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Is this normal in the PT world?

caimitator

Hi All,

Sorry if this is in the wrong place and for the length of the post.

I just wanted some advice regarding a PT.

I'm getting married next year, and like the lazy sod I am have left it to the last minute to get my a$$ in gear for my wedding.

I met a PT when I was getting my nails done one day, she was training everyone in the salon and they were all raving about her. I told her about my situation and she said I could book in with her and she'd be able to help me. That night, I went home and did some research on her. Turns out, she is well known in the fitness world in terms of competitions etc. She works in a gym with a great reputation, and her clients seemed to really like her.

So, I had my consultation with her and it went brilliantly. I was that good kinda sore where I felt I was doing things right. She was very thorough and encouraging. She mentioned that if I chose to proceed with the training we would be doing food plans and measurements. I told her that my days were Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday anytime between 11 and 4. She said these were ideal times as most people want before or after the working day.

The following week I did two sessions in a week. Again, it went really well and I felt good and motivated, delighted with my choice.

The third week, she started rescheduling appointments and texting me at midnight to see could I do 9am the next morning. I also had to text her on the Wednesday night to see if she could fit me in on the Thursday as I hadn't heard from her.

Last week, she texted at 8pm on Monday asking could I do 9am or 10am on Tuesday. I said no, and asked did she have anything on the Thursday and she didn't reply. Then I texted her at midnight on Wednesday asking did anything come up and she said she could offer me 12pm or 3pm, I said I could do 3pm and she said OK. Then 2 minutes later she texted saying she didn't actually have 3pm any more. We couldn't make any other time work. She said she was sorry and she was booking me in for next week right that instant.

It's now Tuesday and I have not heard from her.

I'm disappointed to say the least but don't know if this is normal in the PT world. As people I know (through social media) are going to her and saying how great she is, and getting in three times in one week I think it's something to do with me personally, and that stings. I tried my best at every session and take her advice and I thought we got on, on a personal level.

We never did a food plan or measurements.

Is this normal? Is it time to ask for my money back (I paid her upfront)? Is it something I did?

Sorry for the long post.

Welcome any advice,
A worried bride

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Comments

Zillah

She works for you and is doing a bad job. Fire her, find someone else. There are plenty of trainers in the world. Don't waste another second contemplating the reasons for her bad behaviour, they're her problem.

JayRoc

I would almost always keep my communication with people I coach to within office hours.

A text at midnight is unprofessional imo, as is a lot of the other stuff mentioned.

Being paid in advance, which is obviously the industry standard, means a tacit agreement to stay in touch with your clients and reply to them in a timely manner.

Mooooo

Texting is only messing around, esp when it's a long time between responses ring her and if she isn't responding get someone else

Teyla Emmagan

Yeah, tell her you want guaranteed times and no more messing around or your money back. She sounds really unprofessional.

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freemenfitness

Yeah as others have said a trainer is providing a service if it is no good you go somewhere else. If a restaurant served you bad food you would not go back.

It can be tough to find good trainers out there as many of them are simply good at marketing and not that good at providing quality training or looking after clients. Most trainers are good at marketing, being nice and getting on with people as its part of the job but they are still providing a service and looking for your money at the end of the day.

If she was contacting you due to an unforeseen emergency the night before its understandable but texting regularly and not accepting calls is not on. For me, if someone wants to train at 6am it's my job to arrange my day so I will be there not for the client and to call them well in advance to let them know if I cant be.

So yeah you seem unhappy and you are not getting the training in that you need during this time frame. My advice is the same as above find another trainer.

Zillah

Feck, I missed the bit about paying up front. That's a shame. Was a contract signed, what does it say about classes and scheduling? Lesson to learn for the future: don't pay for that sort of thing ahead of time.

