How Flexible Scheduling Unlocks Studio Growth

Running a fitness studio has always been a balancing act: managing staff, maintaining facilities, fostering community, and trying to keep members engaged while getting the business to profitability. Yet one of the biggest challenges isn't competition or overhead, but the class schedule itself.

Under-utilization = Less Revenue and Fewer Memberships

A studio's profitability is directly tied to its class utilization rate, according to BFS data. In fact, our research indicates that over 90% of fitness studios have underutilized class slots, resulting in a potential loss of nearly $150,000 in missed annual revenue.

That loss isn't usually about lack of demand for fitness, it's about a mismatch between when studios offer classes and when members are actually free.

Many timetables are built around traditional "peak hours," but today's members' schedules are far from traditional, especially post COVID. Parents juggle childcare, gig workers manage unpredictable shifts, and professionals often work outside of the standard 9-to-5 and work from home. If classes don't align with those realities, members simply don't show up.

Unfilled hours don't just cost revenue, they also impact retention. In fact, based on our survey, 62% of studios say they struggle to attract and retain new members. Members who participate in fewer than one class per week are far more likely to cancel within six months. When schedules don't fit, attendance drops, engagement weakens, and cancellations rise. The cycle reinforces itself: idle hours lead to low participation, which feeds even higher churn. Adaptability and flexibility is key to meeting member demand.

Why "More Classes" Isn't the Answer

A natural response might be to add more classes. But that often raises costs without guaranteeing results. Paying instructors, running facilities, and marketing additional sessions only pays off if attendance meets expectations. How many times have you offered a class to only have one, two, maybe three people attend? Without reliable demand signals, studios risk investing in classes that don't fill. It can be disheartening and unprofitable.

The key isn't more classes, but smarter scheduling.

Rethinking Scheduling: From Guesswork to Data

Some studios are now experimenting with a demand-driven approach: instead of guessing which times might work, they use platforms and tools that let members signal availability and interest before classes are confirmed.

This flips the traditional model, giving owners greater confidence that a class will run with strong attendance and allowing members to feel that schedules reflect their lives.

The Advantage for Studios

A data-informed approach to scheduling offers several benefits:

Recover lost revenue: Underutilized hours can become profitable by filling gaps that previously sat empty.

Improve retention: Members are more likely to stay engaged when classes fit their actual schedules.

Lower operational risk: New offerings can be tested without overcommitting resources.

Adapt faster: Real attendance data helps refine the class mix and respond to shifting trends.

Why Flexibility Is the Future

The fitness industry is evolving. Members increasingly expect their workouts to fit into their lives, not the other way around. Studios that stay locked into rigid timetables may see continued churn and unrealized revenue potential, while those that embrace flexible, member-driven scheduling will position themselves as modern, responsive, and resilient.

The bottom line: idle hours don't have to be a given. By rethinking how schedules are crafted, studios can better serve members and capture growth opportunities that have long been overlooked.

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