Dear Gym Sales Person
When someone comes into your gym, looking to join and is not your typical gym enthusiast, take a moment.
When they struggle to fill out your form regarding their attitude towards exercise, take a moment.
When they can't find the words to explain why they can't face the idea of having to start with classes and personal training and why they need to take it slow, take a moment.
If you take a moment to try and put yourself in their shoes and xxxl gym gear, you may realise that it has taken over three years of self-reproach, an inability to see themselves in your hallowed halls of fitness. You may realise that your supercilious attitude regarding mindset and motivation is actually breaking that person down. You may realise that you are pushing them back into the I-can't-do-it mindset. You may never know how much courage it took to walk in through the door let alone speak to you.
Yours,
Wishful Thinking.
Amen!
ReplyDeleteYou should send this letter to the management team. It is so beautifully written and heart felt. I would suggest they print it and stick it into every sales persons' training pack.
ReplyDeleteoh, and whatever happened to empathy?
DeleteI second Lien.
ReplyDeleteDo it.
x
Try the YMCA gym down near hwere my church is.
ReplyDeleteI have some friends going there who are totally not gym bunnies and they have been enjoying it - well as much as one enjoys that sort of malarky :P
x.
C.N (sorry can't log into blogger)
I'm sorry you had to go through that, it's a horrible feeling.
ReplyDeleteIt's things like this that made me quit gym sales and go into reception instead. We were made to be soooo pushy and sell sell sell and had a certain script we HAD to follow. Whereas being on reception, I could chat to them as they came in and make them feel a lot more at ease. (By the way I am more the XL exerciser and not the typical gym bunny, so I knew where those people were coming from!!)
Of course this doesn't take away from the sales persons actual personality and non understanding, but still, having to push push push someone who has taken all that time to get up the nerve to come in, a great way to put anyone off!
What Lien said! And huge hugs for you. xo
ReplyDelete