You could give her one more chance and explain your problems regarding her unprofessional conduct and tell her you'll expect your money back if she doesn't sort it out.

cloudatlas

Where abouts do you live? Maybe people on here can recommend someone else she sounds like a waste of space, promised the world and delivered nothing.

caimitator

Thanks all, I explained my grievances via text and she came back and said she was going through personal issues and offered me free sessions and guaranteed slots going forward. However, I think that once it starts off like this, there's probably no coming back. I've decided to proceed with a refund, which she has agreed to, minus the sessions already given of course. As has been suggested, I have learnt a lesson. Feel a bit foolish!

Nervous Wreck

caimitator wrote: »

Thanks all, I explained my grievances via text and she came back and said she was going through personal issues and offered me free sessions and guaranteed slots going forward. However, I think that once it starts off like this, there's probably no coming back. I've decided to proceed with a refund, which she has agreed to, minus the sessions already given of course. As has been suggested, I have learnt a lesson. Feel a bit foolish!

Don't feel foolish. While this isn't acceptable, it wouldn't say it's wildly out of the norm. I've had the same happen to me before (with music lessons) and it's totally not cool but it does happen often enough.

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JayRoc

Zillah wrote: »

Feck, I missed the bit about paying up front. That's a shame. Was a contract signed, what does it say about classes and scheduling? Lesson to learn for the future: don't pay for that sort of thing ahead of time.

You could give her one more chance and explain your problems regarding her unprofessional conduct and tell her you'll expect your money back if she doesn't sort it out.

Tbf, paying in advance for a PT is the norm. Are there trainers who don't do this?

Transform

caimitator wrote: »

Thanks all, I explained my grievances via text and she came back and said she was going through personal issues and offered me free sessions and guaranteed slots going forward. However, I think that once it starts off like this, there's probably no coming back. I've decided to proceed with a refund, which she has agreed to, minus the sessions already given of course. As has been suggested, I have learnt a lesson. Feel a bit foolish!

where do you live or work?

To all the trainers - you cant train others if you are not making time to take care of yourself. Most trainers take on too much work at too little pay and get burnt out

freemenfitness

No argument there but if something like this happens you just need to explain to your client to avoid these situations.

Zillah

JayRoc wrote: »

Tbf, paying in advance for a PT is the norm. Are there trainers who don't do this?

I've never actually used a trainer; the internet is mine. I assumed maybe it was normal to pay per session - prepay sounds dodgy for the very reasons we just heard about.

Alf Veedersane

Zillah wrote: »

I've never actually used a trainer; the internet is mine. I assumed maybe it was normal to pay per session - prepay sounds dodgy for the very reasons we just heard about.

Prepaid works for a couple of reasons. It's a good motivator for people that might otherwise flake out on a session. It also means the PT doesn't lose out on an hour of income if someone doesn't bother turning up.

cmyk

caimitator wrote: »

Thanks all, I explained my grievances via text and she came back and said she was going through personal issues and offered me free sessions and guaranteed slots going forward. However, I think that once it starts off like this, there's probably no coming back. I've decided to proceed with a refund, which she has agreed to, minus the sessions already given of course. As has been suggested, I have learnt a lesson. Feel a bit foolish!

It's an unfortunate outcome for both parties, no-one ought to feel foolish, sometimes things like this happen, especially as most are sole traders and are juggling several things.

Remaining professional, is of course, something to be striving for but occasionally life gets in the way. We don't know what's happened behind the scenes so perhaps, as she's come recommended by several people, she should be given the benefit of the doubt.

People get sick, often times seriously sick in a myriad of horrible ways. Financial difficulties, family duties, childcare issues, accidents, caring or responsibility for others, mistakes, all unravel the best of intentions. If you you've never allowed that effect your professional life consider yourself lucky...coach or client.

There have been more than several occasions over the years whereby I've waived cancellation fees or moved sessions for clients that may have been effected by such circumstances (as others I work alongside). I say that only to illustrate that it works both ways before labelling her a 'waste of space'.

caimitator

Thank you everyone.

I didn't know what kind of advice I was going to get, but all of it has genuinely been extremely helpful.

So she offered free sessions for two weeks and guaranteed slots after that and if I'm still not happy, she said she'd recommend someone else.

I told her I would think her offer over, which I'm doing now. A lot of going back and forth I must say.

