Analyzing online reviews of boutique fitness studios
The need for a more personalized workout experience is influencing consumer choice, contributing to the rise of boutique fitness studios. Rather than opting for a one single-size-fits-all gym, consumers are seeking out customized and personalized workout experiences that cater to their specific goals.
Brands such as Barry’s Bootcamp have paved the way for boutique fitness to grow into the booming industry it is today. But aside from the hype, why are people choosing one studio over another?
To find out, we analyzed a blend of TripAdvisor and Google Reviews for three popular boutique fitness studios in London to generate customer insights – F45, Pyscle and Triyoga. Using Relative Insight’s text analytics software, we compared the customer reviews of each brand against one another to discover why people are choosing each studio as their gym of choice and to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each brand.
Relative Insight utilizes comparison to pinpoint the linguistic differences and similarities between two or more qualitative data sets. Used by brands as a unique method of competitor benchmarking, one of the many popular customer insights examples, comparison reveals context and helps organizations find insights they didn’t know to look for.
F45
Addictive
F45 is a 45-minute HIIT workout backed by celebrities and fitness addicts all over the world. F45 members love this workout as it is both challenging and enjoyable, tough yet fun. Clients are pushed to the limits but are still 6.8x more likely to use positive evaluators such as fantastic, amazing and effective in comparison to reviews of competing fitness studios.
Throughout reviews, members are infinitely more likely to use words such as hooked and addictive to describe the workout regime, which is a key reason that customers remain loyal to the brand.
Community feel
People who train with F45 are 5.8x more likely to describe the community feel that is apparent in the gym. Words such as vibes, feel and atmosphere are used throughout reviews, suggesting that one of the reasons F45 is such a popular choice is because it provides a supportive network of like-minded individuals – offering more than just physical benefits.
Similarly, reviewers were 20.2x more likely to speak about F45’s motivational trainers. Clients described F45 coaches as friendly, supportive and encouraging, highlighting the impact of staff on brand perception and customer experience.
Recommendations
F45 is an example of a boutique fitness brand that has grown from strength to strength due to positive reviews online. The company has been able to grow its customer base rapidly, which in turn has increased brand advocacy – evident as F45 customers are 4.9x more likely to recommend this method of training.
Triyoga
Interior
Triyoga is a popular yoga brand with studios situated across London. Our analysis revealed that clients of Triyoga appreciate the ambiance of the studio, discussing elements such as the light, wooden floors, surroundings, colors and brick 13.3x more than reviews of other boutique fitness studios. Interior design is an important factor in why customers choose Triyoga – a key audience insight that distinguishes yogis from the average gymgoer.
Top teaching
One of the main highlights of Triyoga is its teaching quality. Reviewers were 39.4x more likely to talk about teachers and learning at Triyoga, emphasizing that instructors are some of the best in the game and discussing the teaching excellence at the studio.
Pyscle
Mixed Reviews
When looking at the reviews of Pyscle, we found that there are a range of positive and negative comments. Some Pyscle customers describe spin classes as inspiring and exhilarating. However, other people’s experiences are tainted by bad customer service and arrogant, unfriendly staff. Inconsistency is clearly a weakness for Pyscle. To remain competitive, the brand must provide a more reliable service to its clientele.
Health and safety
Another key insight we found is that the word safety appears 17.9x more in Pyscle reviews. Customers felt there was a lack of health and safety during spin classes, pointing out that there is “no safety announcement about pushing yourself too hard or how to avoid hurting yourself”, “no warm up, no warm down” and that “bikes are too close together”. Pyscle should review their health and safety measures to ensure customers are getting the best possible experience while also feeling safe when exercising.
It’s clear that fitness companies such as F45, Triyoga and Pyscle have been able to tap into the market by offering a great workout experience that leaves clients feeling reinvigorated. However, it’s important that competitors understand their strengths and weaknesses and where they could improve the customer experience.
To get more out of your customer data and understand your competitors on a whole new level, get in touch with the Relative Insight team.
