THE reception area of Zunic Wellness is not typical of a fitness club. Far from having a sweaty, sporty atmosphere, the club almost has a calm, almost spa-like vibe.

Only a year old and with 600 members, Zunic Wellness is already showing signs of being in the pink of health, thanks to efforts to know what the client wants.

A dedicated staff, armed with market research helped the club plot its marketing and growth strategies.

"We found out that the market in Brunei is very family-based, so we try to offer classes and activities that people of all ages can enjoy," says Mayra Robles, the business development manager of Zunic Wellness.

She adds that a survey was conducted to research the market. She says the firm found that fitness and health, on average, comes ninth on the list of people's priorities, the first being dining.

"People in Brunei are used to getting a lot of things for free and the gym in the stadium is charging $2 so we found out that most of the people weren't willing to pay more than $3 to go to a class, so based on that we came up with a pricing scheme which offers customers as low as $1.50 per class," she says. The rate is based on the monthly fees charged to members.

In Brunei, she says, the budget for fitness is not as big as other developed countries. "People who are educated in this and know the value of the classes don't mind spending a bit more. For example, in Singapore when you walk into a class the gyms there are charging about $50 per class, for walk-in, whereas here, we are charging less than half and people already find that pricey," she says.

Nobel Lee, club manager and wellness coach, says that Zunic tries to overcome this hurdle through education. "It's really about how much people are willing to spend and invest on their health and fitness. Obviously, there is a lot of free activities that people can do, but we try to offer people something different in a nice atmosphere and that's probably one of the reasons that people come and enjoy and socialise," he says.

Future plans for Zunic includes regularly adding new classes and building up their manpower with local hires.

"It is really difficult to find local instructors who can be committed and passionate about fitness, who have to wake up early, eat right and carry on their recommended hours of training," says Robles. She adds that training is an important aspect of the success of the wellness centre, with all 10 instructors at the club being sent for certification training before they handle classes.

"In terms of instructor training, we do send instructors to be certified at Malaysia and Singapore. In Brunei, there is no such accreditation, so we look elsewhere to get the best training within the region," says Lee.

To stay competitive, Zunic provides classes and equipment not available in other fitness centres. "This gym is a place where we want people to feel comfortable working out, using the best equipment that money can buy. The equipment Zunic has brought in is from the Techo Gym line, which is the same brand used for the Olympics. We are the only gym in Brunei that has the licence to bring this brand in," says Robles.

She says Zunic also provides a special exercise room for overweight clients, who feel more comfortable working out in private.

Knowing the obesity rate in Brunei is high, this is yet another sign Zunic Wellness takes care of its clients.

The Brunei Times