Westwood Fitness Club

Big deal guys, the fitness industry does not get excluded from recessions. Just get over it and move on.

theturnofthe

Deleted User wrote: »

First of all it clearly was not running perfectly otherwise they would not have let go of the staff now would they or be contemplating letting more people go so don't be so silly, you're losing the run of yourself. It may have been running perfectly on a consumer level but the books don't lie, the financial controller and senior management of the place obviously made a serious balls of something. OBVIOUSLY.

Yes, perhaps the financial controller and senior management DID make a balls of it- so let THEM go instead .... OBVIOUSLY!!!!!! Your argument wasn't that bad until the last line- who's silly now-you just proved my point. Silly.

theturnofthe

theturnofthe wrote: »

Yes, perhaps the financial controller and senior management DID make a balls of it- so let THEM go .... OBVIOUSLY!!!!!!

Perhaps is not a fact. Maybe they are just being incredibly selfish, maybe they are just being unethical, maybe they are just doing it because they can? Nobody knows unless we get some inside info which will probably be over-exaggerated and inaccurate anyway.

colinun

Theentrepreneur, wouldn’t the world be a much better place if everyone adopted your message. The financial controller and senior management had to make a choice, but they’ve obviously have made a wrong choice which the paying members are feeling the affects of this choice, well only the ones who stay will. Why don’t they get rid of the high paying senior management? nows there's an idea! :P

I reckon 3/4 of the paying members don't even realise and if they do will decide one of two things; 1) stay or 2) go up the road to the two boys or off to Mr Dunne or whatever.

The world would be a better place if everyone adopted my message. It's called getting over it. That's a fact. I understand it's hard but the fitness industry is not alone. Millions of brilliant skilled individuals have lost their jobs worldwide and equally as many idiots have lost their job too (Anglo Irish Boss, FAS chief exec etc) but the best thing people can do is apply the principles of fitness in general (hard work, determination and focus and eating nutritionally well) and I'm sure they will be ok in the long run.

Relevant

sorry to hear that they are letting go all these people. However the fact of the matter is that the gym doesn't make the money off the people who go every week. the money is made off the people who join and never go which is about 90% of westwood members.

bodybyjohn

ehhhh.... has anybody read the paper or watched the news lately. Credit crunch. Global recession. Wage cuts. Negative equity. 2,000 jobs gone at dell. Wake up and smell the coffee. People are losing their jobs. Health clubs are not immune. From what I know, these people did not work for West Wood. They had access to their clients... to charge them €80 an hour.

colinun

oh yes the recession, if there is one thing that the people of this country are good at it is talking ourselves into things, we talked ourselves in and out of a property boom and now into a recession. But the fact of the matter is the managment, owner or whoever has the last say has removed the heart and soul from our club. there are plenty of other ways the club could have cut costs or boosted the income, cutting staff is the easy option, cutting the good staff is a mistake, its good staff that makes any company. And the management of westwood have just turned our club into one big choclate tea pot!

Chris89

Roper wrote: »

I reckon that what will happen with Westwood is:

a) the people who have left will be either replaced or not replaced
b) most members won't notice
c) The new PTs gym down the road will do a roaring trade, although I'M SURE that this thread wasn't an advertisement for them in any way

It's a big business with big business ideals. It'd be like me saying "ooh they've replaced that bloke on the tills in Spar. That place will fall apart without him". Like it or not, the next staff member will probably be as good as the last one.

I certainly didn't.
the girl who tells me to put my shoes back on when i deadlift is still there though. so im happy.

psitsasecret

Westwood decided, based on the current economic climate that they were getting rid of all gym managers across all 3 clubs. Keep in mind all 4 managers have a minimum of 8 years excellent service with the club.
They were all told on Tuesday and they have to leave with in the month. It is all very upsetting as most of the staff in all clubs have worked along side these people for years.

Obviously we all know things are bad, However only last month westwood in leopardstown paid almost €1000 for a company to come in and decorate the christmas tree that was in reception.On top of that they have had posters up for the last 4 months advertising the massive refurbishment they are doing of leopardstown, including a new 3rd floor extension, new spa area and new pool, Brand new bar area, new flooring throughout the entire gym floors, both cardio and weights,A whole new reception area, brand new paint job, new sales offices , refurb (yet again) of the changing rooms and new furniture in the spa areaand it is still not finished, but this is all at a cost of €3,000,000. They also are hiring new General Manager & PT co-ordinator - a role which the gym mamanger used to be responsible for.

I know there is up roar in leopardstown as the guy the let go has been there for over 10 years and is excellent at what he does. The have organised a petition and are having a meeting tomorrow to discuss, at least 45 people are attending it with others already sending in emails. in Clontarf I know that the Sunday independent rang looking to find out how it can justify it.

