Has anyone ever experienced this?

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  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited December 2015
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    Yes, i've experienced this from LA Fitness on numerous occasions!!!


    These guys are not managers, they are high-tactic sales people. They will do everything they can (act superior, shock, scare, intimidate) to get you to sign a contract. It is their JOB to sell, and once they get you at the desk it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to walk away without a contract.

    My suggestion is to not take it personally, and if a trainer comes up to you in a corporate gym in the future, just shoo them away. "Sorry, not interested" *bi**h face*. Or "I'm busy, can you bother someone else?".

    I hate to be that kind of person, but they are like car salesmen.



    edit to add: one time, i wanted to purchase JUST 3 training sessions with their master trainer who was a friend of mine. I didn't want a contract, i didn't want 6 months hell 12 months of training @ 300$ a month. The guy would seriously not take no for an answer. I get fed up and just walked away and said "I can see you're not going to work with me when i'm willing to go through you to pay for these three sessions i wanted. I'll just go to the trainer directly, that way there's no contract involved". He scrambled, then begged me to sit in a room where he brought in a SECOND sales person and made me feel like i couldn't leave. I literally barged out of there and never went back.
  • Nikki10129
    Nikki10129 Posts: 292 Member
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    Ignore everything he told you. Any person be-litteling you and making you feel poorly about yourself isn't worth your time (or your money in this case). Report him, and if you see no changes and he approaches you again I'd make a formal complain to upper management and find a new gym. There is plenty of competition, and if that gym doesn't appreciate your business, another one will.

  • 13bbird13
    13bbird13 Posts: 425 Member
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    The moment he insisted you stay when you wanted to go to the Zumba class, he crossed a line that no excuse about high-pressure sales tactics can justify. Definitely do report him.
  • Nikki10129
    Nikki10129 Posts: 292 Member
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    Also, if he approaches you again before you get a chance to send in a complaint just ignore him or say no thank you and walk away regardless of what he says after you refuse him. He can't forcibly make you do anything, and who cares if you come of rude, he was the rude one first and you don't have to listen to it.
  • yhealthy2000
    yhealthy2000 Posts: 111 Member
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    Wow!! That's an employee who is not a fit for that gym! He certainly spoiled your momentum at this gym. You should still continue though...you like the gym not that employee. I would let the gym director know of this experience so he/she is aware that this is happening. No one will like this kind of approach. I've been at my gym for many many years now...they advertise and give lots of free sessions on different things...but never what you had to go through. You are doing great! You are following something and that's working for you! You were strong to not get scared by this. Keep up your great workouts!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    Just wanted to point out since people keep telling the OP to "report" him.


    These people are not employed by LA Fitness. They are employed by "Pro Results Personal Training" which is a seperate entity. I doubt VERY seriously they give a rat's butt about OP's experience.

    It's also important to note that if you DO purchase training with them they will charge you anywhere between 50-75$ per 30 minute session. The trainers make between 9 and 18 dollars an HOUR. They are making between 80$ and hour and 110$ an hour off their trainers.
  • TrishaCisneros
    TrishaCisneros Posts: 171 Member
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    fiddletime wrote: »
    Typical hard sell. Humiliation and bullying. Be sure to write that up on Yelp the way you did here. See if the gym contacts you. After You've blasted the gym and that guy on Yelp I'd try to find who the owner is and call them or email. I'd ask for a refund if that guy is still working there after your complaint. I wouldn't go back as it isn't a conducive place for working out if he's there.

    +1
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    edit to add: one time, i wanted to purchase JUST 3 training sessions with their master trainer who was a friend of mine. I didn't want a contract, i didn't want 6 months hell 12 months of training @ 300$ a month. The guy would seriously not take no for an answer. I get fed up and just walked away and said "I can see you're not going to work with me when i'm willing to go through you to pay for these three sessions i wanted. I'll just go to the trainer directly, that way there's no contract involved". He scrambled, then begged me to sit in a room where he brought in a SECOND sales person and made me feel like i couldn't leave. I literally barged out of there and never went back.

    Geez... tell them to get bent too.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Sounds like you are doing terrific and he is a jerk. I've not had this problem because I go to a small privately owned studio. Just keep doing what you're doing!
  • IILikeToMoveItMoveIt
    IILikeToMoveItMoveIt Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I had a trainer try to sell me on training too. At the time all I was interested in was the pool. Period. I told him this as I let him show me around the gym (again since I had been going there before and already had an introduction). Whenever he would ask or say something, really anything that came out of his mouth I would say, "Thank you for showing me this, but do you know anything about swimming? It's the only thing that I'm interested in." He would ignore me and not answer my questions while showing me something else. This went on until we got to the sauna, hot tub and pool. When we got to the pool I said the same thing I'd been saying at every station and he finally answered no, looked dejected as hell and said maybe there was someone else who could help me. lol That gym is closed now, but other than that I loved it. It didn't stop me from doing whatever I wanted to. Other gym members had great comments about me and my endurance etc. So don't let some jerk mess with your progress. Do what you need to to keep your motivation. If you need to go to another gym, do it. If not, just do your thing and time/progress will take care of the rest. :smiley:
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    edited December 2015
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    Sweetie this is where you need to develop a thicker skin. You should have told him about your weight loss, what you are doing is working for you and to SHOVE IT!!! He was using intimidation tactics to get your money whether you saw results or not HE DOES NOT CARE. I would have told him to kiss my ***! Don't let a dirt bag make you switch gyms!
    BTW Congrats on the amazing weight loss. :)
  • socalgardengal
    socalgardengal Posts: 116 Member
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    What a bummer! Tell the manager or owner

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