5 Ways Fitness Studios Can Use Surveys to Boost Retention and Reduce Churn

Retention isn’t just about delivering great classes—it’s about listening, adapting, and building a relationship with your community. One of the most effective tools you can use to keep members coming back? Customer satisfaction surveys. 

But not all surveys are created equal. Mobile app (in-app) surveys are quickly overtaking email surveys as the most effective way to gather real, actionable client feedback—especially in the fitness space where timing and convenience matter. Studios on Mariana Tek who’ve enabled in-app customer surveys have seen over a 20% lift in response rates (over email surveys).  

Email vs. In-App Customer Surveys  

For boutique fitness studios, the difference between email and in-app surveys comes down to timing, visibility, and response quality.  

Email surveys are powerful because you can target a broader audience, not just clients who come to your studio for a class. Emails can get lost in inboxes, so the typical response rate will be lower—expect a 2–8% response rate for email surveys. 

In-app surveys capture immediate feedback right after a class, which often results in higher response rates and fresh perspectives from your clients. It also provides a way for them to stay within your branded app, creating stickiness. You can expect up to a 30% response rate with in-app surveys.

Here are five ways your studio can use surveys—especially in-app—to increase retention and reduce churn. 

1. Capture Feedback When It’s Fresh 

The best time to ask how someone feels about their class is right after it ends, not hours (or days) later. 

In-app surveys are triggered the next time a client opens your mobile app—while the experience is still top of mind. This leads to higher-quality, more accurate feedback, as clients remember how they actually felt in the moment. 

That kind of engagement means you’re hearing from more of your clients, not just the loudest few. And more feedback = more opportunities to improve your experience. 

2. Boost Response Rates by Meeting Clients Where They Are 

Your clients are already using your app to book classes, check schedules, and invite friends. Why send them to email to give feedback? 

Mariana Tek’s in-app surveys allows clients to quickly rate their experience inside the mobile app. There’s no friction, no link to click, and no chance it’ll get buried in a cluttered inbox. 

And with flexible settings, clients can choose how often they want to be surveyed—every class, weekly, monthly, or never. This reduces survey fatigue and keeps the experience positive. 

3. Turn Feedback into Coaching Moments 

Surveys aren’t just about data—they’re about improvement. With consistent feedback, you can identify trends across classes, instructors, and locations. 

4. Reduce Churn by Closing the Loop 

When clients leave feedback—especially negative—you have a limited window to turn things around. In-app feedback makes it easier to respond quickly, follow up, and show your members you care. 

Mariana Tek’s CSAT survey feature gives clients the option to submit feedback privately, publicly, or anonymously, which encourages honesty and makes it easier for your team to follow up in the right way. Even a simple “Thanks for your feedback—we’re on it” can make someone feel seen, valued, and more likely to stick around. 

5. Make Data-Driven Decisions That Improve Satisfaction 

By consistently collecting more accurate and representative feedback, you can make better decisions for your business: 

Surveys—especially delivered in-app—aren’t just another box to check. They’re a tool to listen more effectively, serve your clients better, and build a loyal community that sticks around. With Mariana Tek’s customer satisfaction surveys, it’s easier than ever to turn class feedback into a retention engine.