To be a pissed off with personal trainer?

[Rhine]

I know this is a massive first world problem, but I’m trying to work out if I’m being over sensitive or not. I’ve worked with this PT for two years. All fine. Obviously when lockdown down happened and the gyms shut the sessions had to stop but she messaged me and said she’d be in touch as soon as everything reopened and she was back up and running. She then disappeared totally from social media, despite having been a prolific user beforehand for months. I get it, it was a tough time for everyone.

Then in July she reappears on Facebook announces she’s back and will be in touch with all clients to arrange sessions within a week, but I hear nothing. So assume because gym openings were pushed back till August in Wales that was why. Gyms reopened last week and still hear nothing. So assume she’s not back and when I’ve been in the gym she’s not been there.

Today I log into Instagram and see she’s actually been back training clients for the last week and hadn’t been in touch with me! I feel a bit cross to be honest. Firstly I still have sessions outstanding from before lockdown and secondly forgetting about a loyal client seems a bit shit does it not? WIBU to get in touch and ask what’s going on? I’m torn between that and thinking PTs are ten a penny and why should I chase her if she doesn’t value my custom?

Maybe she's a human being who made a mistake and accidentally missed you off/skipped you on her list of clients to contact?

I don't understand why you're taking this as a calculated slight on her part.

I had a PT who did something like this too, although way before lockdown. I think some 'service providers' don't understand customer service or that loyalty goes both ways.

I'd contact her for the sessions she owes and then find someone else. I'm betting there'll be loads looking for work right now!

If you’ve paid in advance then I’d understand why you’re annoyed, if you haven’t then I’m not sure what the problem is.

I would send a simple message along the lines of Palavah & Nikori's suggestions & then act on your PT's response. It would annoy me to think I wasn't at the top of her list but it won't serve you to be aggro about it. Simple, to the point, make it clear what you want.

Is she a good PT or have you been thinking about going to someone else? There are lots of PTs around but really good PTs are worth their weight in gold so I'd make any decisions about the future based on that if it were me.

I’ve already said that I’ve sessions outstanding from before lockdown. Two I think.

BTW, yes she’s definitely a good PT but has never come across as scatty or forgetful before either.

Has she definitely been running sessions at the gym you use? Maybe she can only do sessions when the gym is quiet and knows you need a particular time when the gym is busy?

I'd be annoyed too if I'm honest but you won't know the reason until you get in touch.

OP it's been really hard for those in the fitness industry, I have a number of friends in it and they've been overwhelmed by new regulations and trying to make up a backlog. Contact her and ask her for your sessions. If she doesn't respond then find another trainer. This could easily be resolved by using the power of communication.

i'd be miffed too - that's really cheeky and rude. Also - my PT carried on, and varied her business by doing it all via facetime, it was great and loads of her clients have carried on doing it remotely

I think you're being totally over sensitive tbh. Maybe she's only got limited time slots and they got booked up before she could contact you. I also find people like this might be very good trainers but useless at actually running a business so she's possibly not over looked you intentionally. I'd just message her and say "are you back training and if so, please can i book those outstanding sessions?".

Yes bestbefore most of the others PTs at my gym carried on through lockdown via Zoom etc. I was also prepared to carry on and we’d arranged sessions in the park, but Then obviously the parks closed as well and that was the last time I heard from her when she said that she’d be in touch.

I’d assume she’s booking in clients she doesn’t owe sessions too as she needs to generate an income - would really annoy me if I was owed sessions!

Contact her as others have said. You may find that she puts a time limit on you using up your sessions, my PT is, precisely because she needs to bring more money in. However, if people aren't happy with the gym she is training in her own garage, online or setting sessions, so she's being fair in what she's offering and allowing those worried about going to the gym to do something else.

Text or call her and say you want to use up your sessions now everything has reopened and when can she fit you in.

If she doesn't want to honour your sessions ask her for a refund?

I would think it is most likely because you have outstanding sessions that have already been paid for! She has long since spent that money and is concentrating on Clients who will give her cold hard cash now. I would personally contact her and say you know she is back and when can you book your next session and remind her that you have X outstanding so that she knows she isn't going to get away with not training you. When you have had the outstanding sessions you can decide if you want to continue with her!

I think you're overthinking it - if you want to book back in, just contact her and ask when she's free.

I imagine she has a big backlog of clients who want sessions and it's easy to miss someone off.

I can see why you are pissed off, but as other say she is probably trying to maximise her income right now by doing sessions not paid in advance. It’s not good client relationship building but maybe that is not her strong point. Definitely don’t let it slide though.

However, what do you mean “the parks closed”? Were we not always allowed to go to parks for exercise?

This would piss me off too, but probably because the whole covid thing has made me very emotional and a bit depressed. I've been going t the same hairdresser for 30 years, every 6 weeks, and when she offered me an appointment nearly a month after she started back I felt very un loved.

@Nikori

I would just find a new PT. It's her loss.

This.

It sounds like you have a bruised ego. Like you think you're special to her and should be ‘chased’ over other the outstanding appointments. You are pissed that she has not contacted you as you think you should be far more prominent on the totem pole than you are.

Of course you are right to be pissed off that she owes you sessions you've paid for.

Just get in touch - brief message saying you want to book in for the 2 sessions you have outstanding and see how you want to proceed from there.

She could be bad at keeping records and not realise you have some sessions to come?

The PTs at my gym have been quite proactive at keeping in touch with clients and offering free/low cost sessions just to keep them (and us) active.

Well, I’ve just looked at my bank statement and realised that actually I paid up for a month of sessions two days before the gyms closed! So she owes me a MONTHS worth of sessions! Wow! Just wow!

Just message her and book in the sessions you've paid for, then find a different PT if you find this so unforgivable?!

@BigBadVoodooHat

Maybe she's a human being who made a mistake and accidentally missed you off/skipped you on her list of clients to contact?

I don't understand why you're taking this as a calculated slight on her part.

I agree with this. Just contact her as suggested above - I’ve seen you’ve restarted training, that’s great when I can I book my outstanding sessions. It’s probably a genuine oversight.

Maybe the people she is currently working with are also long standing clients who paid up front? You may not be the only one … if I were you, I would contact her again and try and pin her down to an actual session.