poaching between PTs - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[freetimefitness]

Hi guys I've just started working at a gym, its quite competative here we all have targets to reach......

I have not had much trouble getting clients as in my opinion my routines are solid and backed up, however one trainer here has been calling other personal trainers clients and slating their existing PT saying "are you happy with your PT" and "You should train with me I'm way better".

None of my clients have been approached..... yet but I think they might be as this PT keeps accessing a databasespecifically to poach.

Is this frowned upon? i don't find it very honourable what do you guys think?

T

FreeTimeFitness

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

Geeez, now I've heard everything!

I agree with John, that's very unprofessional. Is he the only trainer that does this? Does management know? A certain amount of "in-fighting" is to be expected. But stealing another trainers client, while it helps the theif trainer, it doesn't really affect the clubs bottom line. Unless the theif trainer is horrible and ceases personal training after training with him.

[hazool]

all in all someone like this will damage the club in the long run. I question this persons skills and would advice you to leave this person alone. The expression is: give he/she enough rope and they will hang themselves. what i am saying is... you are keeping to your standard and that is what counts... if he/she takes a client from you by false words the client will so find them out. Its not a cool situation to be in dealing with others egos but the wise man says nothing and the fool never shuts up. Stay strong. Haze x

[androyd_nyc]

I'm guessing you're working for the house and not freelancing, correct?

inform the PT manager of what's going on and if the PT mgr doesn't act on it then seek life elsewhere-- the place has bad juju.

I cosign hazool that this behavior will impact the club's PT revenues as it will create a strained and hostile work environment and the resulting tension will discourage members from training.

Not to mention that the trainers will leave.

i recently came back into the business by signing on with a marquee name club here in NYC for a rate far below my old hourly-- and they required floor shifts!

I walked out when i realize that not only were they steering live leads elsewhere [to the cool kids who hung out in the office!], they also redirected a call-in for me that was referred by someone that i'd worked with.

This behavior is unacceptable whether by colleagues or management and when I was PT mgr it was a firing offense.

[mikeperryfitness]

This type of behaviour is on the increase in alot of clubs/gyms as more trainers are required and the recruitment process is diluted and less qualified and dedicated so called 'pt's' are employed. If you find yourself working in a fitness environment were this type of behaviour is allowed to continue it may affect your own reputation as a trainer.

I would suggest that if you are happy working where you are then it would be a good idea to set up a meeting with your manager and express your concerns. Hopefully this would resolve the issue.

Poaching of clients as mentioned by hazel is unexceptable and you should consider a move if it continues. The users will get fed up with the infighting and go elsewhere.

Other people may see a little healthy competition as a good driving force to ensure that you continue to deliver a top notch effective service with all of your clients. If you do this and your clients see good results then if they are approached they won't be interested.

In short, poaching of other pt's clients is unethical. Trainers should be named and shamed.

[PTBizCoach]

WOW this sounds familair! LOL

This was the exact same situation I had in one of the clubs I managed a few years ago.

One of the trainers on staff was going through the PT session book and finding phone numbers to other trainers clients.

He would call and offer them a better price or if they wanted to train somewhere else he would actually charge HALF of what the client was being charged now.

So not only was he trying to take business from the other trainers he was trying to take business from theckub by taking the client to another location.

After I confirmed this he was FIRED on the spot.

After he left the other trainers were much happier and really came together as a team.

Do whatever you need to do to get the trainer to stop what he is doing as soon as possible.