It's All About Service

It's All About Service

A focus on the customer is the secret to this mobile brand's success.

by Jill Abrahamsen

Don Powers knows a thing or two about the fitness industry. He spent more than 30 years managing health clubs and exercise equipment stores, and he holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology.

Powers’ biggest takeaway from his work experience is that the customer is king. “Fitness is all about helping people achieve their goals, so when a piece of equipment is out of service, it needs prompt attention.” He was always amazed and appalled at the poor service he received when equipment needed repair. Technicians either didn’t return calls, showed up late, or left the job without any explanation of the work that had been performed.

Knowing the industry and having a desire to work for himself, Powers experienced an “aha” moment. He thought of a way he could bring a much-needed service to the market and build a business at the same time. His solution was Fitness Machine Technicians (FMT), which he launched in 2002 and began franchising in 2012.

“The bottom line is that folks want reliable service.”

As the name suggests, this mobile franchise repairs and services fitness machines. The concept may seem simple, but Powers knows what it takes to do it well—and why so many have failed at similar efforts. “It’s all about communication and follow-up,” he says. “We’ve put together a system that works, with exceptional service as the main goal. The bottom line is that folks want reliable service, and that’s what we provide.”

Powers is looking to partner with investors who are excited about the business and have a commitment to excellence. “We will train franchisees on everything, but a mechanical inclination doesn’t hurt. The ability to network is also key.”

FMT franchisees have a huge customer base that goes far beyond the local gym. “We work with individuals who have home gyms, apartment complexes, hotels, universities, you name it,” he says. “This is a $10 billion industry growing at about 4 percent each year. There’s a lot of business to be had.” For more information, visit www.fmtfranchise.com

Don Powers started Fitness Machine Tecnicians (FMT) to fill a need for reliable customer service in the fitness machine repair industry. The growing franchise now has 30 locations.