Page 4 - AZontheRocks

We are very entrepreneurial and had always looked out for a family business to start,” stated Kevin J. Berk of his earliest inclinations of get-
ting into the gym business. “After a day of climbing with our kids, we came back and said, ‘We need to open a climbing gym in Scottsdale.’” Just like that, the wheels were in motion for the creation of an engaging new business.
Kevin J. Berk started AZ on the Rocks with his brother, Kent Berk, Kent’s wife Angie and their mother, Joyce Berk who is a minority owner. The culture at the company is one of enthusiastic customer service. “We are very much customer service driven,” states Berk. “When hired at AZ on the Rocks, new staff members are told that we are not a climbing gym, we are a customer service organization that just happens to offer rock climbing and Yoga. We also empower our staff to make financial decisions on our behalf. They have the ability to make a visit from a customer right, regardless of what it takes. They don’t need to get a manager’s approval or permission from us.” It is the fact that the Berks empower their own staff to make sure the business’ guests are satisfied that in turn, creates happy and productive employees.
Over the years, AZ on the Rocks has grown and changed, always striving to
be better. Although the entire staff learns and grows with every guest interaction, the safety of guests is always of paramount importance. “I think we have become better at taking care of customers and their needs. We also have grown a lot from focusing on providing greater value to our guests,” Berk explains. One of the most important things to our success is focus- ing our efforts on first time visitors to the facility and those that have never climbed or even seen a climbing gym before. In our almost 11 years of business, we have seen more than 275,000 unique people and a good 95% of them have never seen a gym before. We built this facility to appeal to all levels of climbing ability, but particularly those that have no experience. Climbing and our facility truly is for everyone.
For the Team
Corporate team building exercises at AZ on the Rocks are also a unique experience that can serve to enhance at-work relation- ships and effective communication and personal strategies. “Our team building
program is truly unique,” says Berk. “I can’t think of another program that builds a team, gets them out of their comfort zone and focuses on so many valuable skills.” Where else could you let your co-workers hold your life in their hands while hanging 31 feet in the air and held up by nothing more than a 10.3 mm thick rope? “It’s a great place to ask for a raise in my opinion. If you asked us to remove trust, communication, leadership and other qualities from these exercises, we couldn’t. It’s truly an incredible program that the team will be talking about for months after the event.”
There are many benefits of team build- ing in an environment like AZ on the Rocks. In addition to being a fantastic physical activity (the average female burns more than 700 calories an hour and the average male burns more than 900 calories an hour), climbing is an activity that requires mental focus. “Climbing really takes most people out of their comfort zone and they typically experience a true breakthrough in what they can achieve,” remarks Berk. “They come in saying things like, ‘I can’t do this,’ and when they finally do it, they are truly changed forever. Climbing is a metaphor for life.”
Keeping in the theme of team spirit
AZ on the Rocks has its own league of competitive kid climbers. In 2014, the AZR Ascenders team had a great season and during one of the final competitions at Phoenix Rock Gym the team of 41 kids ages 8 to 19 climbed their way to first place in 8 out of 10 climbing competition categories. For children, climbing allows them to conquer their fears, work on strat- egy, develop intense concentration and build new friendships.
The AZR Ascenders have produced a world champion, five national champions and multiple U.S. team members. The AZR Ascenders team has been ranked in the top 10 nationally since 2006. They have also been ABS Regional Champions in 2008 and 2009 and SCS Regional Champi- ons 2008, 2009 and 2011.
AZ on the Rocks is also very supportive of its community. “We are huge supporters of our community and have donated hun- dreds of thousands of dollars in kind to every nonprofit you can possibly imagine,” Berk states. Some organizations the gym has supported in the past include Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Wounded Warrior
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