• Mystery Shopping your Customer Experience

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    Updated: 15th April, 2025 | Created: 1st September, 2020
    Proinsight Staff David The Boss

    David Hopkins

    Managing Director | The Home of Mystery Shopping

    Proinsight reveals a surprising lack of commercial appetite across a sample of 94 UK health clubs. The results from this post lockdown mystery shopper research project should surprise you.

    When surveyed, 22% of operators were not offering memberships for sale.

    43% of membership enquiries did not receive a reply and were timed out after seven days.

    Less than half of those clubs sampled had a “new member” offer.

    Only 24% of those clubs surveyed invited the prospect to visit the facility for a tour. 

    *Mystery Shops completed on all major Health & Fitness operators from 7-14th August 2020

    Although Proinsight has grown to become one of the UK’s leading mystery shopper and consumer research companies, its heart and soul lies within the fitness industry.

    Many in the sector will have seen our study of the fitness industry’s transformation to online classes entitled “The Quickest Pivot in Business?” from earlier in lockdown, and many subscribe to our annual State of the Industry Report on Membership Sales. Everyone who knows the Proinsight Team knows we care about the fitness industry, and its wonderful people.

    So why is our sector not selling memberships? Big brands are talking about 30% fewer members post lockdown. DW Sports has said it will enter administration with 1,700 jobs at risk. Xercise4less has gone into administration too. Against this backdrop of job losses, threats of closure and next quarter’s rent demands, surely the best way to fight back is to sell more memberships.

    The nation needs our sector and our gyms. ukactive and Community Leisure UK have both suggested we have a “ticking time bomb” on our hands and that half of the nations leisure centres may not be open come 2021. If this is the case, why are 22% of operators not putting sales at the top of their priority lists? Clearly, we are not suggesting a compromise on safety, but for our sector to be as creative as it was to pivot to digital during lockdown, and find a way to sell alongside protecting current member interests.

    Proinsight is a specialist at mystery shopping the new member sales process. It is where we started, and it is what we know best. Please contact us if we can help you in any way:

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    David Hopkins

    David Hopkins

    Managing Director at Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    David has a long history in the business of doing good business. In 2008, he co-founded Proleisure, a leisure consulting company, where he identified a growing need for deeper customer insights across the industry. This led to the launch of Proinsight Mystery Shopping in 2014, with a vision to provide businesses with the valuable data needed to enhance customer experience.

    Now, as we approach our 10th year, Proinsight has become a leading provider of specialist mystery shopping, auditing, and research programs, serving a diverse range of sectors across the UK including real estate, fitness, retail, hospitality, and so many more. We remain committed to helping our clients achieve excellence and drive meaningful improvements in their businesses.

    David is deeply committed to enhancing customer service across all industries. His passion lies in providing valuable mystery shopping insights that empower clients to take actionable steps towards improvement. By delivering these insights directly, David helps businesses create effective strategies to elevate their customer experience and drive meaningful change.


    Chloe Kinch

    Chloe Kinch

    Director of Client Success at Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    Chloe joined Proinsight Mystery Shopping as an Account Manager in 2017. Prior to her role at Proinsight, she served as National Sales Manager at Parkwood Leisure, where she gained extensive experience in exceeding customer expectations and developed a deep understanding of the leisure industry.

    Chloe quickly advanced within Proinsight, progressing from Account Manager in 2017 to Head of Client Success in 2020, and ultimately to Director of Client Success and shareholder in 2022. In her current role, she leads client relationships with prestigious brands such as David Lloyd, Dyson, and Apple. Chloe is responsible for designing bespoke mystery shopping programs tailored to each client's specific needs, aimed at enhancing customer service and optimising sales processes across various industries, including real estate, hospitality, retail, leisure, and more.


    Lucy Winn

    Lucy Winn

    Brand and Communications Manager at Proinsight Mystery Shopping

    After graduating with a degree in Marketing from the University of Westminster, Lucy successfully grew and scaled her own e-commerce womenswear clothing business over a span of four years, expanding into international retail markets including Japan, the US, and France. With extensive expertise in brand development and digital communications, Lucy has driven commercial growth through strategic initiatives like influencer marketing, digital campaign management, and both online and offline retail expansion.

    In July 2024, she joined Proinsight Mystery Shopping as Brand and Communications Manager, where she leads the strategy and management of all digital platforms, including the website and social media, with a focus on driving shopper sign-ups and generating client leads. Additionally, she oversees event management for both internal company days and major external summits like Connect CX. At these events, we emphasise the critical importance of exceptional customer service across various industries, positioning it as a cornerstone of a brand’s overall UX strategy.