Case study: Fitness Plus, Part A
1. What method would you use to measure the capacity of fitness plus? Has fitness plus reached its capacity?
In general, there are two methods to measure the capacity of any system or process: in output measures or input measures. Output measures of capacity are best utilized when applied to individual processes within the firm. Input Measures are generally used for low volume, flexible processes, such as those associated with a custom furniture market. The input measure is the degree to which equipment, space, or the workforce is currently being used. In the cases of Fitness Plus, Input Measures of Capacity is more appropriate to be used to measure the capacity of Fitness Plus. This is because Fitness Plus is operating in a flexible flow process involving high product variety and process divergence, for example, members choose their own workouts. The method of input measure can calculate the capacity of equipments, space or the workforce currently being used.
No, Fitness plus has not reached to its maximum capacity as due to growth in membership and large shifts in demand because with the help of calculations as given below capacity utilization did not reach maximum in each activity. Members of Fitness Plus are using more than one area during each visit which is the main problem of crowding and unavailability of equipments. Many members may also workout more than one hour.
Total Peak Members = Peak Members x Peak Hours
Total Peak Members = 80 x 3
Total Peak Members = 240
Aerobic room: There are 35 members capacity in each class. 80 members enter in the club at peak time. 30% of the members use the aerobics room so 24 members usually use the aerobics room in the peak time.
Utilization of aerobics room = 24 x 100%/35= 68% which means that the aerobic room did not reach its capacity.
Workout Room:
As there are 24 pieces of Nautilus equipment in the room so that it can be assumed that one equipment can be used by a 2 members in one hour. So the capacity of the nautilus equipment has the capacity of 48 members at one instant.
According to the data collected by the owner
80 members enter in the club at peak time. Usually member remains in the club for 1 hour. 25% of the members use the nautilus equipment in workout room so 20 members usually use the aerobics room in the peak time.
Utilization of aerobics room = 20 x 100%/48
= 41.66%
This shows that the workout room has some capacity.
Large Workout Room:
As there are 29 pieces of Nautilus equipment in the room so that it can be assumed that one equipment can be used by a 2 members in one hour. So the capacity of the nautilus equipment has the capacity of 58 members at one instant.
According to the data collected by the owner
80 members enter in the club at peak time. Usually member remains in the club for 1 hour. 40% of the members use the cardiovascular equipment in large workout room so 32 members usually use the aerobics room in the peak time.
Utilization of aerobics room = 32 x 100%/58
= 55.17%
This shows that the large workout room has 55.17% capacity.
Free Weight Room:
There is not valid information provided about the free weight room. So we cannot calculate the capacity of the free weights room. But we can calculate the member flow in the peak time in the free weight room area.
Racquetball Courts:
There are 8 racquetball courts in the recreation centre of the fitness plus. Assuming if 2 members use one racquetball court at a time then the capacity of the courts will be 16 members in one hour.
According to the data collected by the survey:
80 members enter in the club at peak time. Usually members remain in the club for 1 hour. 15% of the members use the aerobics room so 12 members usually use the aerobics room in the peak time.
Utilization of aerobics room = 12 x 100%/16
= 75%
This shows that the racquetball court capacity is 75%.
Tennis courts:
There are 6 tennis courts in the recreation area of the fitness plus. If two members use 1