Commercial Gym Hell

Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
1,120
Location
WPB, FL
So my brother is over for Thanksgiving week and thought it would be cool to go to the gym together, and workout in the morning today.

I had inquired about day rates previously and it's $15. So we show up, I took my pre-workout(coffee) and expected for my brother to sign a waiver and ill pay the $15 and be done in a few minutes...

Color me surprised when we were checking in a middle manager came over and derailed the check in processes telling us it was "company policy" for new guests to complete a tour of the facility and only two people at the time who were busy could give the tour. Meanwhile most of the staff at the front were just hanging around... Basically telling us we had to go wait and sit down until someone was available to give us a tour. (Push sales down our throats)

I got livid, adrenaline dump + coffee ain't a good mix but trying to keep my composure I mentioned he doesn't live here, we didn't need a tour nor are we interested in personal training. we are happy to sign the waiver and pay $15.

Middle manager just kept re-itterating "company policy". I put my Karen hat on and asked for manager since this is ridiculous, she was busy with someone else so we waited about 10min and the manager was a little bit better to speak too but still was trying to drive the whole sales pitch.

I mentioned I can't believe how hard it is to sign a waiver and pay for a guest pass... eventually they waived the tour and we moved on but that 20-25min of stading around for a sales pitch was absolutely crazy.

I know this is typical commercial gym stuff but man what a dang headache.

/Vent
 
I hate pressure tactics in sales.
My wife and I checked out two gyms last winter. We were given a quick tour at each one (at our request), no pressure tactics at all, and no waiting. "Here's what we have, and these are our fees. Any questions?. Thanks for checking us out."

I would find a different gym.
 
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I wonder how they would have reacted if you told them to forget it and you wanted to cancel your membership instead. I'm guessing it would have been nothing but excuses and another sales pitch.
 
sounds like its time for a new gym.. you are a member with a guest/visitor and they treat you like that?
 
That's certainly a bad experience.

If it were me, I'd ask to see that "policy" in writing; that often confounds them and puts the onus back in their court. And I'd also remind them that not only will your brother not be joining, but you might just take your business elsewhere, if they cannot accommodate such a simple request. Further, I'd have them acknowledge that the next time you're there with a guest, it will be unnecessary to have the same conversation again ...
 
unless this is the only affordable gym in your area I would have canceled my membership and then went to the other one.
 
Wow... I have brought a few guests to my gym (Lifetime) and none of them have been subject to any sales pitch. They don't even charge for guest access, and even encourage bringing friends and family around the holidays... but I guess that is to be expected given the cost of membership.
 
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