The Nock Academy’s Secret to Smooth Client Experiences
Last Updated on 19 December, 2024
Born out of necessity in 2021, The Nock Academy in Stouffville, Ontario, is a community-focused gym with a unique hybrid-class approach.
When pandemic lockdowns began, fitness industry veterans Nicky and Gareth Nock knew they had to help their friends and former clients stay active and connected. Initially, they live-streamed all their sessions. Thanks to their expertise and high-quality classes, the business grew as a virtual-only gym for nearly two years.
When businesses reopened, Nicky and Gareth recognized a continuing demand for virtual classes. Today, powered by WellnessLiving’s all-in-one software, they run a thriving fitness community with various virtual, in-person, and hybrid classes, offering unmatched flexibility and convenience to their members.
Ready to transform your business like The Nock Academy? Book a free demo with WellnessLiving today.
The Nock Academy at a Glance
📍Location: Stouffville, Ontario
📍Business Name: The Nock Academy
📍Business Owner & Co-Founder: Gareth Nock and Nicky Nock
📍Website: https://www.thenockacademy.com/
📍Business Size: Medium
📍Joined WellnessLiving Date: May 26, 2021
📍Active Subscriptions: Professional Plan, Achieve Client App – White Label Version, FitVID on Demand, FitLIVE (Zoom Integration), Message Center
Meet Nicky and Gareth Nock, Co-Founders of The Nock Academy
With over 20 years in the fitness industry, Nicky and Gareth bring extensive experience to their business. From personal training and group fitness to management roles, they have honed their expertise to create a fitness community that prioritizes connection and high-quality training.
“I’m still teaching and coaching. It’s important to me. If you’re going to lead and inspire others, you have to be relevant and know what’s happening on the gym floor,” Nicky says.
Looking to create a business that inspires and connects with clients? Book a demo today.
What Does The Nock Academy Offer?
The Nock Academy’s comprehensive offerings include:
- Nock Yoga – A full schedule of inspiring yoga classes.
- Nock Lift – Small group personal training.
- Nock Learn – Fitness education for career growth.
- Nock 1-on-1 – Personal training in strength, yoga, or Pilates.
- Nock Life – Nutrition and lifestyle coaching.
Weekly classes such as power yoga, strength and conditioning, barre, and HIIT provide variety for their members.
Hybrid Classes: Driving Retention and Revenue
“Our unique selling point is the hybrid class option because we can meet people where they’re at,” Nicky says. Hybrid classes have allowed The Nock Academy to expand offerings while maintaining convenience for members. Whether clients prefer in-person or virtual options, this model ensures accessibility and retention.
Want to stand out with hybrid class offerings? Book a demo today and see how WellnessLiving can help.
Creating and Nurturing a Sense of Community
Fostering a strong community is at the heart of The Nock Academy. With live, instructor-led virtual classes and interactive sessions, members feel connected even when participating from home. This commitment extends to their local community through events and charitable contributions.
Why The Nock Academy chose WellnessLiving
Gareth and Nicky endured the challenges of running virtual classes with previous gyms. “We opened our doors with WellnessLiving because we wanted to do it right from the beginning,” Nicky says.
While researching software options, Gareth prioritized the user experience, especially for virtual classes. When The Nock Academy opened in 2021, they chose WellnessLiving to streamline their operations and elevate their client experience.
Easy recurring payments, registration, a professional-looking platform, marketing automation, and smooth virtual classes were essential. “We didn’t want to send out Zoom links. We’d been there and done that,” Nicky explains. “We just wanted to show up and coach our people. And we wanted members to be able to click a button, get on, and take their classes.”
Nicky and Gareth also sought competitive pricing and exceptional customer support. They had a smooth and personalized onboarding experience with WellnessLiving.
“Our specialist was excellent at teaching me at the right pace. There were things I didn’t understand, and there were things that were simple because I’d done them with other software” Gareth explains. “The onboarding was very specific to us and our needs.”
Key WellnessLiving Features Powering The Nock Academy
Achieve White Label Client App
The Achieve White Label Client App is a custom-branded and highly user-friendly mobile app that drives revenue, class attendance, and retention with 24/7 online booking, detailed client profiles, and more.
Members are impressed with the app and love the convenience. “The custom mobile app really propelled us forward from the get-go. It helped us stand out,” Nicky explains. “It adds an extra level of professionalism.”
The app is also invaluable for expanding offerings. Nicky and Gareth find it easy to add in-person classes to the schedule and set up events and workshops. They’re also avid users of in-app client announcements where they can highlight new offerings so clients see them immediately upon opening the app.
Want a custom-branded app for your business that drives revenue and retention? Book a demo to find out more.
FitVID on Demand
This feature adds unparalleled convenience to The Nock Academy’s virtual classes. They simply record their content and add it to their library. Then, members pay and take the classes whenever they want.
FitVID on Demand guarantees consistently smooth virtual classes. Plus, clients can book, pay for, and attend these classes in a few clicks through the White Label Achieve Client App.
“It has been a great option for people who want to explore the community at a lower price point,” Gareth explains. The Nock Academy uses a subscription-based model that includes one optional live class per month, further enticing clients who are trying their classes for the first time. As a result, FitVID on Demand helps The Nock Academy convert more members.
FitLIVE
Virtual classes remain integral to The Nock Academy’s success. They’re avid users of the FitLIVE feature with seamless Zoom integration.
“It has been seamless from day one. We don’t have to think about it. Everything is autogenerated and we don’t have to write anything in manually for the virtual classes,” Gareth says.
FitLIVE simplifies online classes so instructors can focus on teaching and connecting with members. “I don’t have to think about it,” Gareth confirms. “I create the class, click the little button, and away I go. It’s beneficial because we also have 10 other teachers who work for us. With FitLIVE it’s not complicated on their end,” Gareth explains.
Automated Marketing Suite: Email, SMS, and Push Notifications
Email, SMS, and push marketing nurtures client relationships with automated personalized marketing. Set up campaigns to request post-class reviews, re-engage members, and more with ease. With the visual email editor, it’s also easy to design more engaging emails no matter the subject.
“We like to say there are no excuses now,” Nicky explains with a smile. “If you can’t come in person we’ll see you online.” The Nock Academy considers this when reaching out to inactive members.
They send messages to remind clients about their convenient virtual classes. Welcome emails and class follow-ups also drive engagement. “The software helps us show clients that we’re a small business that cares,” Nicky says.
Customer reviews
Reviews and word of mouth are powerful. “A lot of our early growth was from great referrals,” Nicky says. WellnessLiving makes it easy to build your brand’s reputation with customer reviews and easy review management.
The Nock Academy uses automated emails to request reviews. “I’d say 50% of people receiving those emails are completing the reviews,” Gareth confirms.
Grow Your Business with WellnessLiving
Before opening The Nock Academy, Gareth and Nicky faced challenges with payments, virtual classes, and more. WellnessLiving’s all-in-one platform solved these issues, allowing them to focus on coaching.
“That’s why we went with WellnessLiving. I don’t want to think about it. I want to do what we do,” says Nicky.
They also praise WellnessLiving’s caring customer support: “The biggest thing that stood out to me is that WellnessLiving actually cares,” Nicky adds.
WellnessLiving grows with their business. “There’s always an option in the software when we want to grow,” Gareth shares.
From seamless virtual class integration to automated communications, WellnessLiving empowers The Nock Academy to grow confidently and elevate their client experience.
Are you ready to simplify your operations, boost client retention, and elevate the overall experience for your clients? Book your free demo with WellnessLiving today.
