at once. You have to prioritize what will make the biggest impact on members.” Recent upgrades include transforming squash and racquetball courts into a high-performance turf and strength area, as well as adding eight outdoor pickleball courts to meet skyrocketing demand. “Pickleball is booming, and now we have some of the nicest courts in the community,” Frueh says. Every four years, the cardio floor gets a complete refresh.This fall,65 new machines will replace the old. Meanwhile, the RAC’s app is undergoing a redesign to make scheduling, booking, and communication more seamless. For Stille, even back-office upgrades matter. “We’re moving away from paper forms to digital ones for everything from program sign-ups to resignations. It reduces workload, cuts errors, and makes things easier for both staff and members.” Frueh credits ownership for enabling such steady reinvestment. “We’re fortunate. Our owner doesn’t rest on laurels. They constantly push us to innovate and reinvest, and that commitment shows in the member experience.” SERVICE AND TRUST When it comes to equipment and vendor choices, relationships outweigh transactions. “We don’t just buy something and walk away,” Boring says. “We look for partners who will be with us for the long term, who answer the phone when something breaks, and who help us innovate together. Relationships matter more than machines.” That philosophy recently guided the club through a vendor switch for its cardio equipment. “It wasn’t just about the machines,” Boring notes.“It was about service, responsiveness, and the ability to collaborate.” Stille adds that RAC leadership often seeks inspiration beyond fitness. “Every few years, we attend the International Association of Amusement by 80 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 09
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