Golds Gym Should be Renamed Bronze Gym

Rhonda and I had been trying for the larger side of a month to get together and work out... be it a walk, or a trip to the gym- its been next to impossible to get our schedules matched up. Yesterday, I suppose it was in the stars that the two of us break a sweat together. Or so we thought.

After much back and forth as to what kind of work out we should do: "the weather is yucky" "lets go to the gym" "should we walk outside and Ill bring Molly?"--we finally decided on the gym. Or I guess I should say I decided Id bring her along with me. I had some VIP passes and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to use one. Boy was I wrong. After believing my promise that we could work out in the cardio cinema and not be bothered by anyone, Rhonda agreed to meet me at the gym. I anxiously awaited for her and what I thought would be a great work out together.

As I sat and waited at the front of the gym for Rhonda to arrive, the general manager approached me and asked if I needed to be helped. First and foremost, I am in workout clothes OBVIOUSLY here to work out, armed with a water bottle and boyish clothes- what could I possibly need?! Well in his eyes, what I needed was a few personal training sessions. After making uncomfortable small talk, he eventually convinced me to "step into his office"--this is never a good idea at Golds Gym, take my word for it. After a few minutes of discussing my weight loss goals, why I work out, which Golds gyms I use most often, and how I work out... he started in on me like I was buying a used car. He tried the "well, if you buy a session package today, Ill give you xyz price"- I assure you that from the get go, I made it very clear to him I was only at the gym to work out, and to bring my friend, NOT buy personal training sessions (that come to find out come in packages that range from $350-$2,000). I simply dont have that kind of money. Anyone who wants to pay my way, please feel free.

When Rhonda arrived, the General Manager immediately started in on her. "What do you want to do when you work out, what are your goals, why have you not worked out in so long, when you did work out- what kinds of things were you doing?" She calmly explained that she just had a baby, has VERY little free time as her husband is always traveling, and that working out on this particular day was only to see how it was being back at the gym, wanted to get back into things slowly and that there was a cheap deal through her work that she might sign up with again should she decide she has the time. He then reminded her that they have a "Kids Club" she was more than welcome to drop Macey off at when she worked out. Im sure new mothers want their pre-baby body back, but isnt that a bit soon to just drop your baby off with people you dont know that well? Macey doesnt even go to daycare (not that its even any of his business)! Then he started in on prices, "if you sign up today, well give you this price" Im telling you the man would NOT take no for an answer.

45 minutes later, and after much probing and many personal questions about her lifestyle and goals, he informed us that Rhonda would not be able to use the VIP pass since she'd previously been a member. Both of us were dumbfounded, wondered why on earth he didnt tell us that from the get-go (since she had indeed mentioned being a member pre-pregnancy) and we promptly decided to leave. This man not only wasted my time (an existing member), robbed us of our scheduled work out and what very little free time Rhonda actually did have, but he did absolutely nothing but annoy us and make us feel that, unless we dropped a bunch of money right then and there, we were of no use to Golds Gym. Way to treat your clients and possible future clients.

I should also add that when we left the gym, we were not 100% defeated. Annoyed? For sure. But we made the best of the time we had left and walked around Lake Pflugerville instead. So, hah, muscle man. We dont need your stinking gym. At least not today anyway.

If I were physically able to skip the gym and/or cancel my membership, and in my eyes "stick it to the man" I would. But alas, I am a slave to the corporation and will continue to spend my money and calories under the roof of Golds Gym. Just wanted to vent about their "customer service" policies and share with you all what I thought to be a ridiculous waste of time. Ugh. This man, in the area of "customers always being right", I give him a big fat F.