PARTNERSHIPS
PARK DISTRICTS, FOREST PRESERVES AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS
WORKING TOGETHER WITH CIVIC AND BUSINESS LEADERS TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITIES

Corporate Partnering in the Fitness Industry

The prognosis is favorable for fitness collaboration among
private ventures, hospitals, and park districts

BY SCOTT CHOVANEC MS, MBA

Partnerships are platforms for successes for all park districts. Current research suggests that 58 percent of Illinois park districts feel partnerships are extremely important now, and that number will grow to 75 percent in the next 10 years (Daniel Yoder, Ph.D., Western Illinois University, December 1996).

Bringing two or more groups together to form a strategic alliance where the result is a "win-win" situation for everyone is rapidly becoming a staple business practice in the fitness industry. Partnerships between private ventures, hospitals, and park districts are creating economies of scale. But for these ventures to flourish, all parties must analyze their specific needs, the needs of their target partner(s), and the expectations that result when the alliance is formed—profitability, shared resources, improved community image, strategic positioning, marketing enhancements, programming, etc. Additional questions to ask of yourself before groups meet should include:

• Does this fit our business purpose and does this lead to a sustained competitive advantage?

• Are our missions similar?

• Are there definite synergies to be gained?

• Is there enough market demand for two (or more) partners to enter this business together?

Once these questions are internalized and you have become familiar with your target partner(s) in terms of history, culture, mission compatibilities, reputation—bothperceived and real—and track record, its necessary to formalize an understanding of the final deliverable determine what is wanted, negotiating who has what responsibility up front. Then, construct your portfolio of services, analyzing your "Critical Success Factors"—your specific strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and how you differentiate yourself.

Follow this with the development of programmatic considerations, which includes governance through a medically oriented, professionally competent staff, a medical advisory board (or appointment of a medical director) and the decision of specific programs/services to offer that ultimately meet the customer's needs, not yours. Finally, the process needs to be completely seamless to the end user which necessitates consistent and timely communication as well as collaborative efforts by each partner on all promotional events.

Examples of creative, innovative partnering strategies include:

health newsletters nurse counseling health risk assessments self-care materials and programs telephone counseling and messages alternative therapies specialized maternity programs retirement programs

May/June 1997 / 9

PARTNERSHIPS

More conventional yet popular partnering, besides facility management opportunities and membership options, are physical therapy "graduation" programs/memberships, medical/fitness screenings (blood pressure, back/posture, blood chemistry/lipid blood profiles, gait analysis, nutrition analysis), traditional classes, seminars and workshops and working together on Healthy Community Partnership committees.

Given the medical community's incentive to manage the demand for the health of defined populations and the expanding opportunities that await the successful (park district or private) fitness club operator, the timing for partnerships couldn't be better!

SCOTT CHOVANEC, MS, MBA
is the corporate director of Advocate Fitness la division ofAdvocate Health Core, Chicago, Illinois. He serves as the administrator of the system's comprehensive hospital-based fitness complexes and oversees a network of corporate wellness centers, designed and managed by Advocate Fitness, throughout the Chicago area. Chovonec also consults for the health system on facility design and management for other hospital, corporate and real estate ventures.

Checklist for • How long has the partner been in the business • Are there capacities set on facility membership • See evidence of environment, facility and equipment safety • Are ADA reputations enforced • Is instruction available and a requirement • What is the attrition history • What is the customer's average length of membership • See evidence of staff degree, certifications and continuing education • What is staff's average length of employment • Investigate staff knowledge base, acceptance and sharing of limitations • Demonstrate Standards of Care and posted patron guidelines • Survey analysis - benchmarking and demonstration of continuous quality initiatives • What are admission requirements necessitating screening, fitness testing and appropriate physician fellow-up • What outcome measures are being tracked • What is the reporting format for routine communications • Examples of .motivational programming for non-exerciser, age specific and health-related populations • What are the pricing options • Is there a willingness to offer alternative programs prior to required memberships • What are me plans for capital improvements - expansion, equipment purchases and refurbishing/repairs • See evidence of appropriate and professionally administered businesses and practices is this business successful • Referrals, testimonials, perceived level of value • Other value-added offerings -Scott Chovanev, MS, MBA

10 / Illinois Parks and Recreation