New Study Uncovers the Fitness Industry’s Silent Sales Leak
What really happens after a prospect misses their gym tour? The results may surprise you.
Keepme has today released a major new research report - The Great No-Show Opportunity - Gym Automation Benchmarks - uncovering a critical weakness in the fitness sales funnel: what happens after a high-intent prospect books a tour or trial but doesn’t attend.
This study follows on from Keepme’s Time to Reply research, which exposed the risks of slow or incomplete responses at the top of the funnel. Now, the focus turns to what happens mid-funnel, once interest has already been confirmed through a booking - and where many operators quietly lose the sale.
"This is one of the most under-examined breakdowns in the gym sales process,” said Hilary McGuckin, Director of Marketing at Keepme. “Operators work hard to generate interest. But once a lead goes cold after a missed visit, we found the response is often inconsistent, impersonal, or absent entirely. That’s revenue walking out the door.”
A Real-World Mystery Shop at Scale
The study tracked 248 mystery shop enquiries across 75 multi-site gym operators in North America representing 6500 locations, simulating real-life trial and tour bookings - then observing what happened when those appointments went unattended. Of those, 159 involved confirmed bookings with fixed dates and times.
Researchers monitored phone, SMS, email, and voicemail channels for seven days after each missed appointment. Every communication was manually reviewed and categorized to assess content, quality, and intent.
Why This Moment Matters
Missed appointments aren’t just operational hiccups: they’re high-intent leads slipping through the cracks. Every no-show represents someone who was ready to take the next step, and without structured follow-up, the momentum is lost. The study shows that only a fraction of gyms proactively offer alternative times or acknowledge the missed visit in a meaningful way. That’s not just poor customer experience - it’s a measurable revenue leak. And at scale, the impact is significant.
What You’ll Learn in the Full Study
The findings offer a comprehensive look at how fitness operators currently manage (or fail to manage) this crucial phase of the customer journey. The report breaks down:
Whether gyms send reminders before the appointment
What actually gets sent after a no-show - if anything
How follow-ups differ in terms of channel, timing, and tone
Which operators attempt to reschedule - and who simply walks away
How automation and personalization play into recovery rates
The study reveals four major sales gaps - and provides a roadmap for improving conversion through smarter systems, better follow-up, and AI-powered solutions like Keepme Antares.
Who Should Read This?
If you’re in gym sales, marketing, or operations, this study is essential reading. It offers:
Benchmarks for how your processes compare
Insights into what “best in class” looks like
A clear case for where automation can take over and win back lost opportunities
👇 Download the Full Study Here
