Page 2 | I know i missed my exercise class but so what?

notacooldad · 2025-03-02T18:32:55+00:00

I pay in advance for my Pilates class. It is £30 a session You can cancel the class as long as you give 24hrs notice, if not you lose out. Quite reasonablely you can't be more than 5 mins late. On Thursday I had an appointment before my class which over ran significantly, on top of that I encountered three lots of temporary lights and traffic has backed up. By the time I got to the car park I was 10 mins late. There was no point rushing, I'm late, I've missed out. There isn't a reception where I could have explained this to, just the instructor doing her thing with the group. I went home. I got an email which was,imo , quite snotty, telling me i should have let them know if i wasn't going to turn up so they could have given that place to someone on the waiting list. My feeling is I've paid for that space, whether I was there or not. If they gave it to someone else they would have had £30 from them as ' as a place has become available ' I wouldn't have got my money back as it clearly says no refunds if you are late or a no show. Therefore, I feel like the sharp tone of the email is a bit ridiculous. The company hasn't lost out and as far as I can imagine, most people want to turn up and don't deliberately miss classes once they've paid for them. What do others think?

asrl78 · 03/03/2025 20:44

DistractMe · 03/03/2025 08:23

I'm a little taken aback by some of the transactional attitudes in this thread. If there's a no show at my Pilates class, the instructor waits till the last minute and a bit beyond, potentially cutting short the class for everyone else. They are genuinely disappointed when someone just doesn't turn up.

And it's not possible to just slide into a Reformer class and catch up. The bed and springs need setting up to match the height and strength of the person and a proper warm up is vital.

Of course life happens and it looks like the OP was unexpectedly late. She was right to miss the class, but I think a quick email or text would have been the courteous thing to do.

It is more of an issue if the no-show means someone who would have liked to attend loses out. In this case it is less clear-cut. OP scheduled appointments with tight timings, the inevitable UK slowdowns happened and she missed the class. It is unlikely even if the OP had advised the instructor as soon as it became apparent she wasn't going to make it, that they would have been able to notify someone who had wanted to book but couldn't as it was full. As you say, a message to the instructor apologising would have been courteous.

Buffs · 03/03/2025 19:59

Quite agree with you. Send an email back suggesting they review their late arrivals policy if they offense at a no show when you have already paid.
if you’ve paid I don’t see why you can’t quietly slip in the back if you’re late.

Original poster

notacooldad · 03/03/2025 12:08

Just finished my morning class

All is good in my world! ( until the DOMS kick in, my ass and thighs were crying!)

OP posts:

Watercolourstyle · 03/03/2025 10:23

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Lurker85 · 03/03/2025 09:41

How pathetic of them. If you let them know 5 minutes into the session that you couldn’t make it, are they really going to start ringing people then and asking them to join? And if they did it would be too late for them to join as per their own policy so they’d have to then turn them away! I’m aware they didn’t know the situation before sending the email but this is why you don’t send snotty emails without all the facts. It could have been an emergency, anything could have happened to you or a family member and yet they go straight in with snotty? I’d leave

Original poster

notacooldad · 03/03/2025 09:07

@Rulerflex
What was the “complicated” situation led you to cancel the three month package a fortnight ago?! Was it with the same company?

No, both companies are excellent and I've found an exercise type that I really enjoy.
It was as soon as I signed up with my friends, my work schedule changed and the times for the first company were quite limiting. My colleague who works a different schedule took over the membership for the three months and pays me. When I was told of this class I go to now and had no idea they were there was only a few minutes drive away, it's in a bit of an obscure place though.

The instructor's are great and it's a bloody good workout! I know it's expensive and I won't be able to keep it up for ever but it's helped with my mind and body and given me the kick start I need!

I used the word 'complicated' as last night I didn't want to get into the ins and out of work changes, whose paying what membership etc as every word you type someone picks apart and focus on something not relevant to the point of the post!!! Lol 😆

OP posts:

zingally · 03/03/2025 09:04

£30 for a group lesson?! This instructor is quids in! I'm clearly in the wrong line of work.