Also the company has just recently bought and done up Sachs Hotel in DonnyBrook and invested money in a hotel in Bosnia,

Moves like this, letting long term members of staff go don't seem logical when the company is making money. I know I will be cancelling my membership.

Johnny Storm

psitsasecret wrote: »

. westwood in leopardstown paid almost €1000 for a company to come in and decorate the christmas tree that was in reception.On top of that they have had posters up for the last 4 months advertising the massive refurbishment they are doing of leopardstown..at a cost of €3,000,000. ....
Also the company has just recently bought and done up Sachs Hotel in DonnyBrook and invested money in a hotel in Bosnia,

Moves like this, letting long term members of staff go don't seem logical when the company is making money. I know I will be cancelling my membership.

Very very strange.
Also if the guy they are letting go in Leopardstown is the guy I am thinking of he seems very competent and personable.

EDITed to add: On mature reflection, they may have decided to do the refurb, buy the hotels etc a year or two ago when the future looked a lot more rosy.

Suey101

I've heard about the meeting in westwood and hopefully will be attending, but they'll just say that theres a recession on and thats it, yet the club is spending money left right and centre explain that?, and just recently new machinery was installed in Clontraf. Philip Smith has plenty of money but his henchmen have no idea the impact of their changes will have on all the clubs, i feel someones ego has gotten in the way of their decision....

Frederick

I am cancelling my membership aswell, and have moved to another gym in the city centre.

Called memberships manager there and he reminded me of a clause in the 'rolling' contract where you have to make a payment within the notice period. They already took a payment out for January so I have to pay for Feb aswell. Its a slick way of getting those last euros out before someone leaves. I guess I should have read all of the small print. The atmosphere in there sucks at the moment aswell. Screw them.

I guess i'll hit the spinning classes to get some return for the money

theturnofthe

"[quote=Relevant; the fact of the matter is that the gym doesn't make the money off the people who go every week. the money is made off the people who join and never go which is about 90% of westwood members.[/quote]""

Not completely true- the people 'who go every week' are all the people who paid for PT lessons in the gym previously and on a lesser scale are patrons of the O'Briens coffee shop as well as the other two shops on site, who pay rent to WW....

I'm SICK of hearing that the 'people who go every week' aren't important-
we're the ones that consistantly give the club money over a period of years, as opposed to january-joiners who leave after a few months...
Letting go the staff that made the club what it was will affect everyone, newcomers and oldtimers alike

Relevant

theturnofthe wrote: »

"""

Not completely true- the people 'who go every week' are all the people who paid for PT lessons in the gym previously and on a lesser scale are patrons of the O'Briens coffee shop as well as the other two shops on site, who pay rent to WW....

I'm SICK of hearing that the 'people who go every week' aren't important-
we're the ones that consistantly give the club money over a period of years, as opposed to january-joiners who leave after a few months...
Letting go the staff that made the club what it was will affect everyone, newcomers and oldtimers alike

All the money comes from the January joiners. Sad as it is to say all Philip Smith cares about is the income for the year.

theturnofthe

well , with the bad press and word of mouth WWs receiving I wonder will there be as many jan-joiners as usual.....

Relevant

theturnofthe wrote: »

well , with the bad press and word of mouth WWs receiving I wonder will there be as many jan-joiners as usual.....

I'm certainly thinking of cancelling my menbership. It could be time to buy a power rack and olympic set and work out from home. Probably cheaper too!

Roper

Jeeebus!!!!!!!

It's BUSINESS. They can call you "club members" all they want but you are not, you are CUSTOMERS. Therefore you pays your money, you takes your chances. If this were a football or rugby club and your subs went towards the running of the club only and you were associates of the club, then you would have a say and some sort of petition would have sway, but you're not, you're a customer, so if they decide to up the price of a bottle of water, or raise their fees, or sack all of their staff, then that's their business and there's nothing you can do about it. Except of course, take your business elsewhere.

To me, and probably to many others who keep an interest in the way the fitness industry operates, is no surprise. It's the logical conclusion of the big-box, high concept gym. People like those involved in crossfit and others like myself have said for years how the big box gym was, in general, a bad thing. Westwood by all accounts was among the better gyms but when you exist to serve a luxury and you don't offer personal service to people, then this is what happens in a recession.

doshin

Roper wrote: »

when you exist to serve a luxury and you don't offer personal service to people, then this is what happens in a recession.