Alf Veedersane

Where are you based? You might be able to get a recommendation for a good PT here

Todd Gack

caimitator wrote: »

Thank you everyone.

I didn't know what kind of advice I was going to get, but all of it has genuinely been extremely helpful.

So she offered free sessions for two weeks and guaranteed slots after that and if I'm still not happy, she said she'd recommend someone else.

I told her I would think her offer over, which I'm doing now. A lot of going back and forth I must say.

Has she given any indication the personal issues she was having are resolved?, if so she may be worth giving another shot to given that you found her quite good. If not move on.

caimitator

Todd Gack wrote: »

Has she given any indication the personal issues she was having are resolved?, if so she may be worth giving another shot to given that you found her quite good. If not move on.

Didn't really give a solid indication.

"I was actually going to message you to explain today...it's more family stuff but it's ok now..."

Nervous Wreck

caimitator wrote: »

"I was actually going to message you to explain today..."

I say this to people in work every week, when I've been avoiding all contact with them and finally accidentally answer the phone to them.

Transform

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Where are you based? You might be able to get a recommendation for a good PT here

^^^ thats been mentioned a few times now

[Deleted User]

I am having the exact same issue myself with a Dublin based PT. I paid upfront for 3 sessions for 4 weeks to start off and I should be into my third week now but I've only had 2 sessions and I've been cancelled on 4 times which the last cancellation being without any notice.

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. Each excuse was different with the final one being "a death in the family". This is understandable but honestly not my problem, so I feel he should not have agreed to take me on in the first place, given all these issues.

The PT has not replied to my calls,e-mail or texts and I've heard nothing for a week now. I obviously want to move on but would like a refund, if I can get get hold of him again.

Transform

Deleted User wrote: »

I am having the exact same issue myself with a Dublin based PT. I paid upfront for 3 sessions for 4 weeks to start off and I should be into my third week now but I've only had 2 sessions and I've been cancelled on 4 times which the last cancellation being without any notice.

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. Each excuse was different with the final one being "a death in the family". This is understandable but honestly not my problem so I feel he should not have agreed to take me on in the first place, given all these issues.

The PT has not replied to my call, e-mail or texts and I've heard nothing for a week now. I obviously want to move on but like like a refund, if I can get get hold of ten again.

Simple tip for all clients - work with a trainer that works with other trainers under them.

If the head trainer cant take you or doest take on new clients he/she always has other coaches that can regardless of whats going on.

Its generally a good sign that they're experienced and business minded.

However, if the head trainer hasnt got a good training philosophy to begin with then the latter point doest hold up.

caimitator

So I decided to give the PT another shot.

My first session back was yesterday. There was no apology in person but that's fine, I can understand that.

During the session, she said she had been sending all her clients to her best mate for their food plan and gave me the number which I texted.

I met up with the best mate, who is trying to charge €150 for four weeks of planning. This, I was told, includes a €30 discount because I'm a client of the PT's.

My second session back is today, she's just pushed it back 15 minutes because the client before me is delayed.

Mr. CooL ICE

caimitator wrote: »

So I decided to give the PT another shot.

My first session back was yesterday. There was no apology in person but that's fine, I can understand that.

During the session, she said she had been sending all her clients to her best mate for their food plan and gave me the number which I texted.

I met up with the best mate, who is trying to charge €150 for four weeks of planning. This, I was told, includes a €30 discount because I'm a client of the PT's.

My second session back is today, she's just pushed it back 15 minutes because the client before me is delayed.

She's taking the absolute piss.

Find another trainer and move on. Let us know where you're based so recommendations can be given.

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Alf Veedersane

....... wrote: »

why on earth is anyone paying good money for exercise and meal planning when all of that is freely available information on the internet, or available at a small price through buying a book?

1) Accountability
2) Something being freely available on the Internet doesn't mean you will always be able to apply what the Internet advises to you own training.
3) Good technique

But the trainer from the OP is the epitome of a farce.

Dublinguy007

If someone runs late that's their problem, the trainer should be strict with time slots.