SATS is the leading fitness chain in the Nordics with over 100 centres in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. In 2005, SATS needed to focus on improved profitability in order to build a foundation for future expansion. For SATS the main driver for profitability is to have a broad and loyal customer base. The challenge was clear for the CEO, Andreas Göthberg: SATS needed to attract new, as well as keep existing members. The members’ experience at SATS had to improve, and one of the most important factors for achieving this was the behavior and service level of the employees.

In 2005, SATS CEO Andreas Göthberg asked Expo Media for help in fulfilling his ambition of motivating and educating the SATS employees. The goal for the project was:

“To spread important messages and train employees in the “SATS Way” as well as how to influence the most important factors for profitability”

In order to reach the goal, Expo Media conceptualized a board game simulation tailored for SATS. The simulation was a tool clarifying the business processes as well as spreading important cultural messages. The Club Managers at over 100 SATS centres in the Nordics were the first participants in a management seminar. Over the years, Expo Media has delivered these seminars many times through all levels of the organization. To date, more than 900 SATS participants in the Nordics have taken part in the simulation. The approach has proven a huge success. SATS has opened several new centres, the number of members continues to increase, and the company’s vision of being the best workplace is within reach.

– Andreas Göthberg, Former CEO SATS Group

Quote from a SATS executive:

“Back in 2005, we, the exec team at SATS, together with Expo Media, successfully developed the board game, effectively simulating the key drivers in operating a group of fitness clubs “the SATS Way”. We initially used it corporate-wide with middle managers and above from both the chain as well as HQ. This gave operationally oriented managers, as well as HQ managers, an opportunity to simulate various scenarios and decision making over a day and a half covering four years of running the business. It also allowed them to interact and learn from each other with participants from other regions and countries within the group, encouraging the sharing of the best practice, as well as relations to be built. The sessions also typically covered a strategically important topic, and were interspersed with focused lectures on relevant topics. For a touch of fun and excitement, a winning team was named based on the highest combined score on three crucial business drivers.

Based on the success of the corporate-wide event we expanded by introducing a one day program with middle managers and supervisors from the country organisation, initially in Norway.

The business understanding and learning achieved through the simulation events, helped create a highly motivated, capable and driven team, and played a significant role in delivering record results over multiple years. Expo Media helped the management to create a turbo charged organization.”

– Dag Lee, Former CEO SATS Norway