Timetable Economics: How to Analyse Class Capacity, Profitability, and Instructor ROI

A full timetable can still leak profit

Many gyms and studios assume that “more classes” equals “more value.” But timetables are commercial assets: they consume payroll, occupy prime-time slots, and influence retention.

If you don’t measure class yield, you end up running expensive sessions that don’t drive retention or revenue.

Three metrics to run your timetable

Start with these:

1) Capacity utilisation = average attendees ÷ capacity

2) Cost per class = instructor cost + any variable costs

3) Retention impact (proxy) = does this class increase attendance consistency?

You don’t need perfect attribution—just a disciplined monthly review.

A simple monthly timetable review

Once a month, review each class:

1. utilisation trend (up/down)

2. instructor consistency

3. member feedback

4. time slot strength (prime vs off-peak)

Then classify the class:

• Scale (high utilisation, high retention impact)

• Promote (good class, needs awareness)

• Fix (good concept, poor execution)

• Replace (low utilisation, low retention impact)

Case vignette: fixing a ‘busy’ but inefficient slot

A studio had a Tuesday 6pm session that felt “busy,” but utilisation was only 55% because the room capacity was higher than assumed.

They tested:

1. moving the class by 30 minutes

2. changing the coach

3. improving pre-class reminders

Utilisation improved and the slot became a genuine prime-time asset.

Instructor ROI (how to think about it)

Instructor ROI isn’t just “who is popular.” Consider:

• punctuality and energy (experience quality)

• ability to convert trial members into regulars

• retention impact (members returning)

• adherence to standards

If an instructor is expensive but lifts retention, they can still be a strong ROI decision.

Common mistakes

• Keeping classes because ‘we’ve always run it’

• Adding classes without measuring utilisation

• Failing to promote strong classes

• Overloading the timetable and diluting attendance

• Treating timetable decisions as emotional

Implement this month

1) Create a timetable worksheet

2) Add utilisation and cost per class

3) Run a monthly review

4) Decide: scale, promote, fix, replace

Your timetable should be engineered, not guessed.