Adventures at the gym.

A couple of months ago I joined a gym in the realisation that I needed to keep fit and healthy. I've always had a pretty good level of fitness, but this year I have nearly stopped exercising. My weight has gone up, my fitness gone down. Hence the gym!

The membership lady was lovely, but when I went for my gym induction things changed. The trainer who showed my husband and me round was a young, somewhat muscle bound chap who spent his time talking about machines 'for girls' and such like. His jolly male chauvinism was matched only by his bulging biceps and I was left somewhat unimpressed by his attempt at customer care. In spite of this I arranged my free personal training session so I could get a programme set up for myself and when I turned up ... he didn't. There was no phone call, no apology, just a no show.

I complained to the young man who was there that day, to little avail. 

Since then I have been a couple of times and found it really rather boring ... until yesterday ...

I discovered that the electronic key thingy I had was supposed to have been loaded with my information and a free programme - it hadn't been. This was my final straw as my key was echoingly empty. I went up to the man on the desk - slightly older this time - and voiced my frustration.

To my amazement and complete joy he turned out to be a total gem!! Not only did he sympathise with my experience and apologise, he set up my key and came over to explain what I should be doing. He said he would set me up a tailored programme and offered me a free session so he could show me what I should be doing.

He understood what I wanted and was overflowing with enthusiasm and love for his job. He understood that good customer service was essential and that one happy customer means good publicity and, in the end, maybe more money for him. He had come from a retail background, was in his forties and until 2 years ago had been over 20 stone or 280 pounds. He had lost weight, trained as a personal trainer and was almost evangelical in his love of the job he was doing.

I left the gym brimming with enthusiasm and a confidence that I would be able to regain my fitness and head for my fifties healthier and slimmer. I was so glad to have met him and wrote to the gym as soon as I got home, singing his praises.

I wonder why more people are not like this? Surely it makes his job enjoyable and satisfying and makes my goal of getting fit achievable? I might book him for some personal training sessions and will certainly tell my friends about him. People like him are what keeps you going to the gym and gives the gym a good reputation. Apparently he has been drafted in by the gym to create a new style of service, taking over from the testosterone ridden chauvinists of old. Good for him.