A part of the Get You In Shape Program that makes it so special is the COMMUNITY. One of the hardest parts of what we do, as a company, is the NEW CLIENT EXPERIENCE. To improve in that process and help make someone coming to their first session, first week, first month or even their first 3 months feel special and welcomed, we want to add another piece to what we do and to continue to carry out our core values of:

•Community: Create a positive and healthy environment that promotes motivation, encouragement, accountability and inspiration.•Servant’s Heart: Serve each individual wherever they are on their health and fitness journey.•Empower: Help motivate each client to a healthy lifestyle so they can ‘pay it forward.’•Give Back: Use our gifts to help our community and worthy causes.•Over-Deliver: Provide a service that goes above and beyond client expectations..

We know that many of our clients come because of the relationships with other clients so we want to ensure a new client gets to see firsthand how welcoming our community is and how we carry out our core values. We already have the trainers welcoming clients and “showing them the love.” However, they already have a lot to do with juggling the session so we want to add another layer to what we do to ensure new clients have a positive and friendly experience, so we have added a new component to our program called an Ambassador. ​Above all, we want a new client to enjoy the community, company and camaraderie that first session, week, month or few months and we thinking adding this component will certainly help.

GYIS AMBASSADOR RESPONSIBILITIES

We are asking that as a GYIS Ambassador, you do the following.

• Greet New Clients – you will be informed ahead of time as to who the new clients coming to your sessions are.
• Will be introduced by the trainer or initiate the introduction if the trainer is busy.
• Learn their names.
• Make them feel welcome and a part of our community. Ask a few questions about their family, kids, school, how long they have lived here, etc to help them feel welcomed.
• Make sure you congratulate them before leaving and ask if they will be coming back at the same time the next time. 
• Help New Clients with any exercises
• If trainer is busy helping someone else, assist the new client.
• This can vary but could be during warm-ups, during a particular exercise or help them during cool down.
• Help with Measurements when needed – you will shadow the trainer or another ambassador over the next few times to make sure you know what to do.  Please watch the video below and review the steps so you know the correct way to take the measurements. Click here to review the steps.
• Measurements are taken at all of the sessions on the 2^nd and 4^th Friday of each month (not required to be there every time).
• You will help by being present the days you are there and help as needed when we do measurements. There are some days when a lot of people want to get measured and you will help speed up the process.

HOW TO TAKE THE MEASUREMENTS 

Overall Basics

This section details how measurements should be taken and how to interact with the client to ensure as much consistency with ambassadors and trainers as possible.GYIS take client measurements every two weeks on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each four week session (before the start of the session) as a means of accountability and motivation. It is optional for all clients but highly encouraged. The measurements bag is always in the trailer so if it is not already out, that is where it will be. If the binders are not already out, take the binders from the bag and lay them out so clients can easily access their progress sheet. Remove the scale and tape measures before the clients arrive. It is the trainer’s and ambassadors  responsibility to encourage clients to get measured and weighed.When measuring, be sensitive about drawing attention or calling out a weight or measurement to avoid embarrassing a client. Try to talk to them away from other clients. For example, if you are taking a thigh measurement, determine what it is then stand up and in a soft voice tell the client what to write down.Always be positive and emphasize the good results no matter how small. For new clients, tell by them how great their results are in just “X” amount of time since they started.Taking measurements is a great time to ask questions and make connections with clients. If they did great, pump them up, high five them, or give them any positive reinforcement that is appropriate. If they have not seen positive results, ask a few probing questions and try to find a positive to focus on and reinforce that.  For example, ask how their nutrition is and if they say, “I eat well.” Get more specific by then asking them if they journal or what do they eat for breakfast, etc. Then just refer them to Brad if they need more specific help than just a “pep talk” 

If you are helping at initial Orientation or when someone is getting measured for the first time, make sure they write their name, date and email address on the measurement sheet. Inform them that this is a great tool to help keep them motivated throughout their journey. Let them know they we will be measured every two weeks and will be sent an Excel spreadsheet with the updates each time. Ask them to take a picture of their initial progress sheet as they will use that for the MyFitnessPal sign up. Let them know that doing the weight and measurements every two weeks allows GYIS to continually monitor how clients are doing and help them make changes along the way. Ask the client to hold the clip board and write down the measurements on the page as they are taken. ​Most of the time you will be measuring someone who has already gotten their initial measurements and their progress sheet is in the measurement binders. Ask them to look for it by their first name in one of the three (3) binders used to store client measurements.  They are alphabetized by first name.  Instruct them to slide the page out of the plastic sleeve. If you are available, do it for them but talk them through it. It can be intimidating for a new person when there is a big crowd during measurements. Because this is happens, you may need to repeat that the name is by first name (not last) and please SLIDE the paper out of the plastic sleeve.Put the client’s sheet on a clip board; enter the date (including the year) in the top box of the column to be used and note your initials at the bottom of the column below the weight box so we can just know who measured that client that particular date.

Typically, it is good to weigh the client first.  They are eager to see results and this may remove some anxiety for them before going on to measurements.Using the tape measure, you will follow the sheet to determine which areas to measure trying to ensure the tape measure is at the same level all around the area being measured. The tape measure should lay around the area in a natural position to get an accurate measurement, therefore, never pull the tape measure tight when measuring. 

​The following are the areas GYIS measures, how they should be measured and where the tape measure should be located:1. Chest – ask the client to raise their arms to the side and measure directly in the middle of the chest or the largest area. Ask them to lower their arms after the tape measure is around them. Face the front of the client to ensure you are in the middle. Hold the tape measure to the side under the arm if you do not feel comfortable holding it in front of their chest.2. Waist – ask the client to point to their belly button. Let them know we use this as a reference point to measure the same spot every time. Typically, this is the largest area of their abdomen.3. Hips – Say… “put your feet together” and measure around the largest area. If this is not obvious, measure at the midway point of their hips.4. Arms – Say “relax your arm by by your side (hip). The tape should be place midway between the elbow and shoulder.5. Thighs – Say “Spread your feet part” and you may need to say “A little farther apart.” Bring the tape measure to the top most part of their thigh that can be easily accessed and bring the measuring tape straight-level around to the outer thigh.6. Neck – ask the client to look straight ahead and lift their hair if needed. Put the tape measure in the middle of the neck and bring it level around to the side. 

​Click here for a pdf version of the instructions.

After all clients have gone, it’s good to say “Anyone else want to get weighed and measured?” or “Last chance to get weighed and measured” as a lot of clients will hold off until the last second but them decide it may be good to help accountable and get it done.