Case study · Gyms
All case studiesMembers complain about what only HQ can fix
One Philippine gym franchise, about 50 clubs. Open 24/7, and quiet on Google.
Over half
of clubs are rated below 4.0
1 in 3
bad reviews are about memberships or billing
3 in 4
clubs haven't replied to any recent review
Public Google Maps data, October 2026. “Appear unclaimed”: Google shows “Own this business?” on the listing.
From a recent Google review, reworded
“They kept charging me after my membership ended, and never answered my messages about it.”
Same brand, same prices, half a star apart
Over half of clubs are rated below 4.0, and where a club is decides a lot.
- Rated below 4.0 27
- 4.0 or above 23
Clubs outside Metro Manila sit half a star lower
- Average rating · Metro Manila clubs~4.1★
- Average rating · clubs elsewhere~3.6★
Clubs with 10+ reviews. Same brand, same prices: the difference is how each club is run.
Evidence
10 clubs already answer their reviews, some all of them. 38 answer none.
What it means for HQ
HQ can't see which clubs are slipping, or copy the ones that work.
What the pilot changes
Every club on one standard, with billing answered by HQ.
What hurts this chain most
From its ~265 one- and two-star reviews with text. Reviews are reworded so they can’t be traced to a club.
~1 in 3bad reviews are about memberships and passes
Billing and pass rules are set at HQ. One answer should cover every club.
No reply“My guest bought a day pass and was turned away at the door. Another club lets guests in much later.”
No reply“My guest bought a day pass and was turned away at the door. Another club lets guests in much later.”
~40%mention the staff or the sales pitch
A rude moment at the front desk is how members remember the brand.
No reply“The manager rudely accused us of sneaking someone in, and turned out to be wrong.”
No reply“The manager rudely accused us of sneaking someone in, and turned out to be wrong.”
~30%are about equipment and the facility
This is the club's to fix, and some of it is safety.
No reply“Old and poorly kept: worn-out lockers, and slippery floors by the restrooms.”
No reply“Old and poorly kept: worn-out lockers, and slippery floors by the restrooms.”
What HQ should see the same day: Billing and cancellation complaints, and runs of bad reviews: three or more at one club within a week happened 10 times last year, at 9 clubs.
The gym Google standard
Members pay every month. Unanswered billing complaints are what a future member reads just before signing up.
Every club
Listing claimed, with the category gym
Today, 15 of 50 clubs don’t
A phone and a website on every club
Today, 14 of 50 clubs don’t
Every review answered, equipment and facility complaints by the club
Today, 38 of 50 clubs don’t
24-hour opening and staffed hours shown clearly
HQ only
- Billing and cancellations: one answer for every club
- Three or more bad reviews at one club in a week
- Clubs that miss the reply time
HQ doesn’t read every review. It sees what falls outside the standard.
A 60-day pilot, in this order
On 10 to 30 clubs, priced per club. HQ gets the report every Monday.
- Weeks 1–2Every club's listing claimed, category gym, with a phone.
- Weeks 3–6Every review answered; equipment and facility complaints by the club.
- Weeks 7–8Billing to HQ, an alert at three bad reviews in a week, and a report every Monday.
Weekly network report
Example week- 21 of 25
- Clubs to standard
- 96%
- Reviews answered
- 5 hours
- Median reply time
Sent to HQ the same day · 2
Billing or cancellation, with a reply ready for a person to check.
- Equipment or cleanliness→ Club manager
- Membership or billing→ HQ
- 3 bad reviews in a week→ Area manager
Check my chain, free
Your chain on this same page, each club as a square, and the three things to fix first.
Built by the team behind KOP, now in Manila.
Only one club? See Mapkita for gyms and check your profile free.
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