1 reviews | Active since Aug 2011
Unprofessional and poor character of club manager
I am repulsed to say the least, after experiencing the poor character and unprofessional behaviour of James, the club manager at Planet Fitness Sandton Gate. This is supposed to be more of an "upper class" club, but any business is only as good as its leadership, and at Sandton Gate, there is so much growth needed in their management. I was completely "put off" from this club due to the behaviour of James during the past couple of months who did not resemble professionalism or strong characteristics usually found in good leadership / managers. Instead I witnessed an insecure person who did not have the ability to avoid creating a personal vendetta against a person and therefor unprofessionally discriminated and violated personal rights. After my friend of 20 years went through a terrible experience for a couple of months in joining this specific club (where I was also training at the time) as a personal trainer, he left the club (I will not comment on this because it does not affect me directly, but I was shocked and disgusted to learn about what goes on "behind the scenes" lack of integrity and immoral behaviour is a problem) and then I also moved over to Planet Fitness Morningside. My friend and I have been training together for many years, but since he has qualified as a personal trainer last year, he no longer has a membership at Planet Fitness. I added a black tag on my membership which meant that we could still train together whenever he is free. On the 11th of April we had to go to Sandton Gate due to Morningside being closed after flooding. As usual I trained first because we can't train simultaneously due to our weights that we use being hugely different. In the middle of my set James came to ask my friend to see him in his office immediately, interrupting my session. When I asked him why, he said that it's personal between them about a payment. Only to find out he **** to me, he called him in because he is "training" me and not exercising himself. The black tag specifically says you can bring your Buddy or ANYONE, as long as they come with you when you train! Also, I am the MEMBER, I pay for the gym and I pay for the black tag, so if he has an issue, he has NO right to confront MY guest, I am to be confronted and given facts on black & white, not personal issues. Secondly, my friend stays in my house and I don't pay him to "train" me, not that my personal relationships or financials has anything to do with him, in fact it violates my personal rights and I paid for my black tag to bring him with me to the gym. You see partners training together and helping each other on how to train all the time in the club, but because James created this personal vendetta against my friend when things didn't work out good when he was part of the team of personal trainers at the gym, he keeps on victimising my friend and stepping over the boundary, behaving unprofessional and in an unacceptable manner. I do not take this matter lightly and neither should the owner of this franchise. There are more incidents before this one, which I will gladly discuss with the owner. A manager should never be allowed to abuse authority or to embarrass and offend a customer in this manner. The behaviour of a manager reflects the characteristics of a company. Not happy. Not impressed.