Yes they exist to supply a luxury but the personat trainers and middle management staff let go did supply the personal touch. That is why so many people are upset and disappointed by the 'club'

colinun

If your paying for a service and the service has just become crap, you have a right to complain!. The westwood clubs were great, but now they are been cut back and the memebers are getting a cheap service when paying a premium price! Members are been screwed! :mad:

socialistwander

True Roper, but simply stating it's business without acknowledging the complete lack of understanding ww have demonstrated to surviving in the current economic climate based on historical experience is naive.

Those companies which have come through previous economic down turn and survived have done so by showing heightened levels of innovation as opposed to simple cost cutting measures. challenging times require long term strategic planning to ensure competitiveness coming into 2010 and beyond. Simple short term cost cutting will not provide a competitive edge to ww going forward. Whereas middle management may well have inflated salaries due to length of service, to simply cut them completely out of the equation leaves a serious knowledge gap behind as well as negatively effecting the trust of those who remain.

WW have entered into a panic solution to 2008 figures and projected 2009 revenue. If they had stepped back and considered all options than they could of avoided the bad press. Using techniques like flex leave and partnering with staff in a pro-active way would at least have shown an insightful management team was in place.

With regards to letting go of ALL personal trainers who are ultimately contractors and not directly paid through westwood and in fact generating revenue through rent paid and ultimate attraction and retention of members is inexcusable. Westood own and thrive on a different market share than gyms such as westpoint as previously stated and cannot retrospectively compete in the same slice of the pie. There differenciation was key to their success. By eliminating the expertise and ability to train with highly competent and motivated staff has taken away this differentiator.

The two lads who have bravely decided to open their own premises have shown more forward thinking and understanding of modern business climate than the entire ww management team put together and I wish them success. Joining ww now is akin to backing a 3 legged horse and ultimately a personal choice but not for me!!

But seriously, what are you going to do about it?

Zamboni

First of all I'd be very cagey with all the one post wonders in this thread.

WW is a business in reality, not a club as the name suggests.

You're a member in name only, not in practice so organising a meeting and a petition is nonsensical.
Westwood 'members' are customers not shareholders. If WW make a business decision that you don't understand, they do not have to justify it to you.

All that being said, I hope the guys and gals that are gone get sorted with something else anyway. Tough times.

theturnofthe

socialistwander wrote: »

True Roper, but simply stating it's business without acknowledging the complete lack of understanding ww have demonstrated to surviving in the current economic climate based on historical experience is naive.

Those companies which have come through previous economic down turn and survived have done so by showing heightened levels of innovation as opposed to simple cost cutting measures. challenging times require long term strategic planning to ensure competitiveness coming into 2010 and beyond. Simple short term cost cutting will not provide a competitive edge to ww going forward. Whereas middle management may well have inflated salaries due to length of service, to simply cut them completely out of the equation leaves a serious knowledge gap behind as well as negatively effecting the trust of those who remain.

WW have entered into a panic solution to 2008 figures and projected 2009 revenue. If they had stepped back and considered all options than they could of avoided the bad press. Using techniques like flex leave and partnering with staff in a pro-active way would at least have shown an insightful management team was in place.

With regards to letting go of ALL personal trainers who are ultimately contractors and not directly paid through westwood and in fact generating revenue through rent paid and ultimate attraction and retention of members is inexcusable. Westood own and thrive on a different market share than gyms such as westpoint as previously stated and cannot retrospectively compete in the same slice of the pie. There differenciation was key to their success. By eliminating the expertise and ability to train with highly competent and motivated staff has taken away this differentiator.

The two lads who have bravely decided to open their own premises have shown more forward thinking and understanding of modern business climate than the entire ww management team put together and I wish them success. Joining ww now is akin to backing a 3 legged horse and ultimately a personal choice but not for me!!

well said!!

socialistwander

Deleted User wrote: »

But seriously, what are you going to do about it?

Just stating an opinion mate. Isn't that what this sites about?

Exactly and that's all everyone is going to do. Nobody is going to actually try and do anything. They just have to GET OVER IT

socialistwander

Aren't the two lads setting up their own place and ultimately attracting their previous clients to join at what I assume will be a cheaper option now not only not providing revenue for ww but possibly taking some away doing something??

theturnofthe

Deleted User wrote: »

Exactly and that's all everyone is going to do. Nobody is going to actually try and do anything. They just have to GET OVER IT

Such apathy theentrepeneur!!
We'll see how little will be done about it by the time the national press get hold of it- at least it'll give WW a good kick up the ***
And people are gettin over it alright- by leaving

Relevant

Zamboni wrote: »

First of all I'd be very cagey with all the one post wonders in this thread.

Was going to say the same thing. Can Mods check IP addresses?

Zamboni

Relevant wrote: »

Was going to say the same thing. Can Mods check IP addresses?

The whole thread looks like...

a. Rant by PT's who got let go using new handles
b. Advert for two of the PT's