With slow response times and missing call-back processes, fitness operators risk losing prospects before the first conversation.
Keepme has released an unprecedented study revealing significant breakdowns in lead engagement across multi-site gym brands in the USA and Canada. The findings across 99 brands representing 13,155 locations, show that operators are failing to provide structured call-back options, leading to missed opportunities, lost revenue, and a broken sales funnel.
Among the key North American findings:
Only 2.02% of operators actively advertise a call-back function.
60.47% of those operators failed to attempt a call-back at all.
These numbers highlight a major vulnerability in gym sales processes. Prospects who are ready to engage are left waiting, and in many cases, never contacted at all. With 78% of buyers choosing the first company that responds, gyms that fail to act quickly and efficiently risk handing their leads straight to their competitors.
"Speed and consistency are critical in lead conversion, yet this study shows most North American gyms are relying on outdated, manual processes that leave prospects waiting," said Matt McCallum, Growth Marketing Manager at Keepme. "Keepme Antares changes the game by responding instantly, 24/7, and moving leads seamlessly toward a tour or membership. One leading APAC fitness chain went from a 13.97% lead-to-tour conversion rate to 38% in just seven days - a 2.72x increase without hiring a single extra sales rep. The reality is, if you're not responding fast enough, you're handing your leads to your fastest responding competitor."
How Keepme Antares Fixes the Lead Response Gap
The study confirms what many operators already know. Delayed or missing follow-ups are killing conversion rates. Keepme Antares solves this by:
Ensuring 100% of inquiries receive an instant, structured follow-up.
Automating call-backs, reducing response times to seconds.
Engaging leads through multiple channels to keep them moving toward a decision.
Providing personalized AI-driven follow-ups that feel natural and build rapport.
With only 20% of North American operators responding within an hour, and the slowest responses taking over 5,000 minutes (more than three days), the risks are clear. If leads aren’t engaged in real-time, they will lose interest or find another gym that responds faster.
"These studies make one thing clear - fitness operators are losing high-intent leads before they even have a chance to convert them," said Hilary McGuckin, Director of Marketing at Keepme. "Keepme Antares ensures every inquiry gets an instant response, keeping prospects engaged before they lose interest. In fact, our customers are seeing a 60% conversion rate on leads to tours and more than tripling their visitor-to-lead conversion rates."
The Future of Lead Engagement is AI-Powered
Operators who embrace AI-driven call-back and lead response solutions will stay ahead in a competitive fitness market. Those who continue relying on slow, manual methods will keep losing prospects to faster-moving competitors.
With proven success stories and industry-leading results, Keepme Antares is already transforming how gyms handle inquiries. The question is no longer whether gyms should improve lead response, but how soon they’ll act before falling further behind.
Download the Full North America Report
For full insights and data from the North America study, visit: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0hkKZ_0
For further information or media inquiries, feel free to reach out:
Press Office
Keepme
Email: marketing@keepme.ai