TBH, I'm with the OP. If they paid, so what? She's not asking for a refund. As for the instructor, same money, less work.

ALovelyShadeofMauve · 03/03/2025 08:39

I would've emailed or text when I pulled up and realised I was 10 mins late. They wouldn't have gotten the msg until after the class but it is just decent and polite to let them know.

But surely they know after the class? By the fact that you weren’t there?

Original poster

notacooldad · 03/03/2025 08:33

Of course life happens and it looks like the OP was unexpectedly late. She was right to miss the class, but I think a quick email or text would have been the courteous thing to do.
I keep saying that the email was sent while I was sat on the car park realising there's no point going into the building as I've missed the absolute cut off. The instructor wouldn't have got a text. I have seen the instructor's, they are not on their phone before class starts, they are organising everyone or chatting to the clients.
Seriously I've said repeatedly at what point could I have sent an email? I couldn't while I was in the car and at one point i had time to make the class, i was all dressed up ready to go!

OP posts:

DistractMe · 03/03/2025 08:23

I'm a little taken aback by some of the transactional attitudes in this thread. If there's a no show at my Pilates class, the instructor waits till the last minute and a bit beyond, potentially cutting short the class for everyone else. They are genuinely disappointed when someone just doesn't turn up.

And it's not possible to just slide into a Reformer class and catch up. The bed and springs need setting up to match the height and strength of the person and a proper warm up is vital.

Of course life happens and it looks like the OP was unexpectedly late. She was right to miss the class, but I think a quick email or text would have been the courteous thing to do.

Rulerflex · 03/03/2025 08:11

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Original poster

notacooldad · 03/03/2025 08:03

Did you reply in the end saying sorry for being late or anything? It’s odd that she stops her class 5 mins in to mark people as in or out so this email can send. Are you going back next week?
It's an auto generated email address that just bounces back.
I sent an email to their other email address on their face book page when I was thinking of joining this company a few weeks ago but I never got a response.
I'm at a class later on.
There isn't just one instructor, there's several and a manager who runs the operation.

OP posts:

ToKittyornottoKitty · 03/03/2025 07:46

notacooldad · 03/03/2025 07:35

If the email came through as soon as the class started it’s obviously auto-generated by her class booking system, so why take offence?
I've addressed this before in the thread.
I've not taken offence.

It’s because you said she sent you a snotty email and it was ridiculous, it sounds like you've taken it personally, even if you have said that’s not the case. Did you reply in the end saying sorry for being late or anything? It’s odd that she stops her class 5 mins in to mark people as in or out so this email can send. Are you going back next week?

Original poster

notacooldad · 03/03/2025 07:42

So you signed up for a 3 month trial for Pilates classes earlier in the month
but then had to cancel it because you “ended up in a complicated situation”
Maybe pre booking Pilates classes isn’t sensible for you OP.
Just because one timetable didn't end up being suitable gor me for a change in a work pattern doesn't mean that I can't go somewhere that foes work for me. Has a curveball or something unexpected never happened to you ever?

I'm loving the one I'm going to now.
This is one incident that I'm chatting about and it was the tone if the email was what I was discussing.
There is no way I would throught. that having a very routine appointment at 8 o'clock would have made me late for a 10:30 class in the same town. Most people do more than one thing in a morning!

OP posts:

Roseshavethorns · 03/03/2025 07:40

I think I would reply and state that I had been a no- show because I had arrived 10 minutes late and, respecting their rules, had not entered the class.
I would then ask that, if in future I cancelled the class with less than 24 hours notice and they managed to fill my spot as they stated they would have done, would they be refunding my £30?

Original poster

notacooldad · 03/03/2025 07:35

If the email came through as soon as the class started it’s obviously auto-generated by her class booking system, so why take offence?
I've addressed this before in the thread.
I've not taken offence.

