether you’re new to regular exercise or returning after an extended absence, one of the most important things you can do before you even step foot in a gym or health club is set realistic goals for yourself. “Often, people who are just starting out will set unrealistically high expectations, like planning to exercise six days a week,” says Ray Jungwirth, general manager of Prime Time Athletic Club in Burlingame. “If they’re only able to make it to the gym four or five of those days, they feel like they haven’t achieved their goal and they get discouraged. Your expectations should be based on your lifestyle and level of physical fitness.”
When it comes to getting into an exercise routine, start small. Plan on working out two or three days a week, and give yourself a day in between each session to allow your body to recuperate. Likewise, set modest initial goals for what you want to achieve, whether it’s losing weight or building muscle. Rather than focusing on the long-term, set short-term goals that are attainable. Once you’ve achieved one short-term goal, set a new one.
The benefits of working with a personal trainer
Many people who want to maintain consistency or accomplish specific goals find it beneficial to invite a personal trainer into their workout routine. Whether you want to work with a trainer during every gym visit, once a week or even just a couple times a month, you can definitely benefit from the encouragement and guidance he or she offers.
One of the principal benefits of a personal trainer is his or her ability to guide you in setting and achieving realistic exercise goals. “A good personal trainer will be able to offer you a wide variety of options that will ultimately help you accomplish your goals through physical activity,” says Mr. Jungwirth. “Not only that, they’ll be able to help you clear the mental hurdles often involved with exercise and provide the motivation and encouragement you need to keep going.”

Q: How much does membership cost?

A: It depends on the level of membership you choose. We have a basic membership and an executive membership, the latter of which includes tennis, racquetball and squash; complimentary appointments with a personal trainer; and free assessments with a podiatrist, chiropractor, nutritional counselor and physical therapist. The things you would pay extra for are the same as in most facilities: ongoing personal training, private tennis or swimming lessons, massage therapy and so forth.

Q: If I have a basic membership but want to try squash or racquetball, do you offer a pay-per-use system?

A: Yes. If you have a fitness-level membership and want to use the tennis, racquetball or squash courts on an infrequent basis, you can simply pay $5 per person, per hour. If you decide you want to use the courts on a more frequent basis, you can upgrade to an executive membership at any time.

Q: Do I have to sign a long-term contract or can I go month-to-month?

A: We offer two levels of membership in terms of duration: a month-to-month agreement that allows members to cancel at any point with 30 days’ written notice and a 1-year agreement. If you’re willing to commit to the 1-year agreement, we offer a discount on the enrollment fee and monthly dues. Both programs come with a 15-day money-back guarantee.

Q: Do you offer any child care services?

A: Yes. Children of our members receive up to two hours (per day and per child) of supervised care. We offer a wide variety of activities for children, including our Tots in Motion program for kids ages three to five, coloring, safe toys and videos. Child care hours are Monday through Friday from 8:45am to 8pm and Saturday through Sunday from 8:45am to 2pm.

Q: Do your own employees provide child care services or do you have a contract with an outside company?

A: Our child care providers are all employees of Prime Time Athletic Club, and we always perform an extensive background check before hiring someone.