Am I wrong about this?

LauraMax

LauraMax

Cathlete
I quit my gym last night. Here's why:

First of all, let me say right off that normally I leave my cell in my car when I go to the gym. The gym is "me" time & I don't want to be bothered.

But, as luck would have it, last night my boss called me while I was on my way, so I was still talking to him as I walked into the gym. The little girl at the front desk wouldn't let me in! She said they have a no cell phone policy & I couldn't go from the lobby to the locker room until I got off the phone.

Now, this really would not have bothered me, however in the 3 years I've been a member there this policy has NEVER been enforced. I've been on cardio machines w/women next to me chatting away. I've seen personal trainers take calls on their cell phones WHILE THEY'RE WITH CLIENTS. Not once have I ever seen anyone told to get off their phone while they were in the gym.

So after I hung up from my boss I told the girl to follow me. She & one other desk person, let's call him a little boy, followed me out to the gym floor. I pointed out 4 people in the immediate vicinity who had their cells with them. The kids' response was "it's probably so they know what time it is."

Yeah right. Because they can't see the six clocks on the walls throughout the gym. Please check my picture trail--do I really look that stupid?

Well, let me tell you, I was absolutely furious. I told them if they were gonna enforce a policy that's fine, but either do it consistently or don't do it at all. They got extremely rude & snotty & I said that's it, give me a cancellation form.

Am I being unreasonable? I mean, I've been distracted & annoyed countless times by other members & their staff while they were making Friday night plans or deciding who was picking up the kids from daycare or having their weekly chat w/their parents-in-law. There I was, in a skirt & heels, obviously with no intention of walking out onto the gym floor, & they wouldn't even let me go to the locker room.

I'm still fuming (even tho I'm off to New York Sports Club tonight for a new atmosphere & a membership that's $20 a month cheaper). I don't know if I overreacted or if their front desk staff is in serious need of customer service training.
 
Nope - you're not wrong. You ARE the customer, and in this case you are very right.

If an establishment makes something a policy, it needs to be enforced uniformly...not when someone feels like it. I think you're right to take your money somewhere else.
 
I wholeheartedly agree with you that they either enforce the policy uniformly for all or throw the policy out. I will say that at my gym you can have a cell phone on the gym floor but not in the locker room because of issues with camera phones and what people take pictures of and where they post those pictures for all to see . . . :eek:
 
Holy moly, I never even thought of that! So my gym must be REALLY screwed up if they let them in the locker rooms but not on the gym floor. Although they do have several private dressing rooms.

Duh, make that my FORMER gym. }(
 
Nope, you did the right thing. Good for you!

"You can't win them all - but you can try." - Babe Zaharias http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/musik/music-smiley-004.gif[/img]
 
I think you did the right thing, but I would call and complain to an actual manager about how you feel you were unfairly treated. You were a member in good standing for years; they should know that the staff is the problem!!

Marie
 
I agree that you should call the gym manager, remind them you have been a client for years and inform them of how rudely you were treated by the twits at the front desk.
 
Yup, definately call the manager on this one. But, yes I would be fuming, livid, is more like it. Let the manager know how his or her staff made you feel and that you cancelled your membership due to this problem.

Kathy
 
I would have quit too and I also agree w/the others that a manager should be called. There is nothing worse than poor customer service! I hate that!!!
Brandi
 
So does this mean you missed your workoutlast night?

And I'd definitely let the manager know how you were treated.
 
I think you did the right thing, and I would add to write the manager, a phone call is good, but a letter is something that can be referred to in black and white, if need be.
 
LauraMax,

Don't do anything hasty. Talk to management, I'm sure they will be reasonable. It's a business, they will try everything they can to keep you. I bet it was a misunderstanding at the desk. Give them a chance to apologize.

Take care, let us know what happens.

Janie

"If you can't say anything nice about someone, then don't say anything at all."
-My mother, Mary Cooper-
 
While I would LOVE to see a no-cell-phone policy enforced in ALL stores and public places, it's definitely unfair when it is not equally enforced.

If you do want to continue going to that gym, talk to the manager and voice your concerns, and if s/he doesn't treat you in a way that makes up for what you went through, then quit.
 
You're not wrong at all. Consistency in policy enforcement is absolutely necessary; however, health clubs are becoming increasingly more sensitive to cell phone use.

At my health club, they have banned all cell phones. Apparently someone had taken a picture taking cell phone into the locker room and was accused of taking photos of people half dressed, naked etc. Perhaps the liability is too great.

Don't take it personal. Right or wrong, the health clubs are fearing litigation.
 
There is nothing more irritating than companies who randomly enforce their policies!! I'd be annoyed too.

Sparrow

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow - what a ride!’ — Peter Sage
 
You did the right thing!

I don't want to hijacked this thread but I quit my
favorite gym for lack of good CS there.

I had recommended this place to so many people including
my sisters,son and friends,one of my sisters which signed up for the black card membership that allowed
her to bring a guest to the gym.

Anyway, my sister was new at the gym and brought a guest along
with her one day shortly after, the guest forgot to bring the
required ID card and management would not allow my sister and guest
inside the gym, my sister explained the situation that she didn't
know about this policy but to please let her in for this time
only and that a warning would suffice, they would not bulge
my sister ended up going back home with guest tagging along,
guest got the ID card, but I was fuming and so was my sister,
she still tried couple of more times to talk some sense into
these little kids heads without luck, that very day my sister
quit the gym had to pay a fee for terminating the contract
and I also left; and this is not an isolated incident either
because I had heard other people complaining about how rude
management was; also, the fact that they would tell some members
to stay within guidelines and regulations of the gym but turned
a blind eye when their friends would not follow the rules.

Now I'm happier at the new gym I'm attending and though I have
to pay 3x more than what I used to pay at the old one, to me is
a matter of principle, I don't have to give them my business
if they have that kind of attitude.
P,s, I tried to contact the owner and was told by the PTs that they didn't know how to contact him either, I thought that staff preferred not having the owner in the premises and why make waves? so didn't help us, I know that I could have e-mailed him but I didn't want to do it through the website, though my sister wrote him a letter to his P.O Box she never heard from him. OTOH if he doesn't care why should I?? it was his loss, as a result of this incident four people left, two sisters, son and myself, their loss! I found a better place with excellent CS.


I think you made the right decision!!

I apologize for this long post.

Laura K.
 
LauraMax,

I'm thinking this might be a wonderful opportunity for you to meet some new people (read: attractive, fit men) at a new gym. I think your old gym was definitely in the wrong. But this could be a wonderful, new opportunity for you - and less money too!

Good luck! :)

Suz

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France

http://www.picturetrail.com/dogs2birds
 
Laura, I think you did the right thing and it is nice that you have found somewhere else to go that is cheaper. Hopefully it was a positive experience tonight at the new gym. Like Suz said, it's a chance to meet new people which is never a bad thing. Let us know how you liked it at the new place.

Karin
 
I did email the club owner yesterday morning. I got no response. The main problem w/this place & its customer service is that it really is THE premier club in the region, so I guess they just don't feel like they have to be nice to people.

I went to my new gym last night & I am sad. :-( It's OK & I can tailor myself a good, intense workout at the worst gym in the world, but this place doesn't even come close to the old place in terms of amount & variety of equipment.

Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter b/c I will never step foot in that place again after the way I was treated. And it is cheaper, & like Suz said, I might meet some cool new people (attractive, fit men :p ).
 
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