OP posts:

ByWildLimeCat · 03/03/2025 07:31

notacooldad · 03/03/2025 07:21

I have a similar set up with a class I attend. If I can’t go, even if it’s last minute I send a quick WhatsApp, no even explaining (depending on my reason/mood) why just sorry I won’t be able to attend today.
It’s more about basic manners than whether they can refill the space or not.

And how would you have done it in my situation.
I was dressed ready to go. I would have made it if it wasn't for three lots of significant road works with a massive back log of traffic that weren't there the day before.
The email was sent to me as soon as the class began ( auto generated) as people are marked in as they arrive and there is no leeway after 5 mins.
I'm not going to start pissing about with WhatsApp, emails etc when I'm in my car.

If the email came through as soon as the class started it’s obviously auto-generated by her class booking system, so why take offence?

Rulerflex · 03/03/2025 07:29

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Heidi2018 · 03/03/2025 07:27

I would've emailed or text when I pulled up and realised I was 10 mins late. They wouldn't have gotten the msg until after the class but it is just decent and polite to let them know.

Edit to add, I do a paid for by term class, and every week people who won't be attending let the instructor know. She's not giving money back or filling the spot.

Newusername3kidss · 03/03/2025 07:25

mnahmnah · 02/03/2025 18:36

I would have pre-empted that email by sending one myself at the time explaining what had happened and apologising

Why? She’s paid for a class - it’s not school. She doesn’t have to inform them she isn’t coming. So weird. I run classes that people pay for as a term - I couldn’t care less if people don’t turn up if they’ve already paid. It actually makes me chuckle when people message me with all sorts of in-depth reasons why they can’t come.

YANBU - it’s a business and they were very rude to you in my opinion.

Original poster

notacooldad · 03/03/2025 07:21

I have a similar set up with a class I attend. If I can’t go, even if it’s last minute I send a quick WhatsApp, no even explaining (depending on my reason/mood) why just sorry I won’t be able to attend today.
It’s more about basic manners than whether they can refill the space or not.

And how would you have done it in my situation.
I was dressed ready to go. I would have made it if it wasn't for three lots of significant road works with a massive back log of traffic that weren't there the day before.
The email was sent to me as soon as the class began ( auto generated) as people are marked in as they arrive and there is no leeway after 5 mins.
I'm not going to start pissing about with WhatsApp, emails etc when I'm in my car.

OP posts:

Heylylaa · 03/03/2025 07:15

I have a similar set up with a class I attend. If I can’t go, even if it’s last minute I send a quick WhatsApp, no even explaining (depending on my reason/mood) why just sorry I won’t be able to attend today.
It’s more about basic manners than whether they can refill the space or not.

GeometricGillian · 03/03/2025 07:05

Katrinawaves · 02/03/2025 23:14

How did the rest of the class have more space 😂?

Reformer Pilates is done on fixed equipment - they don’t move the beds out when the class is only half full. Where would they put them for a start? And it’s also not like people are walking around the studio from one bed to the next.

I think there are a lot of people on this thread who don’t understand the large capital investment in equipping a reformer studio or what sessions are like given how many people think that hour long sessions could or should cost a couple of quid which for most studios wouldn’t cover the hourly rate of the instructor even on minimum wage as generally there aren’t a lot of beds per class.

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That’s irrelevant, the instructor was paid for their time and investment in/wear and tear on the machines. Nil wear and tear.

It’s not school or work, it is an optional lifestyle class.

GeometricGillian · 03/03/2025 07:02

I’m with you OP. Life’s busy, sometimes optional things need to give due to other things. This is optional, the instructor is entitled. They didn’t lose out financially and you can’t give an update when driving, not your problem.

arcticpandas · 03/03/2025 06:56

@notacooldad I would reply to the gym asking if they would give you a refund if you had cancelled 《24 h. Because in that case you definitely will the next time. If not..