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?

@Rhine

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!

FGS ring her! How is it helping looking at your bank statement and thinking wow!?

"Hi PT, I see that you are running sessions again, can we book in the ones that I have already paid for"

Book them, and use the time to look for someone else, because in truth you aren't going to recover from this, are you?

if she owes you sessions either get her to fit you in or give you a partial refund.

I am guessing she must be very busy with clients after lockdown but it would stick in my gullet a bit that she hadn't contacted me.

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

That would be the sensible assumption. But no, according to the majority of this thread she's a vindictive, piss-taking, con artist who is deliberately defrauding the OP in an act of calculated malice.

Ah MN. Where mistakes never happen and the world consists entirely of cheeky fuckers and narcissists.

I would have expected someone like this to keep in touch during lockdown. Friends who are PTs/Pilates/Yoga teachers have all tried to offer on-line stuff or kept in touch with clients helping them keep motivated etc. I suppose, benefit of the doubt, she could have had reasons to go quiet.

Like you I would expect to be one of the first on her list, in fact given how easy it is to contact everyone I would expect her to contact people asap get any pre-booked stuff out of the way and then on to the new. I think this pandemic has shown the businesses that value their cliehts/are organised, I would be using my last 2 and finding someone else.

For goodness sake just send her a bloody message instead of all the drama on here 🙄

That's quite bad, get in touch & 'remind' her she owes a month's worth of sessions. You might not
get them for a while but at least they'd be booked in.
I'd be completely nice & normal through the sessions, then I'd get a new PT I think.

I’ve sent her this message:

‘Hi
I didn’t realise you were back up and running as I’d have messaged you sooner. I’ve got some outstanding sessions. Can I book in with you sometime next week please?’

And yes I appreciate maybe I’ve overreacted a bit. But I really did just assumed she’d be in touch.

You worked with her for 2 years.

What’s more likely?

• genuine mistake, thinks she contacted you but didn’t
• not got round to contacting you yet, but has no ill intent
• is rubbing her hands with glee over pocketing your money, and definitely thinks that’s better financially for her than your continued business

Just text her!

People forget and you never know what's going on in her personal life, if she's got a backlog etc. I would just call her and ask.

@Rhine

My hairdresser did the same thing. I’d actually had 2 sessions pre paid for

So totally understand. Turns out he’d put up a new system. Which was meant to sort people so that the ones that missed out right at the start were hooked first. But people started being able to book the same slots and it was disastrous for him!

I text and asked him and he just text me back a much later app. But hey. Shit happens.

yeah i'd be a bit hacked off, it may be a mistake or she may just be ignoring the paid up ones for as long as possible.

reminds me, i have a hygienist appointment part paid. I am fine to leave that one for a bit, but have dentist next week so will ask then about that service.

blimey, maybe she's not shit hot at admin and forgot you?
Just call and ask?

@Rhine

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!

So you’ve not actually contacted her? Why?

@Dozycuntlaters

YABU - she hasn't worked for months, she's probably had about a million clients contacting her asking her for a slot. Why haven't you just done that? When my hairdresser reopened I just messaged her to get the first appointment I could because I knew she would be inundated with clients so wanted to make her life a little easier.

Thats not remotely the same thing UNLESS you had already paid for several hairdressing sessions upfront prior to lockdown!

In your scenario- you havent lost any money. In OP's scenario, she has as she has already paid for the sessions she hasn't had yet! I get that lockdown has been really hard but OP has already paid for a service she hasn't received yet and any decent person running a business would prioritise the people who are owed sessions. Thats not just good business sense its also being a decent person.

I would contact her ASAP and simply say- I would like to book in my outstanding sessions please.

Ok, good you've messaged now. You can always move to a different trainer once you've had your outstanding sessions.

I think I understand how you feel. The relationship that you develop with your PT is often quite intense - at least on the part of the client. If you've been training with her for 2 years, you've probably shared an awful lot of personal stuff with her, and so you feel like she's your friend, and will therefore remember you, think about you and would have been in touch as soon as she could be.

Whereas for her, you're just another one of her clients. She may like you and enjoy the times that you train together, but she won't experience the relationship in the same kind of way.

As PP have said, I'd guess that she's been inundated with clients wanting to book things up, and so hasn't been able to call you - she may simply not have any slots left. She may also think you're not bothered, if you haven't been in touch (up until now).

Her reply to you should tell you what you need to know!

You can then decide, after you've had your paid-for sessions, if you want to carry on with her or if you want to look for another trainer.

(I was 'sacked' by a PT a few years ago, and it was surprisingly hurtful. It wasn't anything personal on his part, he had just decided to give up training, but sort of strung me along while he exited his PT role for his new one)

She’s messaged me back. She says she that she’s only been back a few days (not true as she had clients in last Monday), but has booked me in for next week. No explanation or apology and she sounded slightly offhand, although maybe I’m overthinking that.

I appreciate it’s been a tough time, but it’s been tough for everyone and when you’ve paid for something it is a bit shitty.

I also think that you probably ought to be a bit flexible and understanding that she's got a limited amount of time, and that she most likely needs to get a mix of pre-paid and new sessions going so that she can grab a bit of income. It seems sensible to me.

You're obviously not desperately missing the money, OP, maybe she is?

My tattoo artist has been doing similar stuff - booking in the clients who missed appointments during lockdown, but also making new appointments with her regulars to make sure that she has a good client base and doesn't piss anyone off my making them wait for ages.

Maybe she doesn't like you!

YANBU I would ask for my money back and go separate ways.

You've paid in advance. She owes you the sessions. If she's 'off' then take your money elsewhere...

@India999

Maybe she doesn't like you!

Maybe. But she’s happy enough to take my money..

Maybe she doesn't like you

Oh- can we just not provide a service then to people who we dont like? I mean, even people who have PAID upfront?

wow- I had no idea! In that case, I shall just happily take the money of lots of people and just disappear, its ok after all coz I dont like them right?

My hairdresser forgot me on the waiting list when she reopened and I only realised when friends who had been further down the list got appointments and I didn't. It was no big deal, I contacted her, she was obviously very busy, she fit me in the next week. My gym accidentally charged me for lockdown, they refunded it when I brought it to their attention. You're making a bigger deal out of this than it is.

It would depend how many clients she has. Obviously if she has longer-standing clients she is going to contact them first (although I'm a qualified PT- mainly running classes, and I don't think many people stay with a PT for 2 years. People lose motivation no matter how good their PT is; life gets in the way etc.)

I wouldn't be overly pissed off, depending how good you've found her training. There's probably a lot for her to organize. You could give her a ring. She will probably explain the delay to you.